To avoid parroting during a conversation, a social worker should:

A) ​seek out information that confirms his or her understanding, preferences, or perceptions.
B) ​focus largely on the present because clients can change only their present circumstances, behaviors, and feelings.
C) ​use fresh language that captures the essence of clients' messages and places them in sharper perspective.
D) ​identify and prioritize key questions in advance with an outline.

Option C suggests using fresh language to capture the essence of clients' messages and placing them in sharper perspective. This helps the social worker avoid parroting, which is repeating the clients' exact words without adding any new insight. Seeking out information that confirms the social worker's understanding (option A) can lead to confirmation bias and hinder meaningful communication with the client. Focusing only on the present (option B) may not be suitable for clients who need to process past traumas or work on long-term goals. Identifying and prioritizing key questions in advance (option D) may be helpful, but it does not directly address the issue of parroting.