Final answer:
The question about Jessica's mom in the book 'Because of Mr. Terupt' cannot be answered precisely without specific reference from the text, as her pursuits are not a central part of the book's main plot. Additional context from the student would be necessary to provide an accurate answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the novel Because of Mr. Terupt, Jessica's mom is not a central character and her serious pursuits are not directly elaborated upon within the main plot of the book. The student's question may involve a specific detail or subplot that is not adequately addressed in the provided context. It is possible they are referring to a moment in the book where a character's parent is trying to get serious about a particular aspect of life, akin to the examples where characters are working hard at something, such as Claire in the play excerpt, but without the correct reference in the novel, it is difficult to provide a precise answer.
Without the specific reference to Jessica's mom in Because of Mr. Terupt, it's challenging to draw a definitive parallel to the exertion depicted by characters in other texts. Therefore, it's advised that the student revisits the book to pinpoint the relevant sections or provides additional details for an accurate response.