Question

17 [Eight weeks later. The setting is the kitchen at Horatio’s house. Caitlin and Horatio sit at a table.]

18 HORATIO: And that’s why the cards with the shiny backgrounds are the most valuable. We’ll look at my new card collection later.

19 CAITLIN: [She mindlessly nods at Horatio.] Sure. I’m getting hungry. Have you made more bread recently? That loaf you brought to my house a while back was good. [She looks around.] Where is the sourdough starter?

20 HORATIO: [Panic spreads across his face.] Oh no! [He rushes to the refrigerator and starts pulling items out. He finally pulls out the glass jar and brings it back to the table. The dough has black and green spots on one side.]

21 CAITLIN: [Suppressing a laugh.] I thought you were going to nurture it like your grandmother before you.

22 HORATIO: I’ll save it! [He opens the jar.]

23 CAITLIN: There is mold on it. It’s a biohazard. Throw it away!

24 [Dad enters.]

25 DAD: Have you seen my— [He sniffs.] Did you forget to take the trash out this morning?

26 HORATIO: It’s Grandmother’s sourdough starter. [Hangs his head.] I forgot about it.

27 [Dad gets a spoon and the flour. He takes the jar from Horatio and scoops out the part with spots.]

28 DAD: Don’t tell your grandmother, but years ago she asked me to feed her dough while she went on vacation. I forgot about it, but I did some panicked research online. Yeast is resilient.

29 HORATIO: You think it might be alive?

30 DAD: Feed it and see if it expands. And cross your fingers. It worked for me. [He gives the jar and flour to Horatio and exits.]

31 HORATIO: Caitlin, get water, stat! There’s no time to lose! [He digs his hand into the bag of flour.]

32 CAITLIN: Calm down. If this works, are you going to remember to care for it? You tend to get excited about something and forget about it a week later.

33 HORATIO: [Sighs.] Maybe I’m not cut out to care for a living substance.

34 [Caitlin rolls her eyes.]

35 HORATIO: I wanted to continue the original sourdough starter’s legacy. [He removes his hand from the bag and stares pitifully at the dough.]

36 CAITLIN: [Puts a hand on his shoulder and smiles.] Well, that’s noble, so I’ll help you out. I’ll remind you to feed it, and you will bake bread for me. Deal?

37 HORATIO: Deal!

38 [They high five, and a puff of flour rises.]

39 [Curtain.]

What key idea about Horatio is supported by the details in Scene 2?
A
Horatio regrets having been careless about an important task.
B
Horatio is able to make friends easily with others from school.
C
Horatio has a close relationship with his grandmother.
D
Horatio has a new interest in science projects and experiments.

Answer 1

A. Horatio regrets being careless — he panics when he realizes he forgot the starter ("I forgot about it"), tries to save it, and doubts his ability to care for it.