(1) When I was a young girl, I learned many good habits at Aunt Agatha’s place, habits that served me well later in life. For example, one of my chores was to milk the cows first thing in the morning. Missed milkings weren’t going to make either my aunt or the cows too happy. If I overslept, I still had to do the milking—and then rush off to finish my other chores, such as weeding, clearing brush around the old mill, and repairing fences. For every minute I overslept, I found, there was a minute later on when I would have to rush. I learned the importance of getting up on time. The habit of early rising stuck, and ever since, I’ve never failed to get myself out of the house on time in the morning.
(2) Aunt Agatha fed all her workers, myself included, a good breakfast, but I was on my own for lunch. One day I went out with a crew to work on some fields a good drive away from the house. I had forgotten to pack my lunch, and although Tony and Bud shared some of theirs with me, I was famished when we got home. When I told Aunt Agatha what had happened, she sniffed and said, “Them that take care of themselves get well taken care of. The rest most likely go hungry.” Still, I noticed she dished me out an extra big helping at dinner. At dessert she asked me twice if I wanted an extra slice of pie.
Multiple Choice Question
Which sentence best states a central theme of the passage?
A.
Hard work often will not be rewarded until much later in life.
B.
Good habits start with getting up early and getting to work on time.
C.
If one person is irresponsible, everyone ends up with less than he or she deserves.
D.
Strictness may conceal kindness, and both strictness and kindness can be ways of caring.
1 answer
The sentence that best states a central theme of the passage is:
D. Strictness may conceal kindness, and both strictness and kindness can be ways of caring.
This theme reflects Aunt Agatha's strict approach to teaching responsibility and self-reliance, while also showing her kindness through her actions towards the narrator after she forgot her lunch.
