In the blink of an eye, the situation became more complicated.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question presents a sentence: 'In the blink of an eye, the situation became more complicated.' The task is to choose which option best preserves the meaning and tone of the original.

Option a: 'The situation became more complicated quickly.' This option preserves the idea of rapid change implied by 'in the blink of an eye' and uses a natural synonym 'quickly' to convey speed. The rest of the sentence matches the original structure and meaning, resulting in a coherent and faithful paraphrase.

Option b: 'The situation became more complicated in a flash.' This option also conveys speed, since 'in a flash' is an idiom meaning very quickly. However, the phrase 'in a flash' can be slightly more informal or vivid than the original, and depending on the desired register, it may feel less aligned with the wording of the prompt which favors a straightforward paraphrase. Additionally, the layout of the option appears to introduce line breaks or spacing that might split the sentence visually, which can affect readability.

In summary, both options aim to express the same idea of a rapid increase in complexity. The first option aligns closely with a neutral style and clear restatement, making it the more faithful choice in terms of direct paraphrase and tone. The second option is acceptable but carries a heavier idiomatic charge that may diverge slightly from the original register.

In the blink of an eye, the situation became more complicated.

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