Answer 1

Linux is totally customisable, so you can choose any of the distro you like and make it look like any other.
but I would suggest one with bigger community so that you can get help easily wherever you get stuck( eg Ubuntu)
You can also choose the one closer to windows in terms of looks to make your transition easier from windows to linux ( eg Zorin)
If I have to choose one, then I would have gone for *Mint* because it satisfies both of the conditions.