“THE TEST” Everyone in the class wanted to score high on the upcoming test. It was the first exam of the year. They formed study groups, but they didn’t invite James—even after he asked if he could.
“James reads comic books in class,” Jen said. “Obviously, he is childish and doesn’t take this classwork seriously.” Jen’s study group, Mark’s study group, and the rest of the class all agreed with her point of view.
The morning of the test arrived! Ms. Marshall promised to grade the exam immediately.
Time was up! Everyone handed in their tests.
“Jen, you scored a 74. The other members of your group scored a little lower. Mark, you scored an 81. The other members of your group scored in the 70s, and one of them scored a 68.”
Jen was upset at these results. She asked Ms. Marshall, “Well, who got the highest score?”
Ms. Marshall replied, “James did. He scored 100.”
What is the theme of “The Test”? What is the author of this story trying to TEACH US or SHOW US? Explain your answer using evidence from the story to support your answer.