Read the passage. Never Say Never

Carlos slammed the door angrily. He flopped down on his bed and turned on his side, tears streaming down his face. He did not—no, could not— understand why his whole family was pressuring him. It was not like he was going to be a contestant on “Kids in Concert” or some other show that could win them money. It was a stupid school talent show.

In a fog, Carlos let his memories wash over him. He was just five- or six-years old, daring, and uninhibited. He sang tunes from his favorite cartoons and TV shows. He memorized lyrics effortlessly. The family karaoke machine was no match for Carlos. When he finished singing, the living room swelled with applause as family members requested encore after encore.

Carlos was ALWAYS singing. He sang in the car, in the shower, and in the backyard. His family was so used to hearing his serenading that they barely lifted their heads when he passed by. He sang for his closest friends as they walked to the mall, the pool, or the park. He even sang to the family dog, Boomer.

And Carlos had loved it—that is, until now. Last week, his lifetime of confidence collided with catastrophe, and his confidence vanished.

As he remembered he and his friends gathered at the mall, Carlos shuddered. On a dare, Carlos started singing—at first, just loud enough so his friends could hear, but then at their request, louder and louder, until . . . nothing came out.

A wave of panic seemed to overtake him, and suddenly, he froze. Beads of sweat formed on his face as he realized that his natural talent no longer seemed natural.

The look of shock on his face was matched only by the dumbfounded looks on his friends’ faces. At that moment, Carlos sincerely wished that the floor would just swallow him up. To make matters worse, Teresa Mendoza, head of the talent show committee, was there. She did not laugh, but still, she was a judge! As he ran out of the mall, he vowed to avoid her—and everyone else—for the rest of his life.

Now, at home and a week later, a perplexed Carlos had spent hours trying to figure out what had happened. It was as though some evil minion had entered his brain and begun criticizing him for having the foolish notion that he could sing. Having this kind of stage fright was embarrassing and something he had never experienced before. Carlos vowed to never sing in front of others again.

His mother brought him her trustworthy remedy—hot tea with honey. His father suggested that he was just in a “slump” and that, with time, he would again belt out popular songs.

Carlos did not care. They clearly did not comprehend the gravity of the situation. As Carlos continued to lie fuming on his bed, the doorbell rang.

The voice that carried upstairs sounded lively—and female. Who was it? As his curiosity prodded him to peer over the bannister, he heard his mother calling him, announcing the presence of Teresa Mendoza.

Carlos cringed as instinct took over, pleading with him to either dart back up to his room and crawl out the window onto the roof, or dash into the nearest closet. The choices were grim.

Mother’s voice grew closer as she explained that Teresa and Chelsea French, another talent show committee member, were stopping by to be sure that Carlos was planning to register to audition this year.

Huh?

Carlos gradually made his way downstairs as he could scarcely believe his ears. He heard phrases like “only that one time,” “incredible talent,” and “music instructor that would hold practice sessions” as well as a slew of other words that did not register in his brain.

After the women left, his mother smiled at him and said, “See?”

Carlos shook his head and frowned as he glanced at his mother, pride overruling his delight at what was taking place at that moment. But in his heart, he felt just the tiniest of possibilities that perhaps his singing days weren’t over after all.

Question 1
Part A

In "Never Say Never," what happens to Carlos at the mall?

He visits the music store.

He sings for his friends.

He signs up for the talent show.

He loses his voice.
Question 2
Part B

Which evidence from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

"The look of shock on his face was matched only by the dumbfounded looks on his friends’ faces."

"He sang for his closest friends as they walked to the mall, the pool, or the park."

"The family karaoke machine was no match for Carlos."

"Carlos vowed to never sing in front of others again."