Passage Martial Arts for the Mind and Body
Martial Arts for the Mind and Body
(1) The martial arts blend a series of physical movements with strategic mental discipline so that practitioners can defend themselves, physically defeat an opponent, or both. (2) Historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used. (3) Martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries. (4) Martial arts such as karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, and judo are still taught and practiced as methods of self-defense, but they offer students more than that. (5) The study of martial arts can provide students with a way to enhance their mental discipline as well as their physical fitness.
(6) Discipline, focus, and respect are important qualities for everyone to have. (7) However, for most people these qualities are not innate; they must be learned and practiced. (8) The study of martial arts can provide an opportunity to develop these skills. (9) Students are rewarded for their dedication by passing tests and advancing to higher ranks or levels. (10) For example, in a typical tae kwon do class, students learn discipline by diligently practicing moves, improve focus by listening carefully, and demonstrate respect by bowing to the instructor and following directions.
(11) For teenagers, martial arts classes provide a safe and structured environment for gaining physical skills, building confidence, and enjoying a sense of community. (12) A lot of teens go through hard situations as they try to do well in school and in life. (13) A martial arts class can provide teens with a physical outlet for stress while also challenging them mentally. (14) Participating in a martial arts program also helps children and teens focus on self-improvement rather than on competition. (15) Progressing through levels of achievement involves mastering more physically demanding techniques. (16) It requires students to take responsibility and be accountable for achieving set goals. (17) Students gain confidence and experience companionship with other students who are progressing through the ranks.
(18) Adults who practice martial arts can experience many of the same benefits that younger people do, but perhaps the greatest of these is health and fitness. (19) Adult martial arts students often see changes in their body within weeks of beginning a program.
(20) For people interested in studying a martial art, there are many ways to learn and practice. (21) In addition to private studios, community recreation centers often offer low-cost or free martial arts classes. (22) There are even online videos that introduce students to the basic concepts. (23) People should study martial arts.
Question
What is the best way to combine sentences 2 and 3?
- AHistorians, who are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used, know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.
- BWhile historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used, they do know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.
- CBecause historians know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries, they are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used.
- DMartial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries, and historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used.
Show the answer
Correct answer: B
The question asks for the best way to combine sentences 2 and 3.
A. Incorrect. This way of combining sentences 2 and 3 places unnecessary emphasis on characterizing historians, and it does not clearly show the contrasting relationship between the idea from sentence 2 that historians do not know the exact origins of martial arts and the idea in sentence 3 that historians know that martial arts have a long history.
B. CORRECT. This option is correct because the word “while” at the beginning of the sentence best indicates the contrast between the ideas in sentences 2 and 3. Sentence 2 states that historians do not know the exact origins of martial arts (“unsure of exactly when and where”). Sentence 3 describes what historians do know about these origins (“practiced by several different societies for many centuries”). This combination indicates that historians have a general understanding about the origins of martial arts even though they cannot confirm the exact details.
C. Incorrect. Starting this sentence with the word “because” indicates a cause-and-effect relationship that does not exist between the ideas in the original sentences. The idea from sentence 3, that historians know that martial arts have been practiced for many years, did not cause the idea in sentence 2, that historians do not know exact details about the origins of martial arts.
D. Incorrect. The conjunction (connecting word) “and” does not clearly show how the ideas in sentences 2 and 3 are related. While “and” can be used to combine related sentences, it does not demonstrate the contrast between the idea in sentence 2, that historians do not know the exact origins of martial arts, and the idea in sentence 3, that historians know that martial arts have a long history.
Question analysis
This sentence-combining question uses sentences 2 and 3 of a passage on the benefits of martial arts: historians are unsure when and where martial arts were first used, and the arts have been practiced by many societies for centuries. Students must choose the combination whose connecting word shows how the two facts relate, among four grammatical versions.
- Grade level
- Grade 7 reading and task
- Compared with grade 7
- At grade 7 Joining two sentences with a word that shows how their ideas relate is routine grade 7 work. Both sentences are short and plain, and the four versions differ mainly in one connecting word or structure, so the task is typical.
