Alexandra's Lesson
1
"Alexandra Simpson, wake up!" Alexandra's left eye slowly opened as she heard her mother's perky voice screaming up the stairs to her room. Deliberately remaining impervious to her mother's beckoning, Alexandra looked at the clock. A huge sigh escaped her lips as she realized that it was nine, and that meant it was time for her to get up. Her parents had sat her down the night before and delivered the horrible news about today, Saturday.
2
"Alexandra, your father and I have made a decision about tomorrow. We have decided . . . to go apple picking as a family," her mother said.
3
Alexandra rolled her eyes and groaned audibly at this news. "Why do I have to go apple picking with all of you when it's really for Bryan, Orlando, and Jackson?" she asked. "I am fifteen years old, and I am old enough to stay home."
4
"That is not the point of this trip," her father said. "We want to all go as a family to pick apples. You had better change your attitude and realize that this will be fun!" her father asserted with somewhat forced enthusiasm.
5
So now, as Alexandra was rising to face a morning of picking apples with her three rambunctious triplet brothers on a farm on the outskirts of the city, she was exhausted before she even got out of bed. Just as her eyes started to drift closed again, Alexandra felt a little bundle of energy flop down alongside her.
6
"Bryan, I am trying to sleep," Alexandra said half-heartedly as she grabbed her four-year-old brother to tickle him.
7
"Nope, because Mommy told me to get you up to go apple picking!" Bryan exclaimed gleefully. "Come down right now because Daddy made pancakes—the ones you like with the cinnamon!" Bryan exuberantly bounded out of the room.
8
For one brief moment, Alexandra was grateful to her father for the pancakes, but the moment quickly passed. Her anger at her parents for stealing her Saturday for "family time" had not abated, especially since her two best friends were going shopping all day Saturday and she had been invited to go. She had been incredibly embarrassed when she had to tell them why she could not go.
9
Alexandra finally showered, dressed, and went downstairs just in time to see her family putting on their jackets.
10
"You missed breakfast, but I made you a carryout container," her mother said, handing her a fantastic–smelling breakfast. "Okay, everyone, let's head out!"
11
As she watched her excited brothers skip toward the family van, Alexandra realized with surprise that she was actually grinning at them. She immediately replaced the grin with a grimace.
12
Alexandra's negative attitude lasted the thirty minutes it took to reach the orchard, despite the fact that the pancakes were delicious and the scenery out the van window was beautiful. When they finally pulled up to the apple orchard, Alexandra caught sight of the petting zoo that abutted the orchard and her stomach did an involuntary flip of happiness. All at once, wonderful memories of past trips to the petting zoo flooded Alexandra's mind. An unexpected smile took over her face as she saw the pigs, goats, and llamas at the petting zoo, just waiting with expectant faces.
13
Alexandra grabbed Bryan's hand in her left and Orlando's in her right and headed toward the petting zoo. Jackson quickly caught up to his siblings when he realized where they were headed. Alexandra spent time with each animal, genuinely enjoying the undisguised delight on her brothers' faces as the animals ate from their hands. Only after an hour with the animals did her brothers remember what they came for and made their escape toward the rows of apple trees.
14
Much to her surprise, Alexandra found herself running along with them, tagging them and scooping them up as she went. As she picked apples and tossed them into the bags, she realized that their excitement had been contagious and she had completely fallen victim to it. Without the thoughts of her friends disapproving of this "babyish" activity, Alexandra really allowed herself to have fun. She realized that her parents may have been right about the value of spending the day together.
15
After a long day of visiting the animals, picking apples, and eating ice cream and homemade fudge at the orchard, Alexandra got back into the family van exhausted but simultaneously exhilarated. Despite her best efforts to maintain a negative attitude about this day and find no enjoyment in it, she realized the opposite had happened.
16
She realized that her attitude alone had determined the outcome of her day.
17
If she had held fast to her bad attitude, she would have had a terrible time at the orchard. Luckily for her, though, her enthusiastic little brothers taught her to try to find joy in every situation. Who knew that three crazy little brothers would teach their big sister such a valuable lesson?
Two-Part Question
Multiple Choice Question
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A:
Which of the following best explains the relationship Alexandra has with her parents?
A.
Alexandra strongly dislikes her parents.
B.
Alexandra knows her parents care about her, but she has trouble appreciating what they do for her.
C.
Alexandra feels neglected by her parents because they are too focused on her three brothers.
D.
Alexandra pretends to dislike her parents because her friends dislike theirs and she wants to impress them.
Multiple Choice Question
Part B:
Which of the following details from the text best supports your answer from part A?
A.
Deliberately remaining impervious to her mother's beckoning, Alexandra looked at the clock.
B.
"Why do I have to go apple picking with all of you when it's really for Bryan, Orlando, and Jackson?" she asked.
C.
For one brief moment, Alexandra was grateful to her father for the pancakes, but the moment quickly passed.
D.
…her two best friends were going shopping all day Saturday and she had been invited to go. She had been incredibly embarrassed when she had to tell them why she could not go.
Part A:
B. Alexandra knows her parents care about her, but she has trouble appreciating what they do for her.
Part B:
B. "Why do I have to go apple picking with all of you when it's really for Bryan, Orlando, and Jackson?" she asked.
Part A: B. Alexandra knows her parents care about her, but she has trouble appreciating what they do for her.
Part B: C. For one brief moment, Alexandra was grateful to her father for the pancakes, but the moment quickly passed. This detail shows that Alexandra is aware of her parents' efforts to make her happy, but her negative attitude and resentment prevent her from fully appreciating their gestures.
Part A:
B. Alexandra knows her parents care about her, but she has trouble appreciating what they do for her.
Part B:
C. For one brief moment, Alexandra was grateful to her father for the pancakes, but the moment quickly passed. This detail shows that Alexandra's negative attitude towards her parents is not constant, as she momentarily feels grateful for the pancakes. This suggests that she knows her parents care about her, but she struggles to appreciate their efforts due to her overall resentment towards the family outing.