Question

read the passage and answer the following question(s). the dog days of summer school was almost out for the summer and jennifer was excited that her cousin marlene was coming to stay with her family for two months. summer was the one time of year she felt as though she had a sister. the girls were similar in that they were both thirteen years old and were the only girls in their families. jennifer lived in a small town outside of dallas, texas and marlene lived in san diego, california. whereas jennifer was outgoing, marlene was more on the quiet side. for pretty much the whole first month of summer vacation last year, it seemed like their only topic of awkward conversation was about how their two home towns were different. by halfway through the summer, the girls discovered something they had in common that would bring them closer together and bring marlene out of her shell. thinking back on the memories of last summer, jennifer got excited thinking about the summer to come. last summer was the first time marlene had come to stay with jennifers family—marlenes aunt, uncle, and cousins. at first, marlene pretty much kept to herself in the guest room. she was almost unapproachable. jennifer did not question 1. which of the following best describes how the themes of healing through connection and personal growth are developed in the story? a. the themes are developed through the girls shared experiences with adopting a dog and volunteering, which help marlene open up and become more confident. b. marlenes emotional healing and personal growth are shown through her decision to return home early, demonstrating independence. c. jennifers frustration with marlenes silence shows that healing and growth are not always possible, even with effort. d. the story shows that healing through connection is only temporary, as marlene returns to her withdrawn state by the end of the summer. question 2.

Explanation:

The story shows that the girls' shared experiences with adopting a dog and volunteering help Marlene open up and grow. This aligns with the development of themes of healing through connection and personal growth. Options B, C, and D do not accurately represent how these themes are developed in the story.

Answer:

A. The themes are developed through the girls' shared experiences with adopting a dog and volunteering, which help Marlene open up and become more confident.