Question

usaf lt col eileen marie collins is the first woman ever selected to be a space shuttle pilot and the first woman to command a space shuttle. in the air force, she was a t - 38 instructor pilot and a c - 141 aircraft commander. today, she has flown more than 5,000 hours in more than 30 types of aircraft. when commander collins, 42, and her crew launched into space on columbia, in spring 1999, she took with her the hopes and dreams of a nation of young people here on earth. shes an energetic and slender woman with short, curly hair and friendly brown eyes. eileen grew up in a family with two brothers, a sister, and two very supportive parents. her parents, jim and rose collins, describe her as a very ordinary person, a down - to - earth individual. shes very thoughtful—nobody handed her anything. everything she is today, shes earned. about high school, she said, i began reading voraciously about famous pilots—from amelia earhart to women air force service pilots (wasp) who played an important role in wwii—their stories inspired me. i admired the courage of these women to go and fly into dangerous situations! by 1977, eileen had saved enough money to earn a pilots license and the following year graduated from syracuse university. with good grades, flying experience, and a letter of recommendation from her rotc supervisor, she became one of the first women to go straight from college into air force pilot training. that was by far the biggest which quote develops the central idea of the text? a nobody handed her anything. everything she is today, shes earned. b shes an energetic and slender woman with short, curly hair and friendly brown eyes. c her parents, jim and rose collins, describe her as a very ordinary person, a down - to - earth individual. d she met her husband, pat, while they were flying c - 141s together in the military.

Explanation:

The text focuses on Eileen Marie Collins' achievements and personal - qualities. The quote "Nobody handed her anything. Everything she is today, she's earned" emphasizes her self - made success and hard - work, which is central to the overall narrative about her life and career as a pioneering female pilot. Other quotes are more about her appearance or family, not the central idea of her accomplishments and personal drive.

Answer:

A. "Nobody handed her anything. Everything she is today, she's earned."