PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Reading Comprehension 8

Question 1

A passage states: 'The old lighthouse had guided sailors home for generations, but the night it went dark, the harbor held its breath.' What literary device is primarily used in the italicized phrase?

Accepted Answer

Personification, giving the harbor a human physical response

Answer

Giving the harbor the human action of 'holding its breath' attributes a living, emotional quality to an inanimate place — this is personification.

Question 2

An author writes: 'Maya folded the letter without reading it and slid it beneath the mattress.' What can the reader most reasonably infer about Maya?

Accepted Answer

She is avoiding information she is not ready to face

Answer

Hiding an unread letter suggests avoidance — Maya's deliberate choice not to read it implies she fears or is unprepared for its contents.

Question 3

Which sentence from a student essay best demonstrates an evidence-based claim?

Accepted Answer

The author's repeated use of empty rooms and unanswered letters establishes a pervasive theme of isolation.

Answer

Only the third sentence connects specific textual evidence (empty rooms, unanswered letters) to a named literary element (theme of isolation), meeting the standard for evidence-based writing.

Question 4

A passage describes a character who 'wore his silence like armor.' What does this figurative language most likely suggest?

Accepted Answer

The character uses quietness as a means of self-protection

Answer

Comparing silence to armor implies it serves a defensive purpose — the character shields himself from vulnerability or harm by not speaking.

Question 5

Two authors write about the same historical drought. Author A focuses on government policy failures; Author B focuses on the experiences of farming families. How does point of view most likely affect each text?

Accepted Answer

Author A will emphasize systemic causes while Author B will emphasize human impact

Answer

Point of view shapes what an author selects and emphasizes — a policy lens highlights institutional failures, while a personal lens foregrounds lived human consequences.

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Reading Comprehension 8