Question

read the following excerpt from a student essay. how can the writer best improve his or her organization?

competition can add a great deal of stress to students’ lives. like it or not, it’s a part of classrooms, sports, and other after - school activities. for one, it can motivate students to work harder to achieve their goals. when students are challenged to strive for excellence, they often accomplish much more than what they may have initially expected. also, even when students don’t win at something, they still learn a valuable lesson: how to be a good sport about losing. however, even though it can be stressful, there are several reasons why students benefit from a little friendly competition.

by moving the last sentence closer to the beginning

by removing the last sentence

by moving the first sentence closer to the end

Explanation:

The last sentence ("However, even though it can be stressful, there are several reasons why students benefit from a little friendly competition") presents the main idea of the essay (students benefit from competition) and should act as a thesis or introductory statement to guide the supporting points (motivation, learning from losing) that follow. Moving it closer to the beginning (like an introductory thesis) would improve organization by presenting the main argument first, then elaborating. The other options (removing the last sentence or moving the first) don't address the logical flow as effectively.

Answer:

by moving the last sentence closer to the beginning