Cynthia was a shy girl. She believed that she was plain and untalented. One day her teacher ordered the entire class to show up for audition for the school play. Cynthia nearly died of fright when she was told that she would have to stand on stage in front of the entire class and deliver dialogues. The mere thought of it made her feel sick. But a remarkable transformation occurred during the audition. A thin, shy girl, her knees quaking, her stomach churning in terror, began to stun everyone with her excellent performance. Her bored classmates suddenly stopped their noisy chat to stare at her slender figure on the stage. At the end of her audition, the entire room erupted in thunderous applause.

Correct Option (C)

The passage explicitly states, "Cynthia was a shy girl. She believed that she was plain and untalented." This self-perception directly indicates a profound lack of self-confidence, which was the fundamental reason for her apprehension about performing on stage.

Incorrect Options:

• Option (A): The passage does not directly state that Cynthia feared her classmates would laugh at her. Her fear stems from her own perception of being "plain and untalented," indicating an internal lack of confidence rather than an external fear of mockery.

• Option (B): Her stomach churning is described as a physical symptom of her terror ("her stomach churning in terror"), not the underlying cause of her fear itself. It is a physiological response to her anxiety.

• Option (D): The passage provides no indication that Cynthia disliked school plays in general. Her fear was specifically related to her own participation and performance on stage, driven by her lack of self-confidence.