PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Advanced Reading 7

Question 1

A student reads an article in which the author systematically concedes a counterargument before refuting it in each paragraph. What is the most likely purpose of this structural choice?

Accepted Answer

To demonstrate that the author has considered opposing views and strengthen the overall argument's credibility

Answer

Acknowledging and then refuting counterarguments is a classic rhetorical strategy called concession and rebuttal; it shows intellectual honesty and preempts objections, making the author's position appear more thoughtful and credible.

Question 2

A poem uses the image of a crumbling stone wall to describe an aging friendship throughout all six stanzas. This repeated image is best described as:

Accepted Answer

An extended metaphor that develops the poem's central theme

Answer

When a single figurative comparison is sustained and developed across an entire text rather than used once, it is called an extended metaphor; the wall's gradual decay mirrors the friendship's deterioration over all six stanzas.

Question 3

A nonfiction author writes: 'The council voted unanimously — every single member raised a hand — to approve the budget.' What is the most precise reason the author includes the parenthetical clarification?

Accepted Answer

To provide emphasis and ensure readers understand the full significance of 'unanimously'

Answer

The parenthetical 'every single member raised a hand' restates 'unanimously' in concrete, visual terms; this emphasis technique ensures readers fully grasp the scope of the agreement rather than glossing over an abstract adverb.

Question 4

Two editorial writers respond to the same new education policy. Writer A uses personal interviews with teachers; Writer B uses nationwide standardized test score data. A reader who wants to evaluate the policy's broad measurable impact should prioritize:

Accepted Answer

Writer B's account, because large-scale quantitative data better reflects systemic trends across the population

Answer

When the goal is assessing broad, measurable impact across a large population, large-scale quantitative data (standardized test scores nationwide) is more appropriate than a limited set of personal interviews, which reflect individual experiences rather than system-wide patterns.

Question 5

A reader notices that a science article aimed at the general public uses the phrase 'heart attack' while a cardiology journal article on the same topic uses 'myocardial infarction.' What does this difference most directly reveal?

Accepted Answer

Both authors are adapting their diction to suit their intended audience's level of familiarity

Answer

Diction — word choice — is one of the key ways authors signal and respond to their intended audience; 'heart attack' is accessible to general readers while 'myocardial infarction' assumes specialized medical knowledge, showing each author tailored language to their readership.

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Advanced Reading 7