Question

select two excerpts from the story that best support the inference that the principal values the consistency of the robot students. there was once a school without a single living student; the principal got his pupils from a robot factory instead. (paragraph 1) so these little robots were indeed marvels of mechanical and electronic efficiency, and everyone who saw them working was stunned by their performance. (paragraph 4) of course, it was possible to switch subjects around somewhat to take arithmetic before history, or, in place of one rule of grammar, to take another. (paragraph 11) indeed, the principal was so content with this state of affairs that he not only praised the teacher highly, but even gave her a promotion. (paragraph 11) the teacher couldn’t imagine such a disrespectful version of history being recited in school. she went back to her desk, full of anxiety, hoping that the principal would not find out. (paragraph 14)

Explanation:

1. For the excerpt "So these little robots were indeed marvels of mechanical and electronic efficiency, and everyone who saw them working was stunned by their performance. (paragraph 4)": The description of the robot students as having mechanical and electronic efficiency implies a consistent performance, and the principal's use of such robots (as per the story context) suggests he values this consistency.
2. For the excerpt "Indeed, the principal was so content with this state of affairs that he not only praised the teacher highly, but even gave her a promotion. (paragraph 11)": The "state of affairs" here refers to the situation with the robot students. The principal's contentment and rewarding the teacher for it shows he values the consistency that the robot students (and the resulting situation) provide.

The first excerpt (paragraph 1) just tells about the source of students, not about consistency. The third excerpt (paragraph 11) is about switching subjects, which is not about valuing consistency. The fifth excerpt (paragraph 14) is about the teacher's anxiety, not the principal's valuation of consistency.

Answer:

• So these little robots were indeed marvels of mechanical and electronic efficiency, and everyone who saw them working was stunned by their performance. (paragraph 4)
• Indeed, the principal was so content with this state of affairs that he not only praised the teacher highly, but even gave her a promotion. (paragraph 11)