Mrs. Bush wanted the graduates to know that mistakes or bad choices they may make are not permanent. Which part from her speech most strongly shows this?
A “The winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream…not society’s dreams…her own personal dream.”
B “…you need not, probably cannot, live a ‘paint-by-numbers’ life. Decisions are not irrevocable. Choices do come back.”
C “Whether you are talking about education, career, or service, you are talking about life … and life really must have joy.”
D “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal.”
The correct answer is B: “…you need not, probably cannot, live a ‘paint-by-numbers’ life. Decisions are not irrevocable. Choices do come back.”
This part of Mrs. Bush’s speech clearly emphasizes that decisions and choices in life are not permanent. The phrase “decisions are not irrevocable” suggests that mistakes can be corrected and that individuals have the opportunity to make different choices in the future. This aligns perfectly with her intention to reassure graduates that their mistakes do not define their entire lives.
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