Why is it a good idea to doodle during a speech?

Which quotation correctly uses ellipsis to shorten twain’s words?

The greatest gift the sumerians gave the world was the invention of writing. the sumerians were wealthy people. they needed some way to keep track of what they owned. they began drawing pictures. they used a reed as a pen. they drew on soft pieces of clay. the soft clay was then dried in the sun. the tablet became a permanent record. later, the sumerian drawings changed into wedge-shaped symbols. this kind of writing is called cuneiform. by putting symbols together, the sumerians could write entire sentences.

What if the author had used “looked at” instead? punishment would be deemphasized. punishments would be seen as less harsh. the meaning wouldn't change.