Question

read the body paragraph from a students informative essay on george washingtons leadership. washington realized he needed clever tactics to defeat the british. first and foremost, he did what he could to protect his troops. he avoided fights that he was unlikely to win. instead, he relied on the element of surprise. on christmas of 1776, his troops quietly sailed across the delaware river. they struck the british in a sneak attack and won! which sentence best states the supporting reason provided by this paragraph? washington sailed across the delaware river without being seen. washington used a smart strategy to win battles and keep his soldiers safe. washington attacked the british during the christmas holiday of 1776. washington was the general responsible for winning the american revolution.

Explanation:

The paragraph discusses Washington's tactics. He avoided unwinnable fights (to protect troops) and used surprise (sneak attack on Christmas 1776). The first option only mentions sailing across the river (a detail). The third option just states the attack time (a detail). The fourth option is too broad (not supported by the paragraph). The second option encompasses both protecting troops (smart - strategy aspect of avoiding bad fights) and winning (sneak - attack part of the smart strategy).

Answer:

Washington used a smart strategy to win battles and keep his soldiers safe.