by Randy Rieland
Consider the cheese stick. It is not a beautiful food. It also isn't particularly healthy. Cheese sticks are about as commonplace as snack food gets.
Yet in the packaged version that ends up in so many kids' lunch boxes, each cylinder of mozzarella or cheddar is individually wrapped, like a high-end truffle. And, every day, thousands of those little pieces of plastic wrap are thrown in the trash.
But that may not be the case for long.
Two researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a film made from a milk protein. The film can be eaten with the cheese. Which means that it may not be too long before we have a wrapper we can eat. It also could be healthy. Edible plastic exists, but it's largely made of starch, not protein.
“Here’s a Food Wrapper You Can Eat” by Randy Rieland, from SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, September 20, 2016. Copyright © 2016 by Smithsonian Institution. Reprinted with permission from Smithsonian Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any medium is strictly prohibited without permission from Smithsonian Institution.
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.
How does the metaphor in paragraph 2 help the audience understand the author’s purpose?
(1 point)
Responses
It compares the cheese stick with the high-end truffle to highlight the wastefulness of individual packaging.
It compares the cheese stick with the high-end truffle to highlight the wastefulness of individual packaging.
It draws attention to how expensive cheese sticks are by comparing them to high-end truffles.
It draws attention to how expensive cheese sticks are by comparing them to high-end truffles.
It explains the importance of individual packaging no matter the quality or price of the snack.
It explains the importance of individual packaging no matter the quality or price of the snack.
It attempts to convince the audience that cheese sticks are a fancy and desirable snack.
1 answer
The correct response is:
It compares the cheese stick with the high-end truffle to highlight the wastefulness of individual packaging.
This metaphor emphasizes the contrast between the common cheese stick and the luxurious truffle, drawing attention to the unnecessary waste generated by the individual packaging of a simple snack.
