read the excerpt from “raymond's run.”

now some people like to act like things come easy to them, won’t let on that they practice. not me. i’ll high-prance down 34th street like a rodeo pony to keep my knees strong even if it does get my mother uptight so that she walks ahead like she’s not with me, don’t know me, is all by herself on a shopping trip, and i am somebody else’s crazy child.
which theme is shown most clearly in this excerpt?

a. strong knees are the secret to improved running.
b. people with natural talent require little practice to win.
c. being good at something requires hard work and practice.
d. kids will sometimes go to extremes to embarrass their parents.

13 points : ) which two aspects of scrooge's character does this excerpt from a christmas carol by charles dickens reveal? "i wish to be left alone," said scrooge. "since you ask me what i wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. i don’t make merry myself at christmas and i can't afford to make idle people merry. i to support the establishments i have mentioned—they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there." "many can’t go there; and many would rather die." "if they would rather die," said scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. besides—excuse me—i don't know that." "but you might know it," observed the gentleman. his stingy attitude and conduct his distrust of government institutions his indifference to others' suffering his support for the community