Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.

The result of Mary's first term exams came out and when her mother went to collect it, she was (26) _____________to see Mary's poor result. On reaching home, she called Mary, scolded her and in the end gave her some advice regarding her studies. She told Mary to work hard, (27) _____________very carefully to the teacher and stop wasting her time in useless activities. But Mary turned a deaf ear to her mother's advice. Soon she realised that she had lost her (28) _____________in the class. The teachers didn't think so well of her now due to her poor marks and some of her good friends, who were also good in studies, preferred to sit in the class and spend time with those who were good in studies. She realised that life was not about having fun only; it is about doing something (29) _____________in order to achieve something. She then started to work hard. Her grades eventually (30) _____________and her teachers were satisfied with her. Her mother was glad that she had accepted her advice. Mary continued to work hard and she did very well in her final exams. If she had not accepted her mother's advice she would not have been successful.