When Michelle's dad, an army lieutenant, was transferred to a new base in Fort Hood, Texas, her family had to pick up and move for the second time in three years. "Don't worry," her mother said. "You'll get used to the new school in no time."
But everything about the school in Texas was different. The hallways were crowded, the cafeteria food was gross, all the tests were multiple-choice tests, and the teachers were stricter. Her least favorite time of day was the break between lunch and third period. All the students gathered on the football field's bleachers and separated into different groups. There were the punks in one area, the theater kids in another, the jocks near the back, the academics near the middle, and so on. Michelle felt as if she didn't belong to any of these groups, and so, she often suffered the embarrassment of sitting alone on the bleachers in the front.
One day, while outside, Michelle was horrified to see a cockroach crawling around the bleachers near her. She screamed and then put her hand to her mouth self-consciously. Almost everyone had turned to stare at her. Gillian, a girl from her chemistry class, came over to ask Michelle if she was okay.
"I'm fine," Michelle said nervously. "I just freaked out because I'm not used to cockroaches."
Gillian glanced under the table. "You're not from around here, huh?" she said.
"How could you tell?" Michelle asked.
"Because here, cockroaches are a dime a dozen," Gillian said. "They adapt well to our climate. How about you?"
"What about me?" Michelle said.
"How are you adapting?"
"All right, I guess," Michelle said.
Gillian stood there, smiling, as though she expected Michelle to say something more. That was when Michelle realized the obvious: this was the perfect opportunity to make a new friend.
"Hey, have you studied for the chemistry test yet?" Michelle asked her.
Gillian shook her head. "No. And I didn't do that well on the last test."
"Well, maybe we could study together later?" Michelle said.
"Sure," Gillian said. "Meet you in the library later?"
Michelle nodded.
8
How does the setting of this story support the theme?
A.
Taking a break on the football field reminds students that they should be active.
B.
At the football bleachers, students divide into groups, making Michelle feel out of place.
C.
The crowded bleachers make Michelle feel as if she belongs to a community.
D.
Under the football bleachers, there are a lot of bugs, emphasizing how common they are.