A transition from a city of about 40,000 people to a town of about 600 can be a shock. But that’s what Carol Miranda did to finish her senior year. Hailing from near Sao Paulo, Brazil, Miranda decided to come to Triopia High School her senior year. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with a population of about 11.3 million. Her hometown, with a population of about 40,000, is small for Brazil, she said.

Miranda lives with Shawn and Kim Rigor, who she said were instrumental in her transition. She would’ve graduated in December in Brazil, but decided to push it to spring so she could work on improving her English, learning another culture and living by herself and not with her parents. She’ll be in the region until early summer.

“I’ve really improved my English,” she said. “I can already feel the difference.”

Shawn and Kim Rigor have a relative involved with the agency that placed Miranda, Principal Cheri Madson said. They decided they wanted to host a foreign exchange student so they called the school and asked if they could enroll her.

Different programs require specific classes, Madson said. In Miranda’s case, her program requires English, math and American History. When Miranda first found out about where she’d stay, “it came as a bit of a shock to her,” Madson said, “but she’s slid right in here.”

In her three months at Triopia High School, Miranda has had quite the high school experience; she was part of the Homecoming court, she’s attended football games and painted her face as a way to show support for her friends and cheer the team on.

These kinds of activities aren’t in Brazilian schools, she said. She’d never played volleyball before and was on the volleyball team, Madson said. She’s also made some good friends.

“They’re all really nice,” she said. “At first I was scared, but now I’m glad I’m here and that the school’s small because I can make friends easily.”

When she first arrived, she almost gave up and wanted to go back home, but it’s become easier with time, Miranda said. The Rigor family helped her tremendously. “Now we’re like family,” said Adrienne McLain, sitting with her during lunch on Thursday. “We love her accent.”

In Brazil, Miranda doesn’t eat lunch at school, so even that has been a transition.

“When we talk to her, sometimes we know she has no idea what we’re saying because she just nods and then shakes her head,” Katie Clayton said.

When Miranda attended her first football game, she didn’t understand any of the rules. She’s starting to get it, though. “It’s a cool experience,” Clayton said. “I’ve never had a foreign exchange student in my class and it’s cool asking questions and looking at differences between cultures and schools.”

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Choose the alternative which contains an INCORRECT STATEMENT in relation to the text:

Choose the alternative which contains the appropriate synonym for the word in bold typeface in the sentence below, withdrawn from the text:

“I’ve never had a foreign exchange student in my class and it’s cool asking questions and looking at differences between cultures and schools.”