Question

read the passage from \two kinds\.
three days after watching the ed sullivan show, my
mother told me what my schedule would be for piano
lessons and piano practice. she had talked to mr.
chong, who lived on the first floor of our apartment
building. mr. chong was a retired piano teacher and my
mother had traded housecleaning services for weekly
lessons and a piano for me to practice on every day,
two hours a day, from four until six.
when my mother told me this, i felt as though i had
been sent to hell. i whined and then kicked my foot a
little when i couldnt stand it anymore.
\why dont you like me the way i am? im not a genius!
i cant play the piano. and even if i could, i wouldnt go
on tv if you paid me a million dollars!\ i cried.
my mother slapped me. \who ask you be genius?\ she

which statement best explains the conflict revealed in
the passage?

the conflict is internal within the narrator, who has
to choose between playing music and going on
television.

the conflict is internal within the narrators mother,
who cannot decide whether her daughter is talented
or not.

the conflict is external and takes place between the
narrator and her mother over whether the narrator
will learn to play piano.

the conflict is external and takes place between the
narrators mother and mr. chong over the payment
for the narrators piano lessons.

Explanation:

The conflict is between the narrator and her mother over whether the narrator will learn to play piano. The mother wants the narrator to practice (arranges lessons, trades services), while the narrator shows resistance (cries about payment, expresses not being a genius). This is an external conflict as it occurs between two characters (narrator and mother).

Answer:

The conflict is external and takes place between the narrator and her mother over whether the narrator will learn to play piano.