Passage 1

Uncle Derek and His Nephews

Jack and David were excited about Uncle Derek's visit. Uncle Derek was a gardening expert, and when he arrived, the boys told him about their plan to plant a vegetable garden in their backyard.
"That's a great idea!" said Uncle Derek.
The two brothers started working on their garden the next morning. Uncle Derek helped them choose seeds, and he showed them how to turn over the soil. Then, he taught them how to sow and water the seeds.
The next morning, David went to the garden, but he was disappointed to see nothing. Uncle Derek told him that it takes time for a seed to sprout. David waited for a couple of days, but he soon started to lose interest and began to neglect his garden. On the other hand, Jack watered his seeds regularly, and a week later, he finally saw tiny green sprouts in his part of the garden. He was delighted and called everyone to show them the sprouts. Uncle Derek noticed the sadness on David's face and told him that, if he had waited for a few more days and watered the seeds, he, too, would have succeeded in growing plants. David realized his mistake and promised to follow Uncle Derek's advice next time.

Passage 2

Abigail's Apple Pie

Abigail barged into the kitchen and told her mom that her friends were planning to organize a picnic and that she wanted to make an apple pie for the occasion. She asked her mom if she would help. Abigail's mom smiled and said she would be happy to help.
The next morning, Abigail's mom asked Abigail to mix the flour and other ingredients in a bowl. Abigail followed her instructions carefully, and when the mixture was ready, she added the sliced apples. Abigail's mom put the pie in the oven, and for the next thirty minutes, Abigail waited eagerly. When her mom took the pie out of the oven, they were both disappointed to see that it had not turned out well.
Abigail's mother felt sorry for her daughter and said that she would bake another pie. However, Abigail said that she wanted to bake the pie herself. Her mom was happy to see her daughter's willingness to learn and readily agreed. They started working on the pie again, and this time, it looked and smelled great.
At the picnic, Abigail was filled with pride when her friends told her how tasty the pie was.
2
How do the authors use characters to develop the common theme?
A.
Both authors use characters who are determined and devoted to their work.
B.
Both authors use characters who are daring and ready to challenge an authority figure.
C.
Both authors use characters who are clever and can handle any situation.
D.
Both authors use characters who are careless and refuse to learn from their mistakes.