Question

the mail, is it?
i gave mom an unapologetic smirk to let her know that it was.
ill take that, thank you very much, she said, holding out her hand. if you need magazines, check the recycling bin.
yes, maam, i said, and saluted before i handed her the copy of bon appétit.
i put my headphones back on and grabbed a blank sheet of paper. i had to get this zine done before dad came to pick me up....
mom made it seem like this move was no big deal because wed be back when her new job contract expired. but two years might as well be forever. two years meant all of middle school. and i couldnt even imagine what two years away from dad would feel like. it was a very big deal. so for the next hour i wrote and cut and pasted a final plea to mom. i glued the last letter onto a page just as the doorbell rang to signal that my time was up.
what is \a very big deal\ to malú?
living only with her father
being away for two years
making a final plea to her mom

Explanation:

The text indicates that Malú is distressed about being away from her dad for two years. She views this separation as a major issue, which is emphasized by her efforts to create a zine as a "final plea" to her mom. The other options (living only with her father - which isn't the case here as she's moving away from him; being away for two years - while the time frame is mentioned, the core 'big deal' is the separation from her dad which the two - year period represents in terms of middle school and emotional impact) don't capture the essence as accurately as the context of separation from her dad. However, among the given options, since "Making a final plea to her mom" is what she does because of the big deal (the separation), but if we assume the options are about what the 'big deal' is conceptually (even though the text's 'big deal' is the separation from dad which leads to the plea), and if we have to choose from the given options:

• "Living only with her father" is not relevant as she is moving away.
• "Being away for two years" is a time frame but the emotional 'big deal' is the separation from dad during that time. But if we take the text's direct mention of "it was a very big deal" right after talking about two - year separation from dad and then making the plea, and among the options, "Making a final plea to her mom" is the action she takes because of the big deal. But if we consider the options as possible interpretations of what the 'big deal' is in terms of the situation (not the cause):

The text says "Mom made it seem like this move was no big deal... But two years... And I couldn't even imagine what two years away from Dad would feel like. It was a very big deal. So...a final plea to Mom". So the 'big deal' leads to the plea. But if we have to choose from the options:

Answer:

Making a final plea to her mom