Question

11 but phaethon held to his choice and bade his father farewell. he took his place in the chariot, gathered up the reins, and the horses sprang away, eager for the road.
12 as they went, they bent their splendid necks to see the meaning of the strange hand upon the reins,—the slender weight in the chariot. they turned their wild eyes upon phaethon, to his secret foreboding, and neighed one to another. this was no master - charioteer, but a mere lad, a feather riding the wind. it was holiday for the horses of the sun, and away they went.
13 grasping the reins that dragged him after, like an enemy, phaethon looked down from the fearful ascent and saw the earth far beneath him, dim and fair. he was blind with dizziness
this question has two parts. first, answer part a. then, answer part b.
part a
what are two universal themes of passage 1?

• people should be good caretakers of the planet.
• people should recognize the limits of their abilities.
• people should learn to forgive others for their mistakes.
• people should listen to good advice from those with expertise.
• people should avoid overreacting to youths who make mistakes.

Explanation:

To determine the universal themes, analyze the passage: Phaethon ignores advice (from his father, an expert) and overestimates his ability to control the chariot.

• "People should recognize the limits of their abilities": Phaethon, a lad, tries to control the Sun's chariot (beyond his capability).
• "People should listen to good advice from those with expertise": His father (with expertise) likely advised caution, but Phaethon didn't listen, leading to trouble.

Other options: "caretakers of the planet" is irrelevant; "forgive others" and "avoid overreacting to youths" don't match the passage’s focus.

Answer:

B. People should recognize the limits of their abilities, D. People should listen to good advice from those with expertise