Read this excerpt from the adventures of robinson crusoe:

i travelled to london by land, and there, as well as on the road, had many struggles with myself what course of life i should take, and whether i should go home or to sea. as to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and it immediately occurred to me how i should be laughed at among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only, but even every body else. .
which statement below most clearly represents the theme of this passage?
a. bravery can people overcome difficult situations.
b. knowledge of human nature can keep people safe.
c. crusoe worries that his neighbors will laugh at him.
d. people make decisions in order to protect their pride

Read this passage: many manufacturers prefer plastic as a material for containers because it can be molded into many shapes. but plastic is not very strong. it must be fused with glass or steel for strength. it is also not very durable. even the strongest plastic can break under enough pressure. the biggest disadvantage to using plastic is that it does not decompose. while plastic can be recycled, doing so is tedious and difficult. while it may be more expensive and difficult to work with, aluminum is a much stronger building material with far greater tensile strength. it conducts electricity because it is metal. best of all, aluminum is very easy to recycle. even if it is thrown away, it decomposes much more quickly than most manufacturing materials. how does the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern of the passage support the author's purpose? a. the passage gradually leads up to the point about decomposition to inform the reader about the importance of recycling plastics. b. the passage lists the advantages and disadvantages of each material to make a case for the use of plastic and not aluminum in containers. c. the passage begins with a description of plastic's problems in order to call attention to the good qualities of aluminum. d. the passage shows the superiority of aluminum in order to make a case for the production of stronger plastics.