Tristan's Adventure

Tristan was visiting his grandparents who lived in a small cottage in a remote village. Tristan lived in the city and was used to a busy life, where there was always something to do or somewhere to be. His grandparents' house was in the middle of nowhere, and he knew he would not have access to a phone or a computer. All they had was an old, run-down television that rarely worked. On that Sunday morning, Tristan was reading an adventure story about a brave knight. Later, he decided to go for a walk.
Tristan climbed up the small hill that was just behind the cottage. It was a beautiful day, and a gentle breeze was blowing. The air smells so clean! Tristan thought to himself, remembering the polluted air back in the city. Up on the hill, he saw a herd of cows grazing, looking peaceful and content, as they quietly munched grass. The cow closest to him looked up when he approached and nodded her head, almost as if to say "Hey there, how are you?" Tristan laughed and nodded back to the cow.
Tristan then strolled toward the small brook nearby and sat with his feet in the water. The brook made such a sweet sound as the water flowed. When Tristan closed his eyes and listened intently, it sounded as if the brook was singing a song just for him. He picked up a stick lying nearby, which was shaped oddly like a sword. Remembering the knight from the story he had read earlier, Tristan jumped around holding the stick, pretending to fight an invisible enemy.
When he walked back to his grandparents' house after a few hours, he felt happy and energized. Who would've thought that doing nothing could be fun too! he thought to himself.

Which statement best summarizes the theme of this passage?
A.
Nature and a good imagination can be a cure for boredom.
B.
Cities provide more opportunities than villages.
C.
Visiting grandparents can be very interesting.
D.
Humans struggle without technology for entertainment.

Fifteen-year-old kwan sat on a large boulder on the rocky shore and watched her seven-year-old brother, min, race along the beach close to the water’s edge. the handmade kite, streaming high in the air behind him, created a striking image against the vivid blue sky. occasionally, min called out, “kwan, look at me! i’m flying! i’m flying! ” she beamed and waved at him, urging him on in his glee. she recalled the day her parents first brought home the little bundle from the hospital, the first boy in the family, making her the happiest big sister ever. the family had had a new baby to care for and cherish, and she had a precious little brother to shower with love and attention. min brought joy and delight to the whole household, and his presence completed the family. kwan smiled again as she watched him run along, and she felt great contentment at the pleasure he took in flying the kite they had made together. ever since father had taken min to the korean kite festival, he had begged for a kite of his own. the multicolored dragons, birds, and box kites with their colorful tails and plumes appeared to enchant min as he watched them soar and race in the clear blue sky. he stood mesmerized by the panoply of colors. “someday, i will race a kite in the festival! ” min stated with determination. when min made up his mind that a kite would be the perfect summer project for him and kwan, she was surprised. “i don’t want a kite-making kit,” he informed their father. “i want to build it myself—with kwan’s .” kwan initially wondered why min included her in his quest for a kite, but she quickly realized that her clever brother had correctly surmised that their father would more likely approve the request if min’s big sister were there to him. how could kwan refuse? kwan gazed out at her brother and heard his shrieks of delight as he tried to direct their marvelous flying creation. she watched it wheel, spin, and dive—a wild, colorful bird putting on an aerial display. its gold and red crepe-paper wings fluttered in the air, mimicking the flight of a predatory bird surveying the landscape for prey. it swooped and dived, perhaps discovering a possible meal, and then went airborne again to avoid the rocky terrain below. min was the falconer, guiding his bird on its path through the sky, not yet ready to call it back to the ground. but kwan grew concerned when she looked out at the dark, threatening clouds beginning to roll in off the water. when she saw the streaks of lightning within the cloud formation, she pointed to the distant storm and called out to her little brother to bring in the kite. min nodded and rolled in the kite string, bringing his bird home. “let’s go,” kwan told her brother and put her arm around him to fold him safely under her wing as they both held onto the kite. “it’s time to go home.”how does the author best develop the theme that with determination, one can achieve a goal? a-the author uses an extended metaphor to show how min successfully builds a kite that flies like a colorful bird. b-the author uses a metaphor to compare kwan to a mother bird, protecting her young one from the thunderstorm. c-the author uses imagery to show how the kite mimics a predatory bird under min's careful direction. d-the author uses personification to show how min's kite swoops and dives in the air to avoid the rocks below it.