Bring on the Beets

This is a draft of a student's narrative essay.

(1)
My dad used to say there aren't really foods he doesn't like, just foods he hasn't liked yet. I'm inclined to agree with him because there's a clear line of demarcation in my life: days of beet disdain and beet delight.

(2)
Have you ever had a yellow beet? Me neither, until an innocent visit to Atwoods Café on an otherwise ordinary day. The lunch crowd buzzed as I sat at a table for two near the door, surveying the menu until I landed on a list of appetizing ingredients: Bibb lettuce, asparagus, goat cheese, pistachios, and . . . yellow beets with a lemon dill vinaigrette. Dressing on the side and hold the beets. That was my first inclination.

(3)
"What can I get for you today?" my server asked.

(4)
"I'd like your Bibb lettuce salad with dressing on side and no beets, please," I replied.

(5)
"Have you ever had yellow beets?" my server inquired, peering over the rim of his glasses like my dad.

(6)
"Actually, no," I replied sheepishly. "It's a texture thing—they seem so slimy."

(7)
"Ours are delicious. Give them a try and, if you don't like them, I'll bring you a beet-free salad." And he was off before I could object.

(8)
Let me tell you, yellow beets are beautiful! They're a vibrant, golden yellow that brightens a plate like sunshine. I'm no culinary expert, but when food looks good, it tastes better, right? These yellow beets sure did. They were smooth, not slimy, and mildly sweet, not so earthy, though they grew to fullness underground. This was my moment of conversion. My delight in yellow beets extended beyond the walls of Atwoods as I sought this delicious root vegetable on other menus, in recipes, and at farmer's markets.

(9)
I have learned there really aren't foods I don't like, just foods I haven't liked yet. And who knows? Maybe I'll give bananas a second chance.

4
Select the correct answer.
Which sentence could the writer add to the end of paragraph 7 to better develop the narrator’s reflection about the experience?

A.
I was a little taken aback and quite frankly disappointed that I would now be forced to consume the foreign vegetable.
B.
I looked around the café, and my mouth watered as I saw the delicious meals that were being distributed to each table.
C.
My stomach growled, and I realized how incredibly hungry I was.
D.
“Thanks a lot,” I said sarcastically, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me.