Reading group questions?

[hmpf]

Lately, a lot of newer books I've read have had a page or two of "Reading group questions" in the back. These kind of baffle me. What's their purpose, exactly? Are there actually people out there who feel a need for these questions? They're usually extremely basic, nothing you wouldn't hit upon when talking about a book in a group of even just moderately active minds. I mean, do we really need what's essentially a set of instructions for talking about books? Really?