By Tirzah Tyler Cara's thighs felt as heavy as rocks as she climbed the building's dark, narrow staircase. "I can't believe the elevator . . . ," she said, "decided to stop working . . . on the exact day that we scheduled my appointment." Out of breath, she coughed.
Wheezing, Cara's mother trudged several steps behind her. The rings on her mother's fingers clinked on the stair railing while she clutched it tightly.
"Mom, are you all right?" Cara asked.
"Yes," Cara's mother replied. "Just kidding. No."
A couple of minutes later, Cara and her mother arrived at Dr. Morrisfield's office. A nurse gave each of them a bottle of water and apologized repeatedly for the elevator being out of order. Cara wiped a sweaty strand of blonde hair away from her face and took a long drink of cool water. Her mother bent down in her seat and took deep breaths, and sweat dripped from her glasses.
A teenage boy entered the waiting room. "Why in the world . . . , " he asked out of breath, "is this office . . . all the way up on the eighth floor?"
"I know, right?" Cara replied. "Getting here took a long time, but we made it."
Later, when Dr. Morrisfield examined Cara, he placed his stethoscope on her back and told her to breathe. "Your lungs sound very strong," he observed.
"Well, after walking up all those stairs just now, I would hope so," her mother said.
Dr. Morrisfield chuckled and said, "I am so sorry about that."
"Is all that exercise really healthy for a heart patient, doctor?" her mother asked.
"Mom, it's OK," Cara said. "I can breathe better now, and my heart feels fine."
"I think the fact that you were able to climb up those stairs without incident demonstrates how strong your heart has become," Dr. Morrisfield declared.
"I wouldn't have been able to take those stairs a few months ago," Cara said. "I guess some situations just take time to improve."
"Young lady, your situation is 100 percent improved," Dr. Morrisfield said with a smile. "Before you leave today, schedule an appointment for next month, and keep up the good work."
When Cara and her mother left Dr. Morrisfield's office, they heard the elevator's bell ding and saw a mustached man walk out of it.
Cara's mother gasped and exclaimed, "The elevator is working again!" She excitedly grabbed Cara's arm, but then she stopped as if she suddenly remembered something. "Would you rather take the stairs instead, now that your heart and lungs are strong enough?" she asked.
"Yes," Cara replied. "Just kidding. No."

1
Select ALL the correct answers.
Which two statements from the passage best support the idea that Cara's health is improving?
"I think the fact that you were able to climb up those stairs without incident demonstrates how strong your heart has become," Dr. Morrisfield declared.
"I wouldn't have been able to take those stairs a few months ago," Cara said.
"Is all that exercise really healthy for a heart patient, doctor?" her mother asked.
Cara wiped a sweaty strand of blonde hair away from her face and took a long drink of cool water.
Cara's thighs felt as heavy as rocks as she climbed the building's dark, narrow staircase.