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Can you find the hidden subject of this message? Samples occur throughout the passage and there is a somewhat obvious clue included also.

I want to help teenagers to pass the science test.
To do this, I taught a lenient student
About carbon. Are a few things made from it?
Learning about carbon is not something to knock, even if you'd rather go to the spa.
You'd wonder, could a spa get teenagers more interested in science?

I'm not 100% sure on what tags I should attach to the question, so I'll just mention that all that's required to solve this is simply to read it.

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  • $\begingroup$ Entirely unrelated: In your profile riddle, aren't there THREE "locks"? (rot13)pncf ybpx, fpebyy ybpx, naq ahz ybpx? $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 10:57
  • $\begingroup$ @Deusovi Whoops! You're absolutely right. That's embarrassing :) $\endgroup$
    – hypern
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 11:02

2 Answers 2

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The secret subject is...

pasta.

There's one related word in each line:

pass the: pasta
taught a lenient: tortellini
carbon are a: carbonara
knock even: gnocchi
spa get teenagers: spaghetti

(The first two only work in some accents.)

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    $\begingroup$ And for another clue, look at the first letter of each line. $\endgroup$
    – David K
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 12:01
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    $\begingroup$ Huh, so either my pronunciation of English is wrong, or is my pronunciation of my native Italian. $\endgroup$
    – Tobia Tesan
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 12:54
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    $\begingroup$ I know, I know, happens with every language. Still, I got a good chuckle out of it. $\endgroup$
    – Tobia Tesan
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 12:56
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    $\begingroup$ @hypern "Learning about carbon while Enya keeps playing in the background." perhaps? ...assuming my Italian pronunciation is right ;p $\endgroup$
    – Sabre
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 13:31
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    $\begingroup$ I've never understood these pronunciation puzzles even looking at the answers (U.S. citizen in Great Lakes region). I could make a case for the first two only if Arnold Schwarzenegger were yelling them into a pillow. $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 15:11
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New guess:

Pasta

Hidden clue:

Taking the first letter of every sentence, we get ITALY.

"Samples":

I want to help teenagers to pass the science test.
To do this, I taught a lenient student --> Tortellini
About carbon. Are a few things made from it? --> Carbonara
Learning about carbon is not something to knock, even if you'd rather go to the spa.
You'd wonder, could a spa get teenagers more interested in science? --> Spaghetti

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  • $\begingroup$ That's the included clue :) $\endgroup$
    – hypern
    Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 10:48

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