Children in the first six standards of school who are publicly singled out for enthusiastic praise by their teachers show marked improvement in their schoolwork. But students in higher standards tend to react negatively to such praise, and their academic performance tends to decline as a result. Which one of the following most helps to explain the differing reactions described above?
A: Older students believe that their teachers' praise will inspire the disapproval of their peers, to which they have a greater aversion than do younger students.
B: Younger children respond more to the tone of voice with which criticism is offered than to its explicit content.
C: Older students are more likely than younger students to believe that there are better indicators of their academic performance than the grades they earn in class.
D: Younger students are more concerned with public appearance than are older students.
Choose A, B, C or D as your solution.
A