PARCC Practice Test: "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story"

Question #17:  Part A
What is one reason the author finds the piece of art developed form cracker-and-cheese snack spreaders to be arresting in paragraph 5?

• The piece of art is confusing and requires her to look more closely at it in order to understand it.
• It reminds the author of the times she and her children had spent at the beach.
• The author is impressed by the size of the piece of art.
• It highlights how such and ordinary part of daily life can become a serious pollutant.

Question #17:  Part B
Which phrase from paragraph 5 provides direct evidence of the answer for Part A?

• emotional impact
• recognizes objects
• closer inspection
• kids' lunches

Question #18:  Part A
According to the author, what do the Langs hope to achieve through their efforts with plastic trash?

• They want to point out the commercial potential of overlooked resources.
• They want to challenge the standard view of what constitutes sculpture.
• They want to restore a landscape to the state it was in during their youth.
• They want to raise public awareness about an environmental issue.

Question #18:  Part B
Which statement in the passage most clearly shows what the Langs hope to achieve through their efforts?

• "For their 2004 wedding - at Burnign Man, wehre else? - Selby Lang fashionied her dress from white plastic bags and decorated ti with bits of white plastic culled from the beach."  (paragraph 3)
• "the couple estimates they'be pulled more than two tons of stuff from the mile-long stretch." (paragraph 4)
• "The couple aren't trying to preserve their beloved beach."  (paragraph 5)
• "They're using their beach finds to create art that sounds the alarm about all that matter out of place."  (paragraph 5)

Question #19:  Part A
What does the phrase the litter classics in paragraph 6 suggest about the author's feelings toward "bottles, bottle caps, plastic spoons, food packages, and a few plastic bags"?

• She is sadly aware of the negligence that leads to these commonly found types of litter.
• She is frequently surprised by the amount and variety of litter found throughout the world.
• She is insistent that more of this kind of litter should be recycled.
• She is appreciative of the inherent value of these common types of litter.

Question #19: Part B
Which statement in the passage builds on the significance of the phrase the litter classics?

• "Plastics makes up on ly about 10 percent of all the garbage the world produces..." (paragraph 7)
• "Every year, the Ocean Conservancy sponsors and international beach-cleanup day..." (paragraph 7)
• "If nothing else, the detritus collected each year is testament to the degree to which the whole world is becoming addicted to the conveniences of throwaway living."  (paragraph 8)
• "But to really appreciate the toll that this is taking on the planet, you have to head away from the coast and out into the deep reaches of the ocean."  (paragraph 8)

Question #19: Part B
Which statement in the passage builds on the significance of the phrase the litter classics?

• "Plastics makes up on ly about 10 percent of all the garbage the world produces..." (paragraph 7)
• "Every year, the Ocean Conservancy sponsors and international beach-cleanup day..." (paragraph 7)
• "If nothing else, the detritus collected each year is testament to the degree to which the whole world is becoming addicted to the conveniences of throwaway living."  (paragraph 8)
• "But to really appreciate the toll that this is taking on the planet, you have to head away from the coast and out into the deep reaches of the ocean."  (paragraph 8)

Question #20: Part A
What is the meaning of the word uniformity as it is used in paragraph 7?

• made of artificial materials
• having a similar nature
• rarely found
• easily disposable

Question #20: Part B
Which excerpt from paragraph 7 best clarifies the meaning of uniformity?

• "...60 to 80 percent of the debris that collects on the shore is plastic."
• "...volunteers inevitably come across much the same stuff..."
• "...each made up of thousands of fibers of semi-synthetic polymer cellulose acetate..."
• "...more than double the number collected just five years earlier."

Question #21:  Part A
What is the primary purpose of the passage?

• to offer a creative solution tot he problem of plastic trash on seashores
• to discuss the perils of plastic trash to seashore ecosystems
• to explain the source of most plastic trash found on seashores
• to describe the excess of plastic trash along seashores