- Estimated difficulty
- Straightforward: two steps or one careful reading.
- Thinking it demands
- Depth of knowledge 2, skills and concepts · mainly evaluate
- What makes it hard
- How sentences fit together moderate
- Every choice must be checked minor
- Evidence
- Answered from one sentence or line
- Reading level
- Passage: about grade 11, 402 words; question and choices: about grade 13, 122 words.
- Students, last 30 days
- Not enough answers yet to show (it takes 10).
Why it is hard, traps and wrong answers (shows the answer)
Why it is hard
The two sentences are short and plain, and the only real decision is the relationship between them: uncertainty about origins set against knowledge of a long history. The relative-clause version tempts most because it sounds polished and keeps everything, yet it turns the uncertainty into a description of historians and drops the contrast. The versions with “Because” and “and” are easier to rule out once the contrast is named, since one invents a cause and the other only adds.
How sentences fit together moderate Working it out
Sentence 2 says what historians do not know and sentence 3 what they do, so the combined sentence needs a word that marks that contrast, which students should name before reading the choices. (Halliday & Hasan, 1976)
Every choice must be checked minor Choosing the answer
All four versions keep both facts and are grammatical, so each must be read through to see whether its opening word or structure shows contrast, addition, cause or mere description. (Embretson & Wetzel, 1987)
Strategy: Before reading the choices, decide how sentence 3 relates to sentence 2: an added fact, a cause, or a contrast. Then pick the version whose opening word or structure signals that relationship.
Traps
- Wrong transition: A connecting word or phrase that signals the wrong relationship, such as contrast where the idea continues.
- Changes the meaning: A revision is correct English but no longer says what the writer meant.
The wrong answers, classified
A Changes the meaning (Connors & Lunsford, 1988)
Keeps both facts in one polished sentence, but tucking sentence 2 into a “who” clause makes it a description of historians and hides the contrast between unknown and known.
C Wrong transition (Halliday & Hasan, 1976)
Opens with “Because,” making the long history the cause of historians’ uncertainty about origins, a cause-and-effect link the two facts do not have.
D Wrong transition (Halliday & Hasan, 1976)
Joins the sentences with “and,” which simply adds one fact to the other in reverse order, so nothing signals that what historians know contrasts with what they don’t.
Working it out, step by step
Figure out what the question asks
This asks how to join two sentences into one. The best way shows how the two ideas are related. So first figure out how they relate.
Read sentences 2 and 3
Sentence 2: “Historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used.” Sentence 3: “Martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.” A historian studies the past. Sentence 2 tells what historians don’t know. Sentence 3 tells what they do know. That is a contrast: two ideas that pull different ways.
Name the rule
When two ideas contrast, join them with a contrast word, such as while, although or but. Here “while” means although. For example: Sam forgot the exact date. He knew it was in May. Joined: While Sam forgot the exact date, he knew it was in May.
Check each choice
- A is wrong. The part that starts with “who” just describes the historians. The contrast between not knowing and knowing gets lost.
- B is right. “While” shows the contrast. The words “do know” make it even clearer.
- C is wrong. “Because” means one thing causes the other. A long history does not cause historians to be unsure.
- D is wrong. “And” just adds one fact to another. It does not show the contrast.
Watch out: A sounds smooth and keeps every fact, so it is tempting. But a good combined sentence must also show how the ideas relate.
Choose the answer
B joins the two facts and shows the contrast. So the answer is B, “While historians are unsure of exactly when and where martial arts were first used, they do know that martial arts have been practiced by several different societies for many centuries.”
Why this answer and not the closest wrong one
A is the closest wrong answer. It keeps both facts in one smooth sentence. But tucking sentence 2 into a “who” part turns it into a description of historians. Nothing marks the turn from what they don’t know to what they do. B’s “While” and “do know” make that contrast plain.
More questions like this
The original DOE question
The passage “Martial Arts for the Mind and Body” as printed (page 52)
