Read the excerpt from "Bone Detective," by Lorraine Jean Hopping. Diane made a rubber silicone mold of the impression. Then, she made a sturdy wax cast of the mold and sent it to a metalworks company. The foundry workers coated the wax mold with plaster and put it in an industrial oven. The wax melted off, leaving a plaster shell. The workers poured melted bronze into the shell, and the metal cooled and hardened into a bronze tiger tongue.

Diane’s casts of the tongue and paw allowed zoo visitors to share her amazing experience. People felt the roughness of the big cat’s tongue and spread a hand inside the palm of its giant paw. This, she decided, was one of the coolest things I have ever done. She savored the moment, knowing that far graver matters were always just a phone call away.

Which statement best describes Hopping’s viewpoint and purpose in this excerpt?

1 The author thinks that making the casts of the tiger is an amazing experience, and writes to persuade readers to make casts of their pets.
2 The author enjoys visiting the National Zoo in Washington, D. C., and writes to encourage readers to visit their local zoo.
3 The author views Diane France’s work with tigers as dangerous, and writes to warn readers to stay away from them.
4 The author finds Diane France’s experiences interesting, and writes to inform readers about the process France used to make a bronze tiger tongue.