Question

"Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long. I will not now enter

into as an argument; my own simple opinion is that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been
much better."
-Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776
Which of the following best rewrites the sentence above?
The independence of the continent was declared too soon. I won't argue that we delayed too long. My own simple opinion is that it
would have been much better if this had not happened eight months ago
I don't want to argue. My own simple opinion is that it would have been much better to delay too long. To declare the independence
of the continent eight months earlier was too soon.
I will not argue that we waited too long to declare te independence of the continent. My own simple opinion is that it is much better
this way. Eight months earlier would have been too soon.
I won't argue about whether we declared the independence of the continent too soon or delayed too long. My own simple opinion is
that it would have been much better if we had declared it eight months earlier.

Answer 1

The option that best rewrites the sentence is:

D. I won't argue about whether we declared the independence of the continent too soon or delayed too long. My own simple opinion is that it would have been much better if we had declared it eight months earlier.

Step-by-step explanation:

By reading the original sentence, we can find the following main points:

1. the author does not want to argue;

2. he will not discuss the independence's timing with anyone;

3. he simply thinks the independence should have happened eight months earlier, that is all.

With that, we can find the best option.

Option A changes the author's opinion completely, even stating that he does not think there should have been independence eight months earlier.

Option B does the same, now stating that the author thinks delaying the independence would have been the best.

Option C changes his opinion by saying that it would have been too soon if the independence had happened eight months earlier.

Therefore, the only option that has not changed the author's opinion at all is letter D: I won't argue about whether we declared the independence of the continent too soon or delayed too long. My own simple opinion is that it would have been much better if we had declared it eight months earlier.

Thomas Paine was a writer and philosopher who published the first pamphlet defending the independence of America.