Question

course test
down in the dumps
by j. robbins
\does anyone want to exchanged amused looks as she patted jasper on the shoulder. cheer
up. iolanthe and trixie attitude. trixie replied as she patted jasper on the shoulder.
thats a pretty terrible attitude. jasper glanced up from his plate.
what news? he mumbled as he stuffed french fries into his mouth.
i made captain of the wheelchair rugby team! exclaimed iolanthe with a huge grin.
you play wheelchair rugby? asked jasper in surprise.
for the past five years. school to celebrate. why dont you come with us?
i dont have anything to celebrate, said jasper glumly. i cant figure out this poetry stuff to
save my life. if i dont get a good grade on tomorrows test, ill fail the class.
poor thing, trixie cried compassionately. its true im just an alternate, but im still on the cheerleading squad, after all. even though it took me twelve tries to get on the field one of these days.
why dont we help you study, jasper? suggested iolanthe. were both pretty good at
poetry.
it wont help, he said. i havent bought the book yet.
how do you expect to pass if you dont have the book? asked trixie.
i thought i could bluff my way through the test, jasper. the new world of war skill
video game came out, and i spent all my allowance on it. i didnt want to spend my money on
some stupid book. iolanthe shook her head in amazement.
that is the most irresponsible thing youve ever done, she told jasper. and i didnt think
you could get any more irresponsible than youve ever done.
i agree completely, said trixie. i have helped you out of jams since you were a kid, jasper,
but this is just ridiculous. iolanthe and i have better things to do than listen to you complain.
iolanthe rolled her wheelchair back from the table and joined trixie in leaving the lunchroom.
jaspers head drooped as he contemplated his french fries.
my friends abandoned me for no reason, jasper moaned out loud. why does everything
always happen to me?

1. what can the reader conclude about jasper?

a. he comes from a poverty - stricken background.
b. he does not pay close attention to his friends.
c. he is hiding the fact that he doesnt know how to read.
d. he excels at subjects such as math and science.

Explanation:

Jasper spent his allowance on a video - game instead of buying a book for an important test. His friends are frustrated with his irresponsible behavior. There is no indication of poverty, inability to read, or excellence in math and science. His actions show he doesn't pay close attention to his friends' advice about studying.

Answer:

B. He does not pay close attention to his friends.