Niko wrote this essay in response to a change of heart he experienced. Read Niko’s paper and look for revisions he needs to make. Then answer the questions that follow.
Procrastination and Me
(1) Most people think that procrastination is a negative habit. (2) In fact, Benjamin Franklin said, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” (3) But people like me, who routinely put off doing assignments and chores, are likely to defend our “slower” approach to getting tasks done. (4) I was in for a surprise when my history teacher assigned a big project last month. (5) I wasn’t expecting to learn that too much procrastination really can keep you from doing your best work.
(6) I’m the only procrastinator in my family. (7) My parents and sister were all born with the “do it right now” gene. (8) Personally, I prefer a more relaxed pace.
(9) When my parents expressed concern about my tendencies, I researched procrastination and found that the behavior is not all bad. (10) People procrastinate when they need to solve a problem or commit to a topic or project. (11) In these cases, waiting to make a decision can be a good thing. (12) This is because our minds continue to mull over problems even when we are not actively thinking about them, which can lead to more creative solutions. (13) My findings made me feel smug. (14) My method for gettings things done was just as good as my sister’s . . . or so I thought.
(15) At school we’d been talking about the colonial days. (16) My teacher said we would each have a month to build a replica of a small colony out of any materials we wanted. (17) We were expected to include things we had learned regarding the lives of the early colonists. (18) Some worked in the towns, while others made a living on small farms. (19) The finished projects would be displayed in the cafeteria.
(20) I thought the assignment sounded really fun. (21) But November was busy, and I didn’t think about the project much. (22) Before I knew it, I had only three days left for the project. (23) In a panic I ransacked our recycle bin, pulling out brown cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes, and finding scraps that I hastily glued together. (24) The finished result looked like something my little cousin might have made.
(25) When I entered the cafeteria and saw everyone else’s models on display, I felt even more unusual about mine. (26) Several of my classmates had created amazingly detailed colonies. (27) They had used materials such as clay, wood, and in one case, sugar cubes. (28) It was obvious that they had put a lot more time into the assignment than I had.
(29) That day was a bit of a wake-up call for me. (30) I’m still more relaxed about deadlines than the rest of my family, but something has changed. (31) Now I tackle things a lot earlier than I would have in the past. (32) This means I don’t have quite as much time for drawing and gaming, but the trade-off is worth is. (33) And I have to admit that it feels pretty good!
The word unusual is not the MOST appropriate word to use in sentence 25. Select the word that should replace unusual in this sentence.
When I entered the cafeteria and saw everyone else’s models on display, I felt even more _______ about mine.
A. indifferent
B. suspicious
C. irritated
D. embarrased