Azumi wrote a short story for an online writing contest. She revised a paragraph but kept a copy of the original. Read both vers
ions, and then answer the question. Original:
Maya stood on the diving board looking down at her friends. “I can’t do it,” she said. “It’s too soon.” Abigail encouraged her, but Grace thought she shouldn’t. While Abigail and Grace talked, Maya dove.
Revision:(1) Maya gripped the edge of the diving board with her toes. She shivered with anxiety, but otherwise, she was motionless. (2) “I can’t do it!” she called out to her friends Abigail and Grace. “It’s too soon after my last dive.”
(3) “C’mon, Maya, you know that’s not true.” Abigail said encouragingly, “I know you can do it, and you do, too. Every diver has a bad dive now and then. So count to three, and get off that board!”
(4) Grace nudged Abigail. “Maybe it’s too soon,” she said worriedly. “Don’t push her.”
(5) The words had barely left Grace’s mouth when Maya’s body sliced the water cleanly.
(6) She kicked off from the bottom of the pool and burst through the water’s surface. “I knew that last dive was a freak event,” she called out. “No single dive’s going to stop me.”
Compare the original version and the revision. How do Azumi’s revisions help develop the central character Maya?
A.
The revised version helps reveal that Maya is easily defeated by failure.
B.
The revised version helps reveal that Maya needs others to convince her of the right thing to do.
C.
The revised version helps reveal that Maya is unwilling to let small failures get in the way of success.
D.
The revised version helps reveal that Maya has a special connection to her friends Abigail and Grace.
