What Really Matters

CHARACTERS:
NARRATOR
ALI, a brilliant eighth-grader who is figuring out his life
JEN, Ali's best friend, an ambitious girl who wants to study philosophy

Stage Set: Jen and Ali are seated an empty classroom. Ali is staring out the window. He does not know that he has been admitted to Prestige Preparatory School.

JEN:	You know that was totally unfair. You are way smarter than me. And, maybe the letter is still in the mail?
ALI:	(facing Jen) You are just trying to make me feel better.
JEN:	What am I supposed to say? Everyone knows you are brilliant. You will definitely get in next year.
ALI:	When you will be ahead of me? I don't want to be your junior, Jen.
JEN:	What about the other prep schools?
ALI:	I am waiting to hear back. But, the other schools are really far from home—and you.
JEN:	Well, forget about it for now. Do you remember feeling upset when you failed that math test in second grade? You didn't even want to eat or drink anything. You just cried for days.
ALI:	(laughing) yeah! I do. How do you always remember all this?
JEN:	Well, does it matter now that you failed a math test when you were seven?
ALI:	Uhh . . . no.
JEN:	Prestige Prep won't matter five years from now. You will get into the best college out there anyway.
ALI:	(pauses for a few moments) Well, you are right.


What is ironic about Ali's situation in this play?
A.
Only Ali knows that some things in life do not really matter in the long run.
B.
Only the audience knows that Ali is accepted into Prestige Preparatory school.
C.
Ali laughs when he thinks about an upsetting incident from his childhood.
D.
Ali is still heartbroken about failing a math test he took in the second grade.