A Charles sat in the dining room with five other students, waiting for Ms. Swanson to interview all of them. Ms. Swanson, the seventh-grade science teacher, was looking for a lab helper. Charles's hands were sweaty( 出汗的 ) and his face felt hot. He wondered if his face was red—and if anyone would notice. As he prepared for his interview, Charles reviewed a set of cards with notes that he had made earlier. On the cards, he had written answers to questions that Ms. Swanson might ask and some lab requirements. "The emergency( 应急的 ) eyewash station is not a place to get a drink of water," he quietly read aloud from one card. "Put on your lab coat or you'll not be allowed into the school science lab. Have strong shoes to protect your feet from broken glass," he continued to read from another card. Looking up, Charles decided to check out the other candidates . Nearby, a girl with dark red hair was putting her own set of cards in order. He watched as she tore a card into tiny pieces and put the pieces into a pocket. Suddenly she looked up at Charles. "Are you nervous?" she asked. "No, I'm not nervous —not at all," Charles said. "What about you?" "Uh, no, me neither," the girl answered. At that moment, Ms. Swanson appeared. "Charles Locke?" she called out.