Question

note: in \from scratch,\ priya and her mother have relocated from india to dallas, texas. while priyas mother seems to be adjusting to american life, priya is struggling to adjust to school.
priyas mother swept the cardamom powder into the baking mix, and priya drizzled in the melted butter. as priya stirred the mixture, her mothers eyes caught hers. they both smiled, and mummy asked, \did you make any new friends today?\
priya stared into the bowl and offered, \i met a girl from france.\ actually, the teacher had paired them together because they were the only ones left after everyone had chosen science partners.
\ah, mummy said, crumbling the dough with her fingers, \and what did you have for lunch?\
priya thought about what to tell her mother. after the peanut butter sandwiches had grown tiresome, she had begun buying lunch at the cafeteria. but that, too, drew attention because she could only eat the vegetarian items, no meat or fish. lindsay, a blond girl in her class, had asked, \why dont you eat meat?\
priya had thought about telling her that hindus do not eat beef, but when priya had looked at the girls big, blue, wondering eyes in the cafeteria, she decided lindsay wouldnt understand. so she had mumbled an excuse and turned away from the food line. she couldnt be indian anymore and she didnt know how to be american. she didnt fit anywhere.
\i had some green beans and salad,\ she said, looking down.
her mother studied her closely. \i spoke with your teacher today,\ mummy said, wiping the counter with quick, practiced motions.
priya silently nudged the little white balls of gujabjamun 1 with a spoon, turning them so they would brown evenly on all sides.
\she mentioned that there is a muslim girl in your class?\
priya flashed her mother a questioning look and inquired, \muslim?\ as the faces of her schoolmates, one by one, flicked through her mind, she failed to recall a dark-haired muslim girl.
priyas mother began scooping the golden balls out of the oil. \her name is lindsay, and mrs. swanson said she moved here from iran last year. apparently she had a hard time adjusting and has been very lonely.\
priyas head spun with confusion. blond-haired, blue-eyed lindsay seemed to fit in perfectly with the other kids. english perfectly.\
\mrs. swanson said her father is iranian and her mother is american. they moved to iran when she was very young and she grew up there,\ priyas mother eyed her pointedly. \she was raised bilingual, like you. she speaks persian and english.\
priya thought back to the day in the cafeteria when lindsay had inquired about why she didnt eat meat. hindus abstain from eating beef, so priya wondered if lindsay, being muslim, was seeking common ground or a cultural connection. priya remembered how she had mumbled rudely and walked away and was suddenly ashamed that she had never given lindsay a chance.
1 gujabjamun: a dough that is shaped into balls and fried to create a sweet indian dessert
excerpt from \from scratch\
by susie castellano
how does the setting of the school cafeteria contribute to the plot?
a. it is the logical place to emphasize priyas lack of friends.
b. it provides a backdrop for priyas conversation with lindsay about a shared issue.
c. it allows priya to show off her ability to speak another language.
d. it creates a place for the incident that introduces priyas main conflict in the story.

Explanation:

The school cafeteria serves as a backdrop for Priya's conversation with Lindsay about a shared issue (e.g., food preferences, cultural differences). It provides a setting where such interactions occur, which is crucial for the story's plot development. Option A is incorrect as there's no emphasis on lack of friends. Option B is wrong as there's no indication of showing off language ability. Option D is incorrect as the cafeteria itself doesn't "create" the incident; it's just the setting.

Answer:

C. It provides a backdrop for Priya's conversation with Lindsay about a shared issue.