Choose the best paraphrase for the following line from the story:
“In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested
by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered.”
a. He emptied the glass of wine and realized that he had drunk too much.
b. He felt stupid when he reached the end of the tunnel and did not know where to go.
c. He wanted to sit down but had to stand until he reached the end.
d. He was confused when he reached the far end and saw that a rock wall blocked his path.
d. He was confused when he reached the far end and saw that a rock wall blocked his path.
b. He felt stupid when he reached the end of the tunnel and did not know where to go.
The best paraphrase for the line "In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered." is:
d. He was confused when he reached the far end and saw that a rock wall blocked his path.
To arrive at this answer, it is necessary to understand the meaning of the words and phrases used in the original sentence. "Extremity of the niche" refers to the far end of a narrow space or corner. "Finding his progress arrested by the rock" means that his movement was stopped by a rock. "Stood stupidly bewildered" implies that he was both confused and unsure of what to do next.
After understanding the original sentence, we can see that the best paraphrase is option d, as it accurately conveys the same meaning in simpler language.