Which detail best supports the inference that Simion feels unconcerned about being caught cheating?
The Test
by Shanti S. Flaherty
I'll never pass this trigonometry final, Simion thought, as he pored over the seemingly endless formulas he needed to know for tomorrow's exam. He wrote them out, repeated them aloud, and made up mnemonic devices, but nothing helped—he repeatedly drew a blank whenever his sister quizzed him. What was he going to do? He had to pass this test—there was no way he was going to spend his summer taking another math class! There was only one solution left, "I'll have to cheat," Simion thought aloud. "But how? We aren't allowed to have our phones, or even our own pencil and paper during tests, so how can I sneak the formulas in?" Simion pondered the problem, turning the possibilities over in his mind, thinking of all the ways he could get caught, but then he had an idea: I'll write the formulas on the bottom of my shoes; no one will see them there!
So Simion spent the rest of the night carefully transcribing the formulas he needed onto his shoes. After several hours, and just fifteen minutes before he had to leave for school, Simion finished, then changed clothes, put on his "lucky" shoes, and ran out the door.
Once the bell rang, Simion casually strolled to class. His teacher quickly checked everyone for contraband—cell phones and cheat sheets—then everyone sat down and began. Simion intermittently crossed his legs, propping one foot on the opposite knee to check his notes. He was almost done with the test when his teacher appeared out of nowhere, looming and staring pointedly at his shoes. Simion was silent as Mrs. Franks took his exam paper and wrote a big, red letter F across the top then took the exam to her desk. Simion hung his head until the bell rang a few minutes later. As the other students filed out and placed their papers on Mrs. Franks's desk, he could tell they saw the F she had written on his paper because they all looked back at him. All Simion could think was How will I ever face anyone again?
