Answer:
1. research tool
2. roadmap
The thesis statement is the dominant idea of the essay. This is the claim that an author tries to prove throughout the essay, and the driving force of the text. The thesis statement serves as a research tool for the author, as it tells him what it is that he needs to find out. However, after the essay is done, it becomes a roadmap for the reader. This is because knowing the thesis statement can help a reader navigate the text. It also indicates to him what the most important sections of the text are.
