Maria demonstrated her ------- by carefully re-reading her essay for errors before handing it in.
- creativity
- diligence (correct answer)
- popularity
- impatience
Explanation: The sentence provides an example of a character trait. The action of "carefully re-reading her essay for errors" is a clear demonstration of being hardworking and conscientious. "Diligence" is the best word for this trait. (A) Checking for errors is about correctness, not "creativity." (C) Her "popularity" is not related to her study habits. (D) Being careful is the opposite of "impatience."