Read the excerpt from Outcasts United . "She's a girl," he said. "She doesn't know what she's talking about." Luma ordered him to stand in goal. She took off her shoes as the boy waited beneath the crossbar, rocking back and forth and growing more anxious by the moment. She asked for a ball, which she placed on the grass. Then, barefoot, as the team looked on, she blasted a shot directly at the boy, who dove out of the way as the ball rocketed into the net. Luma turned toward her team. "Anybody else?" she asked. Based on Luma’s actions, which statement best describes the theme in this excerpt?
Answer
A
The best soccer players are usually girls.
B
Gender is not a defining factor in athletic ability.
C
Do not be afraid to show off your sports skills.
D
Luma shows everyone that she knows how to play.
Explanation
The boy dismisses Luma because she is a girl, but she responds by taking a powerful shot that he cannot stop. Her actions show that being a girl does not determine whether someone has athletic ability. This supports the theme that gender is not a defining factor in athletic ability; choice D describes what Luma does, but it is not the broader theme.
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