Question

In Favor of School Uniforms
by Patricia Clements

Teenagers today love to express themselves through the clothing they wear. These personal statements range from T-shirts showing their favorite bands to advertisements of alcohol and tobacco products. Add to this, low-cut jeans and halter tops on the girls and pants on the boys that hang way below the hips, and it is evident that there is a problem with how teens dress today.
In addition, since our public schools have diverse populations, the division between the haves and the have-nots is evident in the clothes students wear. Often, clothing is a status symbol, and those who do not have the right attire are singled out and ridiculed. Just when students should be focusing on academics and their future college plans, they are too busy being wrapped up in the clothes they wear.
There is a simple solution to this problem. While clothes do have a role in a teen’s self-expression, the bigger issue is how much it impacts the education of these teens. How much time is spent focusing on what to wear, and how much time is taken away from learning? It seems obvious that a simple solution to this problem is to institute a dress code that results in students wearing a school uniform. It’s true that there would be an uproar from both students and parents who are concerned with individuality and angry that the authority in charge is controlling what they perceive to be a personal decision. It’s also true that students would not get the opportunity to learn about themselves as individuals through self-expression.
However, the good would outweigh the bad. Our students could get back to focusing on what’s important: their education and their future. Without provocative clothing like halter tops and low-cut jeans, and without the advertisement of illegal substances on T-shirts, schools could focus once again on educational goals without interruption. With everyone dressed the same, there would be less teasing among students who judge each other based on clothes. School uniforms would lead to better self-esteem among the students, and the pressure of fitting in would no longer revolve around clothing.
It would also be easier for public schools to provide help to families who cannot afford clothes in the first place. All students wear essentially the same uniform, and the school would likely deal with one company selling the uniforms; therefore, it would be simpler to provide assistance to those in financial need.
While there are some arguments for allowing students to wear what they want to school, there are better arguments to support the wearing of school uniforms. Our schools need to start investigating the possibility of requiring school uniforms in our public schools today.
17
What does the use of the word provocative in the fourth paragraph suggest?
A.
illegal
B.
unrevealing
C.
trashy
D.
appropriate

Answer 1

The use of the word "provocative" in the fourth paragraph suggests clothing that is likely to cause strong reactions or attention due to being suggestive or inappropriate. Therefore, the best choice that aligns with this connotation is:

C. trashy