Question

the old man’s words stayed with her as she drove up into the mountains. she began to feel shaky. this was the first time she had driven outside of los angeles. still last night she had pored over maps and written everything down, she knew exactly where she was going. so far, everything had been all right.
even getting away from home this morning hadn’t been too bad. it was spring vacation, and her mom and stepfather were away on business. the only person she had to explain to was the neighbor woman who looked in on her. the hard part had been figuring what to say to her mother. she had sat staring at a blank sheet of paper for a long time.
she knew what she wanted to write: “dear mother, it was bad enough after the divorce, being without dad, i mean. after a couple of years i got used to seeing him mostly on weekends, but now it’s worse. because he’s dead. three whole months and i still can’t believe it. maybe you can’t help being away so much, but with both of you gone it’s awfully lonely. sure, there’s been school, and i did have dinner at mim’s house and a movie with lorena on saturday. but the good things are missing dad. dad. i don’t feel that i’m part of a family anymore. jake is a good enough stepfather, but i told you both how i felt about that condo in downtown l. a. and you guys went ahead and bought it. it’s a terrible place. all there is to breathe inside is processed air and outside, car exhaust. my vote doesn’t count, does it, mom?”
that’s what she wanted to say, but didn’t. “mom,” she finally wrote, “i’ve gone to twisted creek. papacito said he’d be there if i needed him. he won’t mind. after all, he is my only living grandparent. i’ll drive carefully, i promise. please, please don’t be mad at me.” then she had shoved two more sweaters into her suitcase, picked up her paint box and favorite brushes, and left. once she was out of the city traffic, she had relaxed. but now
3
select the correct answer.
what can the reader infer about maggie’s character in the excerpt?
a. maggie has not driven by herself before
b. maggie left home because she misses her grandparents.
c. maggie left home because she was unhappy there.
d. maggie did not have any friends in los angeles.

Explanation:

1. Option A: The text states this is her first time driving outside Los Angeles, not her first time driving alone, so this is incorrect.
2. Option B: While she is going to her grandfather, her unspoken letter reveals her core reason is loneliness and unhappiness with her home situation, not just missing her grandparent, so this is incorrect.
3. Option C: Maggie's unwritten letter expresses deep loneliness after her father's death, feeling disconnected from her family, and dissatisfaction with her living situation. This shows she left home because she was unhappy there, making this correct.
4. Option D: The text mentions she had dinner and a movie with Lorena, so she has at least one friend, making this incorrect.

Answer:

C. Maggie left home because she was unhappy there