Read "A Cosmic Flash” ("A Cosmic Flash”, from Illuminate) and then answer the question that follows. A Cosmic Flash There was no one other than Zarina and her friends in the outer pod of the space station. The pod was claustrophobic, cold, and lacked seating, and people preferred the couches and temperate atmosphere of the high-ceilinged community lounge for socializing. However, this was one of the few locations where Zarina and her friends could see the majestic views of outer space from an observation window. Jennix, Nathn, and Draxx pointed at the craters and dark swirls of the rusty red planet before them, enchanted by the secrets they felt were contained within. But today, Zarina only listened while she held little Moonlet, the robotic puppy she had constructed. To her, the glowing sphere seemed a bit creepy, blazing in an infernal way, and not as enchanting as it usually did. They had been living on the Omega Hyperbius their whole lives, and as grandiose as it was, they all felt confined and constrained. But outside that window was boundless space, a whole galactic world waiting to be explored. Usually, Zarina was as excited as the rest about those mysteries, but today she felt like the ugly duckling, not part of the rest of the group. The others were animated about entering the Nova Program, which transitioned young people from school to work responsibilities, yet Zarina felt dread. Jennix was hoping to become a pilot, traveling from planet to planetoid, exploring the remote reaches of the cosmos. Draxx’s dream was to get into the engineering program and work on the planetary colonies. Nathn had asked to be put in nutrition services to farm in one of the agricultural centers. Zarina loved tinkering, so everyone said the robotics pathway was a natural for her, but what if it wasn’t? She clutched Moonlet as she felt the familiar pit of fear, as cold and hard as a comet. Suddenly, she blurted out, “I don’t want to leave you guys and go into the Nova Program!” Jennix was the first to respond. “You know,” she said, “I don’t want to leave you all either, but we will always be friends.” “But what if I end up in the Garbage Sorting Center?” Zarina asked. She had an image of herself, trapped forever in the bowels of the station, performing the endless task of sorting mechanical bits and pieces, deciding what can be recycled. Draxx pointed to Moonlet and said, “You’re such a mastermind at creation that you’re going to be valued from day one.” “And, even if you ended up in the Sorting Center,” Nathn continued, “you’d probably build a sorter robot with all the things that you found, and then you’d be able to just sit back and relax!” At that moment, a brilliant cosmic flash illuminated the outer pod. The kids ran to the window to witness the spectacle. As the bright light shone on Zarina, she recognized that her friends were right: She already had created robots, so with guidance, she would only improve. She smiled as she viewed the splendor before her. Question: Read the following sentence from the story and answer the question. Usually, Zarina was as excited as the rest about those mysteries, but today she felt like the ugly duckling, not part of the rest of the group. What is the meaning of the allusion to the "Ugly Duckling" as used in this story? (1 point) Responses Zarina was nervous to try something new, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina was nervous to try something new, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt different than everyone else in the group, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt different than everyone else in the group, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt that her appearance was ugly, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt that her appearance was ugly, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt like none of her friends liked her anymore, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Zarina felt like none of her friends liked her anymore, just like the duckling in the fairy tale, "The Ugly Duckling" Skip to navigation
