Marcus was always boasting about his ability to play the piano. “I’m the best there is!” he’d insist. However, when his music teacher finally insisted that Marcus take a seat on the piano bench and show off his abilities, the truth was revealed. Marcus had no idea how to play the piano! The experience was so embarrassing that Marcus decided to start taking lessons. In time, he actually became as good as he’d told everyone he was. However, no one believed him.

Question

Which statement describes the theme of this paragraph?
A boy does not know how to play the piano.
A boy does not know how to play the piano.

Learning new things can be difficult.
Learning new things can be difficult.

Hard work always pays great rewards.
Hard work always pays great rewards.

People are not likely to trust someone who lies.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes the theme of the paragraph is:

People are not likely to trust someone who lies.

This reflects the core message as Marcus boasted about his piano skills, but when put to the test, he could not play. Even after he learned and improved, no one believed him due to his previous exaggerations.