"Bullying in Early Adolescence"

Which of the following best identifies a central idea of this text?

• Bullying occurs as a simple interaction between a bully and the bully’s victim.

• Bullying harms the victim in various ways but the bully is harmed as well.

• Groups of students who support bullying contribute to its development.

• Bullies are insecure because they are failing to adapt to a new environment.

Which quote from the text best supports a central idea that "Groups of students who support bullying contribute to its development."

• “One notable gap in the evolving literature on bullying and victimization during early adolescence is the role that peers play in promoting bullying and victimization by either reinforcing the aggressor, failing to intervene to stop the victimization, or affiliating with students who bully”. (Paragraph 1)

• “Research indicates, for example, that toughness and aggressiveness are important status considerations for boys, while appearance is a central determinant of social status among girls. (Paragraph 3)

• “For example, changing from one school to another often leads to an increase in emotional and academic difficulties.” (Paragraph 5)

• “Instead, recent studies and media reports suggest that there are groups of students who support their peers and sometimes participate in teasing and harassing other students.” (Paragraph 9)

Which statement best identifies how the text describes the relationship between bullying and middle school?

• Bullying only begins to emerge in sixth grade and becomes strongest in eighth grade for boys and girls.

• Participation in bullying may be part of the process of adapting to the culture of middle school and changes by age and gender through eighth grade.

• The most serious form of bullying is common throughout middle school and remains a means to seek popularity through eighth grade.

• Bullying is common throughout middle school but does not become a means to seek popularity until eighth grade.

What does the Peer Acceptance and Status section contribute to the author’s description of adolescents in the text?

• It positions teenagers as cruel, unfair, and very likely to become bullies.

• It highlights that teenagers begin to rely more on their peers for support.

• It reveals how teenagers lose superiority over others when they bully.

• It explains how bullying leads to increased social status for teenagers.