Follow in someone's footsteps means to do the same work or follow the same path as someone else. The correct answer is this meaning because the expression is used figuratively, not only by its literal words.

Examples:

• She wants to follow in someone's footsteps and become a doctor.
• In an HSC essay, Follow in someone's footsteps can express this meaning: to do the same work or follow the same path as someone else.
• When this expression appears in a passage, connect Follow in someone's footsteps with the idea of to do the same work or follow the same path as someone else.