Question

Read the sentence from an argumentative essay about homelessness.

There should be services to give homeless people a break from the stuff they have to deal with in their everyday lives.

Which is the best revision of the underlined portion of the sentence?
to give homeless people a vacation from their suffering.
to give homeless people relief from their everyday hardships.
to give homeless people a break from what they have to deal with every day.
to give homeless people relief from the stuff they have to deal with every day.

Answer 1

to give homeless people relief from their everyday hardships.

This option is clear, concise, and appropriately formal; it avoids the vague, informal word "stuff" and the overly dramatic word "suffering."