Which sentence is the most suitable?
Hi teachers!
The text below is what I am studying now and I wonder which sentence can replace the last underlined sentence the best among the five choices. I personally prefer sentence 1 but my colleague prefers 4.
'Students work to get good grades even when they have no interest in their studies. People seek job advancement even when they are happy with the jobs they already have. It’s like being in a crowded football stadium, watching the crucial play. A spectator several rows in front stands up to get a better view, and a chain reaction follows. Soon everyone is standing, just to be able to see as well as before. Everyone is on their feet rather than sitting, but no one’s position has improved. And if someone refuses to stand, he might just as well not be at the game at all. When people pursue goods that are positional, they can’t help being in the rat race.
To choose not to run is to lose.'
? To win is to participate in competition.
? Participation depends on one’s intent.
? Competition is not necessarily better.
? Nonparticipation is not an option.
? To choose not to run is to win.
Top answer
If sentence 1 were phrased as The only way to win is to participate in the competition, it would paraphrase the underlined sentence nearly exactly, but it lacks the component "the only way" — which might be, even more accurately, "the only way to have a chance to win". Sentence 4 doesn't really paraphrase the underlined sentence either. Like 1, it doesn't have the exact same meaning as the underlined sentence.
- If sentence 1 were phrased as The only way to win is to participate in the competition, it would paraphrase the underlined sentence nearly exactly, but it lacks the component "the only way" — which might be, even more accurately, "the only way to have a chance to win".
- Sentence 4 doesn't really paraphrase the underlined sentence either.
- Like 1, it doesn't have the exact same meaning as the underlined sentence.
- It really should be "Nonparticipation is not an option if you want to win ".
- Assuming that everyone wants to win, you might choose 4 as the best answer, but it's almost a throw of the dice which to choose between 1 and 4.
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If sentence 1 were phrased as The only way to win is to participate in the competition, it would paraphrase the underlined sentence nearly exactly, but it lacks the component "the only way" — which might be, even more accurately, "the only way to have a chance to win".
Sentence 4 doesn't really paraphrase the underlined sentence either. Like 1, it doesn't have the exact sa
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