can you please help me
The Reefs
By Marcella Morris
She clutched her lab work to her side walking briskly towards school. The snow fell in typical New York flurries and the ground was still icy from last nightâs freeze. Careful not to slip, she climbed the steps and crossed the campus towards the science building.
âWhat am I doing?â she murmured. Sophieâs worse habit was talking to herself in public. âI have been warned.â
âYou are just a high school kid, Sophie,â they warned. âWhat makes you think you are capable of solving this crucial environmental issue? Stop wasting your time.â The professors would not give her laboratory time to complete research nor would they share their expertise with her.
But, she could not stop.
After that snorkeling trip she took with her aunt to the coral reefs, she felt that something had shifted inside her. The snorkeling guide made one fact very clear- these colonies of tiny organisms would not last. In fact, weâd be lucky if they lasted 5 more years. She cared about the safety of these coral reefs more than she has cared about anything for a long, long time. She had to do something for the fragile, endangered habitat with its fish, mollusks, worms, crustaceans and many more.
So, she used her money to create a lab at her auntâs house. She worked tirelesslyâendlesslyâsleeping only when she had to.
âItâs what mom and dad would have done,â she thought.
Her best friend Sam, would hang out with her everydayâeating pizza, fries, and whatever else he could get his hands on, keeping her company with his humor while Sophie worked on her experiments. And now, she has a biological solution in her hands.
She hesitated at the door to the labs. Nervously, she shifted her lab report from one hand to the other.
âI know that have an innovative approach to solving the coral reef issue and I know I can help,â she said to no one.
The image of being ridiculed by these professors, delayed her entry. She stood outside the door, wanting to run back- wanting to hide- glued to the icy spot.
âHey, Sophie!â She turned at the unexpected sound of Samâs voice.
âIâve been⌠trying to catch up with you,â he panted- out of breath. âLetâs go in and⌠show them⌠what youâve got.â
Sophie tilted her head, smiled at Sam and opened the door. She walked confidently to the front, laid out her research on the podium and began her presentation. When her presentation ended, it was to the enthusiastic sound of the scientistsâ applause.
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Write a one paragraph summary of the story that explains how theme develops in, âThe Reefs.â
Theme is never a simple explanation. When examining a story's theme, a reader will analyze multiple literary elements. For example, an author may use a repeating symbol throughout a story. That symbol will help the reader explain the theme. An author may have his/her character change in some important way in the story.