Question

the final hurdle
1 jasmine’s legs trembled as she approached the starting line. the track shimmered with heat, and the hurdles looked taller than usual. it was the last race of the season —the state championships—and her heart pounded like a wild drum.
2 “you’ve got this,” coach morales said, her voice steady like the wind before a storm. jasmine nodded, swallowing her nerves.
3 the starting gun fired. jasmine sprang forward, each stride a battle against fear and fatigue. memories flashed in her mind—early mornings, skinned knees, and the day she lost to danielle by a blink of an eye.
4 halfway through the race, jasmine clipped a hurdle. she stumbled. for a heartbeat, time froze. then something inside her sparked—not rage, not panic, but a fierce calm. she steadied, adjusted her rhythm, and pushed forward.
5 she crossed the finish line, not in first, but strong— stronger than she’d ever been. the crowd erupted, not for victory, but for resilience.
6 jasmine smiled through the sweat. maybe the finish line wasn’t the end. maybe it was a beginning.
which sentence best reveals jasmine’s character development during the race?
a “jasmine’s legs trembled as she approached the starting line.”
b “she crossed the finish line, not in first, but strong.”
c “the track shimmered with heat, and the hurdles looked taller than usual.”
d “the crowd erupted, not for victory, but for resilience.”

Explanation:

To determine Jasmine's character development, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Describes her initial nervousness, not development.
• Option B: Shows she finished strong, indicating growth from her earlier nervousness and challenges during the race (like clipping a hurdle). This shows she became stronger.
• Option C: Describes the setting, not her character.
• Option D: Describes the crowd's reaction, not her development.

Answer:

B. "She crossed the finish line, not in first, but strong."