Swimming has developed from a primal mode of movement to an advanced hobby and competitive sport. Exercising nearly every muscle group, swimming is a rigorous sport and requires intense training. In competitions swimmers typically contend for the fastest time to complete a certain distance by performing a specific swimming stroke. Also, swimmers work to build endurance and an ability to swim over long distances. Because swimming has developed into a highly intricate competitive sport, where one wrong technique can disqualify a participant, it is interesting to ponder how the sport will evolve for people in the future, either advancing into a progressive purpose or regressing to a primal mode of movement.
The structure of this passage could be best described in what way?
A.
an activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future implications
B.
an activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future deviations
C.
a hypothesis tested against certain conditions, developed into a larger thesis
D.
a supposition regarding the prospect of an activity, analyzed for viability
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B: an activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future deviations.
Explanation
This passage begins by describing the evolution of swimming from a basic, primal activity into a sophisticated and competitive sport. Initially, it narrows down to discussing the specifics of swimming as a sport: the need for rigorous training, the focus on speed and technique, and the development of endurance. This focus illustrates how swimming has become highly specialized, requiring precise skills and techniques that can impact competitive success.
The passage then expands its scope to consider the future of swimming, pondering whether it will continue to advance in its complexity and specialization or revert to a more basic form of movement. This expansion involves looking beyond the current state of the sport to imagine potential future developments, whether they be progressive (advancements) or regressive (a return to basic forms).
The key element here is that the passage starts with a specific focus on the current state and requirements of competitive swimming and then broadens the discussion to speculative future changes. It does not test a hypothesis or develop a thesis based on conditions, nor does it provide an analysis of the sport’s viability. Instead, it transitions from a focused description of the current state of the sport to considering how it might evolve in the future, reflecting potential deviations from its current trajectory.
Thus, the passage’s structure is best described as narrowing the discussion to a specific purpose (competitive swimming) and then expanding to consider how it might deviate or evolve in the future.