Question

read the following story.
selective samples
cody liked the freedom that came with his first summer job. he worked at mitchell’s farm, where people could come and pick their own corn, berries, and tomatoes out in the fields. then they’d bring their produce to the checkout stand, where cody would weigh it and charge the appropriate price. mr. and mrs. mitchell were usually busy somewhere else, so cody was trusted to manage the stand by himself.
for the most part, cody enforced the mitchells’ rules. when someone asked for a discount or a sample, cody said no. but he did sometimes bend the rules for friends, much to their delight.
“go ahead, taste a few berries before i weigh ‘em,” he’d say when it was someone he knew. it was against the rules to eat something before you bought it, but everyone wanted to.
one day, a man came to the stand with a bushel of corn he had picked. cody weighed the ears of corn and told the man how much it cost. the man looked confused.
“but i was here yesterday, and you told someone that for every five ears you buy, you get one free,” he said.
cody remembered. he had indeed offered that deal to the thomases, who happened to be his neighbors. now he regretted it. he saw mrs. mitchell baling hay close by. how was cody going to explain that he had given a deal to those he knew while he made everyone else pay full price?
the man saw that cody was looking at mrs. mitchell. “is that the owner? may i speak to her?” he asked.
cody thought about offering the man the same discount, but there were people in line behind him, and they were carrying corn, too. cody hung his head and walked over to see mrs. mitchell.
which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
you should appreciate the people you work for.
people should mind their own business.
rules should be applied fairly.

Explanation:

The story is about Cody bending rules for friends (like giving a discount to neighbors) but then facing a situation where a customer expects the same discount, highlighting the issue of unequal application of rules. The option "Rules should be applied fairly" matches this theme as Cody's preferential treatment causes a problem, showing the importance of fair rule - application. The other options don't fit: appreciating employers isn't the focus, and minding one's own business is irrelevant.

Answer:

Rules should be applied fairly.