Amoebas
Miranda recounts, “At lunch today, Megan told Sammi she was going to hell if she didn’t repent soon and Sammi got real mad (I don't blame her) and yelled at Megan that she was a very spiritual person and didn't need any lessons from Megan about what God wanted because she knew God wanted her to be happy and if God hadn't wanted people to have sex He'd have made everybody amoebas." Here, Amoebas are emblematic of sexual inactivity because their reproduction does not entail sexual activity. Sammi's argument justifies her lifestyle which includes romantic outings. Evidently, Sammi is not interested in leading a sexless life because it would not contribute to her contentment.
Gold
Miranda notes, “The fan board is still fighting over whether Brandon'll need two quads to win the Olympics or whether he could win just win. It would be amazing if Brandon won a gold. I bet we'd have a parade and everything." Here, gold is indicative of victory which would confirm that Brandon is the ultimate champion is skating. Miranda's conviction about Brandon's chances of winning affirms that Brandon is dexterous at skating.
Crisis
Mrs. Sanchez announces, “This is a crisis the whole world is going through together…I have complete faith in our ability as Pennsylvanians and Americans to be able to pull through.” The steroid terrifies and disrupts the entire world to the degree that children are scared from attending school. Mrs. Sanchez appeals to resilience and solidarity to comfort the students who are visibly shocked and terrified.
Sacrifices
Miranda explains, “There would be no more after-school activities. The class play, the prom, the senior trip all were cancelled. The swimming pool was no longer available.” The students are notified regarding the unavailability of ordinary services due to the ongoing crisis. The notification encourages the students to brace themselves and to make sacrifices for the sake of their security; the sacrifices are inevitable.
God
Megan states, “We’ve been sleeping at the church, just getting an hour or two of sleep each day so we can keep praying. Isn’t it wonderful, what God is doing?” Megan looks at the steroid as God’s doing for she is extremely religious. She believes that by praying, the negative implications of the steroid can be mitigated by God.
