Final answer:
The direct answer to the student's question is 'a. Clique; crowd', where 'clique' is a close-knit group that Samantha and her five friends form and 'crowd' is the larger, more casual group of various friends.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clique is a term used to describe a small, exclusive group of people who are seen as having shared interests and a strong sense of unity. In this context, a clique refers to Samantha's close circle of five best female buddies. This group is described as a tight-knit and likely homogenous gathering in which members feel a strong identity and belonging.
The term crowd, on the other hand, refers to a larger, more loosely defined collection of both boys and girls that Samantha might associate with from time to time. The crowd is not as exclusive or closely bonded as the clique and is considered more heterogeneous and less personal. Unlike a clique, the crowd does not necessarily involve a strong sense of belonging or mutual identity among its members.
Understanding the difference between these group dynamics is important in studies related to sociology and social psychology, as they directly affect how individuals interact within different social structures and hierarchies.