Question

read the paragraph from liams narrative.

\\(^1\\)i had never been more frightened in my entire life. \\(^2\\)as i stepped onto the diving platform, i waited for instructions from my diving coach. \\(^3\\)only because his directions were so clear, and because he was so nice, was i able to do it. \\(^4\\)it had all been worth it, i thought, as i changed from my bathing suit back into clothes. \\(^5\\)i had achieved what i had set out to do.

which sentence could replace sentence 5 to make the paragraph more precise?

• i was able to accomplish the goal i had set for myself.
• i had finally managed to dive from the highest platform.
• i had surprised myself by being able to do what i didnt think i could.
• i truly owed a lot to coach wilkerson for all the help he had given me.

Explanation:

Analyze the original sentence and paragraph context

The original sentence 5 is: "I had achieved what I had set out to do." This sentence is very general and vague ("what I had set out to do"). The paragraph describes a specific narrative about stepping onto a diving platform, waiting for instructions from a diving coach, and changing back into clothes after a successful experience.

Evaluate the options for precision

• Option 1: "I was able to accomplish the goal I had set for myself." This remains vague and uses general words like "accomplish the goal."
• Option 2: "I had finally managed to dive from the highest platform." This replaces the vague "what I had set out to do" with the highly specific action described in the narrative ("dive from the highest platform"), making the writing much more precise.
• Option 3: "I had surprised myself by being able to do what I didn't think I could." This focuses on feelings and remains vague about the actual action.
• Option 4: "I truly owed a lot to Coach Wilkerson for all the help he had given me." This shifts the focus to the coach rather than replacing the action of sentence 5 with a more precise description of the achievement.

Select the best option

Option 2 is the most precise replacement because it names the exact action (diving from the highest platform) instead of using vague placeholders.

Answer:

• (A) I was able to accomplish the goal I had set for myself.
• (B) I had finally managed to dive from the highest platform. (Correct answer)
• (C) I had surprised myself by being able to do what I didn't think I could.
• (D) I truly owed a lot to Coach Wilkerson for all the help he had given me.