Stormy Sounds
Marie Devers
1Natalie had been watching children for two years and had experienced seemingly everything a babysitter could encounter. Furthermore, Laura was not an especially challenging charge. Natalie had babysat for Laura before and knew the little girl well; she was a curious youngster who liked to ask questions. Natalie didn’t mind answering her inquiries. As a straight-A high school freshman, co-captain of the science league, and star forward for the field hockey team, she usually had no problem answering Laura’s quizzes about dandelions, skyscrapers, or whatever else she discovered.
2On one particular day, Natalie and Laura were stuck inside because thunderstorms had rolled into the neighborhood and turned the sky an evening gray. Rain thumped on the roof, and since the satellite cable was down, they sat at the kitchen table with textbooks and coloring books. Laura wanted to see what big-kid homework was like.
3Laura laid her head in her hands and stared out the window. The expression on her face, eyes narrowed, illustrated that profound notions were swimming through her young mind.
4Just then, a crash of lightning illuminated the kitchen. The ceiling lights flickered and the window panes rattled. Laura jumped from her chair and sprinted to Natalie.
5“What is all the hubbub?” Natalie asked. All kids enjoyed when babysitters used silly language.
6“I’m terrified of the thunder monster!” Laura clarified—of course, Natalie required some extra explanation. Apparently, besides her thirst for knowledge, Laura possessed an immense imagination.
7“The thunder monster is a gigantic fiend who resides in the sky,” she whispered dramatically. “When he becomes irritated, he stomps around clouds and shoots electricity from his fingertips.” Laura angrily plodded through the kitchen. A flash of lightning exploded outside, followed by grumbling thunder.
8“He’s growling,” Laura said, and she slithered under the safety of the table. Natalie heaved Laura onto her lap and opened her science textbook to the chapter on weather. She showed her the still photographs of lightning.
9“Pretty,” Laura commented on the images. The lightning had rendered the trees murky shadows on purple canvas. Natalie pointed to the bold type at the top of the page.
10“Thunder,” she read aloud, “is a vibration of air caused by the sudden impact of lightning. So basically,” Natalie explained, “thunder is nothing but moving air.”
11“Well, that’s not scary,” Laura said surprised.
12Natalie continued, “An irrational fear of thunder is called brontophobia.”
13“That’s what I have,” Laura agreed, “an irrational fear.” Natalie smiled. The sound of such large words in Laura’s childish voice was cute.
14“So, you have nothing to fear—” Natalie began to say, but lightning crashed outside and thunder roared down the street, attracting her attention toward the windows.
15“Don’t worry about that!” Laura said. “That’s just air!”
16They laughed and enjoyed the stormy sounds while Natalie finished her science homework and Laura colored beautiful pictures of lightning.
Question
Which shows how this story conveys a traditional theme commonly found in myths?
Responses
Ascary things in nature explained through the eyes of a child
scary things in nature explained through the eyes of a child
Bscary things in nature explained through the use of an older person
scary things in nature explained through the use of an older person
Cscary things in nature explained through the use of imaginary stories
scary things in nature explained through the use of imaginary stories
Dscary things in nature explained through the use of scientific theories