Question

The Joys of Swimming at an Island Beach
by T. Herlinger

If you ever get the chance to swim at an island beach along the Pacific Coast, I'd highly recommend it. I recently had the opportunity on an island in Washington State, but I very nearly passed it up. There I was, visiting my brother and his kids, hanging out on a sunny, pebbly beach. We all had our swimsuits on, but only my niece Adele and I really wanted to go in the water. We stood a few feet apart, up to our knees in the freezing cold surf and daring each other to go under. Finally, Adele got brave and jumped in. "It's too cold!" she sputtered as she emerged, and she headed straight for the warm beach. I nearly followed her, eager to thaw out my practically numb toes. But I suddenly thought, how will I feel later if I don't go in? I just knew I'd regret it. So I took a deep breath and slipped down into the icy water. Yeow, was it ever cold! But as I splashed around a bit and started to swim, it got a tiny bit more comfortable.
After a few minutes, I got out and warmed up on the sunny beach. "You're crazy," my brother told me, shaking his head, "I would never go in there." I just smiled, my body buzzing happily from the chill of the water. Then I jumped up and went back in! The second time in the water was much better—nowhere near as cold. In fact, I could have stayed in there for days, just floating and paddling around like an otter. I can honestly say, those few minutes in the water made for the most memorable part of my whole trip! I can close my eyes now and easily recall the sun on the back of my head, the other islands floating in the distance, and the bracing water against my skin.
The great thing about island beaches is that they are often sheltered from the wind, as this one was. So the water isn't quite as cold as it is on coastal beaches. There's no chlorine to sting your eyes either, or dry out your skin, just cleansing saltwater. The salt also makes it easier to float, as it makes your body more buoyant. Finally, you get to swim in a natural place, surrounded by a beautiful view. Now how often do you get to do that?
5Question 5
Which statement from the passage emphasizes the positive aspects of swimming in the ocean?
A.
"There's no chlorine to sting your eyes either, or dry out your skin, just cleansing saltwater."
B.
"I nearly followed her, eager to thaw out my practically numb toes."
C.
"We stood a few feet apart, up to our knees in the freezing cold surf and daring each other to go under."
D.
"I recently had the opportunity on an island in Washington State, but I very nearly passed it up."

Answer 1

A. "There's no chlorine to sting your eyes either, or dry out your skin, just cleansing saltwater." — This line highlights a positive benefit of swimming in the ocean.