How would Karel know when it has reached its goal?

The correct choice highlights the importance of utilizing conditional statements in programming to enable Karel to determine if it has reached a specific goal. By implementing such a statement, Karel can continuously check certain conditions in its environment – for example, whether it is at a designated location or has completed a specific task. This logical structure allows Karel to respond appropriately based on the information it gathers during its programming execution.

For instance, if Karel's goal is to reach a certain position on the grid, a conditional statement can be used to check Karel's current coordinates against the desired ones. When this condition evaluates to true, Karel recognizes that it has successfully reached its goal and can then act accordingly, such as stopping its movement or executing a specific command.

In contrast, the other options do not effectively provide a reliable means for Karel to determine when it has reached its goal. While Karel can indeed sense its surroundings, this alone does not equate to having a defined understanding of the goal. Similarly, while sensing danger might prompt Karel to turn back, it does not specifically help it identify a successful endpoint. Lastly, the notion that Karel automatically knows its goal lacks the necessary framework that conditional statements provide in programming, making it an ineffective means