The subway car was so packed that Rachel couldn't move, making her relieved she'd left early for her first day at her new job. She almost felt like a "real" New Yorker expertly navigating the subway. The train squealed to a stop, the doors opened, and a flood of people carried an anxious Rachel out of the subway car. She swiftly glided through a turnstile and up a set of stairs to the street, which was filled with traffic. Rachel's eyes opened wide as her senses were overwhelmed by the smell of roasting chestnuts, steam erupting from grates in the sidewalk, and the sight of so many people jamming the sidewalks. Her ears buzzed, trying hard to adjust to the unfamiliar level of noise: swirling languages, urgent screeches of car horns, and music blasting from a storefront. Everyone seemed powerful—with serious, focused looks on their faces, resolutely rushing to somewhere else. She felt like there was an invisible electricity in the air, and she couldn't wait to take it all in. Which statement best describes how Rachel feels about the city?

a) Overwhelmed and uncomfortable.
b) Anxious and uncertain.
c) Excited and exhilarated.
d) Disappointed and frustrated.