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Select the correct option for the direct speech conversion of the sentence below. The engineer explained that the cables were weakening faster than the support structure could sustain them.

1. The engineer explained, "The cables are weakening faster than the support structure can sustain them."
2. The engineer explained, "The cables were weakening faster than the support structure can be sustained by them."
3. The engineer explained, "Cables weaken faster than support structures sustain."
4. The engineer explained, "Cable weakening faster than the support can sustain."

Correct answer: The engineer explained, "The cables are weakening faster than the support structure can sustain them."

Solution

To convert indirect speech into direct speech, the tense is shifted back from past continuous to present continuous, and "could" becomes "can." The sentence should be enclosed in quotation marks as spoken words.

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