Question

the barn
tess traced the raised lettering of a cracked old mason jar with her finger, remembering all of the days shed spent with her two sisters playing house, veterinarian, and a host of other childhood games. this dusty corner of the barn had been their favorite. it was hidden by a tall wooden stall and a stack of aged pine crates that always offered her and her sisters the privacy they demanded. she carefully placed the jar back with the others, long forgotten, but never discarded. the smells in the old barn brought back so many memories of her days on the farm. tears spilled out of her eyes, chasing each other down her round cheeks. she confronted the unavoidable fact that all of this would soon exist only in her and her siblings memories. tess moved to the center of the barn and scoured every inch of it to imprint every sight, scent, and sound into the various compartments of her brain: the gray, weathered boards, the hanging ropes draped from the ceilings rafters, the rusted tools, and the decades of cobwebs in every...
part a
how do tesss actions contribute to the theme of the passage?
□ tess talks to herself in the barn, showing isolation can lead people to do things they normally wouldnt do.
□ tess is leaving in two weeks to attend college in chicago, showing confusion can push people to make the wrong decisions.
□ tess and her father have an emotional conversation about the calves, showing frustration can create resentment toward others.
□ tess decides to stay at the farm when the barn is torn down, showing perspective can lead to acceptance.
part b
which sentence from the passage best supports the answer to the previous question?
□ tess whispered, \how can i stand idly by and let this all be destroyed when so much of my family is still alive in here?\ (paragraph 4)
□ tess had intended to spend the night at her grandparents house so she did not have to witness the destruction of this essential part of her childhood. (paragraph 4)
□ almost as if he knew what tess was thinking, her father attempted to distract her from her pain, saying, \cant be too much longer for a few of these cows, so we just might see a newborn or two today.\ (paragraph 10)
□ in that moment, tess understood that life continues to move forward, and she began to recognize that she, too, had all that she needed to embrace what was to come. (paragraph 13)

Explanation:

Part A

To determine how Tess's actions contribute to the theme, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The passage doesn't show isolation leading people to act abnormally. Eliminate.
• Option 2: Tess leaving for college isn't about confusion pushing wrong decisions. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The conversation about calves doesn't show frustration toward others. Eliminate.
• Option 4: Tess decides to stay at the farm when the barn is torn down, showing she accepts the change (theme of acceptance through perspective). This fits.

We need a sentence supporting Part A's answer (Tess's perspective leads to acceptance).

• Option 1: Shows sadness about family loss, not acceptance. Eliminate.
• Option 2: About witnessing barn destruction, not acceptance. Eliminate.
• Option 3: Father trying to distract her, not about Tess's acceptance. Eliminate.
• Option 4: "Tess understood that life continues to move forward... she needed to embrace what was to come" shows she accepts change, supporting Part A.

Answer:

D. Tess decides to stay at the farm when the barn is torn down, showing perspective can lead to acceptance.

Part B