Question

1 in middle school, everything seems hard, and the pressures of life grow with each passing year. not only do we have to worry about our school work, but also there are other forms of pressure: waking up to the blare of a rude alarm, deciding what to wear, making it to class without being tardy, and navigating the social issues surrounding friendship. i am always grateful, therefore, when summer rolls around and i dont have to worry about anything but relaxing and having fun with my family. summer, however, usually speeds by like a train, and before i know it, my new backpack is standing at attention next to the door, awaiting another school year.
2 day one of eighth grade brought the usual stresses: making certain that i had enough money for lunch, getting to the bus stop on time, and being bombarded with homework on the first night. i received my schedule and was pleased to find several friends in each of my classes. we compared notes on our vacations and listened to each of the teachers discuss expectations and due dates. what really got my attention, however, was a special program presented in social studies for just the eighth - grade students. this year, we would be required to consider and register for a career path to determine our courses for high school. i found myself wondering who had decided that at the age of 14, we had to make life choices. i was not sure which dream i would want to pursue. there were days when i considered being a musician, traveling the world playing my guitar for crowds of fans. other days, i thought of going to culinary school and becoming one of the great chefs of the world, owning my own restaurant where the menu features some of the finest food in the city. then there were those nights when i found myself walking from a sound slumber with the remnants of a delicious dream of becoming a professional snowboarder still vivid in my mind. how was i to know which one i would enjoy most as an adult? maybe i would find an answer as the year went on, but the news certainly compounded my beginning - of - the - year stress level.
3 as the first few weeks went by and the routine of school finally set in, i found myself looking forward each day to my physical science class. the teacher, mr. mathews, had an interesting method of presenting the material in ways that made it relevant to our lives. each unit of study included real - world activities. when we studied heat transfer and explored the differences in conduction, convection, and radiation, we baked cookies, which made the possibility of being a chef more enticing. i found myself daydreaming about delicious meals prepared for grateful and satisfied customers. when we studied sound waves, pitch, and frequency, i became convinced that i wanted to pursue my dream of being a musician. during class, i drifted into another daydream that included huge stadiums filled with screaming and dancing fans. however, it was when we studied gravity, momentum, acceleration, and inertia that my pulse began to race. my mind took a trip to the sweetest daydream yet - the memory of racing down the mountain my family visited every year.
4 in this daydream, the rays from the heavens cast their spell upon the freshly fallen snow. the mountains look enchanting as the snow sparkles like stars in the night sky. the wind calls my name, and i quickly strap my binding and pull my jacket closer around me, trying to escape the crisp but frigid air. i grunt as i hoist myself onto the lift to carry me to the top of the world. the sun begins to peek over the mountain, giving some relief from the howling wind away to the top of the world. the sun begins to peek over the mountain, giving some relief from the howling wind. i reach the top, slide off onto the frozen snow, and hear it crunch under my feet and prepare to duel the wind, the world, and my board. i anticipate the rush that is about to come, and i take off. i caress the surface of the mountain with every turn, and i race the wind as i pick up speed. i gain speed, and it is exhilarating yet frightening at times. i feel as if i am freely floating on top of the world. suddenly, chunks of ice thrust me into the air, and gravity is momentarily my enemy. i land with a thud, but i get right back up with the swiftness of a cheetah. as i near the end of the slope, i hold my breath, desperate to keep the feeling of exhilaration alive inside of me for as long as possible. at that moment, i realize a simple truth - it is on the peaceful mountain that my soul and body are one.
5 mr. mathews suddenly and embarrassingly pulled me out of my daydream and back to class, back to reality.
i am always grateful, therefore, when summer rolls around and i dont have to worry about anything but relaxing and having fun with my family. summer, however, usually speeds by like a train, and before i know it, my new backpack is standing at attention next to the door, awaiting another school year.
which of the following statements best explains the simile from \peace on the mountain\?
○a the new school year starts off at a very quick pace.
○b summer is a time for relaxing with family and friends.
○c the new school year will be difficult and demanding like a military school.
○d summer comes and goes so much quicker than the rest of the school year.

Explanation:

The text describes the author's feelings and experiences related to school and summer. Option A directly relates to the start of a new school year as mentioned in the text (e.g., "the new school year starts off at a very quick pace" aligns with the description of school - related stress and activities in the passage). Option B about summer being for relaxation contradicts the text which shows summer has its own aspects (like summer rolls around but the author still has things to think about). Option C about the new school year being difficult like a military school is an over - exaggeration not strongly supported. Option D about summer coming and going quickly is a minor point compared to the main theme of the new school year.

Answer:

A. The new school year starts off at a very quick pace.