Trying to write a letter to my GF for the holidays, and I need some ideas, pointers, or like prompts to help out. Can you guys help?

However, the idea of real-life people living in what would become the united states for thousands of years before columbus ever left spain never dawned on me. what would be the best way to revise this sentence for greater clarity? a) however, the fact that columbus left spain thousands of years after people settled what would become the united states never dawned on me. b) it never dawned on me, however, the idea of real-life people living in what would become the united states for thousands of years before columbus ever left spain. c) however, the fact that people were already living in what would become the united states for thousands of years before columbus ever left spain never dawned on me. d) however, the idea never dawned on me that long before columbus ever left spain, real-life people lived for thousands of years in what would become the united states.

Which two sentences in this excerpt from the time machine by h.g. wells suggest that the morlocks possesses a degree of intelligence comparable to that of humans

Sitting near the front of the classroom