Final answer:
The phrase 'took off like a shot' means that something rapidly started moving, akin to the swift movement observed when something is propelled forward with great speed. Option C is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase "took off like a shot" suggests a very rapid movement or start. When something takes off like a shot, it's as though it's been fired from a gun, moving quickly and directly. In literature, this phrase often means that a person or object rapidly started moving.
An example from nature might be a startled deer suddenly sprinting away. Given the context clues from the sentence, the best meaning of the phrase "took off like a shot" in paragraph 6 is option C, Rapidly started moving.