Question

Read the excerpt from The Odyssey. My home is on the peaked sea-mark of Ithaca under Mount Neion's wind-blown robe of leaves, in sight of other islands—Dulichium, Same, wooded Zacynthus—Ithaca being most lofty in that coastal sea, and northwest, while the rest lie east and south. A rocky isle, but good for a boy's training; I shall not see on earth a place more dear, Read a student's paraphrase of the excerpt. Odysseus's home is Ithaca, a rocky island surrounded by other islands. Odysseus considers Ithaca a great place in which to grow up. What key detail should be added to strengthen the student's paraphrasing of this excerpt?

Answer 1

This question is missing the options. I've found them online. They are the following:

What key detail should be added to strengthen the student’s paraphrasing of this excerpt?  

A) Dulichium, Same, and Zacynthus are all visible to Ithaca.

B) Odysseus holds his home very close to his heart.

C) The islands surrounding Ithaca lie to the east and the south.

D) Ithaca lies under Mount Neion and to the northwest.

Answer:

The detail that should be added to strengthen the paraphrasing is:

B) Odysseus holds his home very close to his heart.

Explanation:

A paraphrase consists of rewording something that was said by someone else. That is, we say the exact same thing but with different words. Thus, to strengthen the student's paraphrase in this case, we must look for the idea that is missing.

In the original excerpt, Odysseus talks of Ithaca's geographic location, the fact that it is a good place "for a boy's training", and the fact that the island is a place he loves:

I shall not see on earth a place more dear.

However, the student's paraphrase has left out this last idea. To make it more complete, we should add that Odysseus holds his home very close to his heart.