(A) Garcia stood outside Frontcountry Mall, waiting for his brother, Jeff. Garcia’s band had been chosen to perform at the welcoming ceremony for a large group of students from their sister university in Singapore. Garcia was hoping to find the perfect clothing for the performance. That was why (a) he had asked Jeff to help him pick out new clothes. “I’m sorry. I’m late because traffic was terrible,” Jeff apologized as he arrived. “Don’t worry. I haven’t waited long,” Garcia replied as they entered the lively shopping center.
(B) The band performance was the first event of the ceremony. The host introduced the band, and each member took their place on stage. Garcia stood at the center of the stage. As he started playing, everyone fell silent, fascinated by the music. Garcia’s trumpet playing was flawless. When the band was finished, the audience loudly cheered. After the show, Jeff approached Garcia. “It was fantastic. I think that was the best performance I’ve ever seen,” (b) he said. Garcia beamed with joy at his brother’s praise.
(C) Garcia felt good as he arrived at the concert hall for the rehearsal wearing his new clothes. His confidence was, however, quickly changed to nervousness when he thought of how many people would be there. As the rehearsal began, (c) he struggled with the rhythm, making several mistakes. Tom, Garcia’s band mate, came over and put a hand on Garcia’s back, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind (d) you.” He looked at his friend, took a deep breath and started to feel much better.
(D) “Aren’t these cool?” Garcia asked, pointing at a patterned red shirt and yellow pants he had found in the store. “Um, I think they’re a bit too colorful,” Jeff objected. Instead, Jeff picked out a white shirt and black jeans. He asked the store clerk, “Don’t you think these would look great on (e) my brother?” The clerk stopped her work and looked at the clothes, quickly agreeing with Jeff’s choice. Garcia bought the recommended clothes, saying, “Maybe I’ll wear these for tonight’s rehearsal, too.”