Multiple Choice Question
Read the following paragraph.
Physical activity helps improve the overall health of individuals. It assists with circulation, increases blood flow to the brain, and can raise endorphin levels. Essentially, all of these things help reduce stress, improve mood, and can help students achieve more academically. Studies have shown that providing students with a designated time for physical activity in school can lead to better concentration, reduce disruptive behaviors, and help students achieve higher test scores in reading, math, and writing. Despite all the positives that physical education may have, only 8% of elementary schools, 6.4% of middle schools, and 5.8% of high schools provide daily physical education to their students. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommend students engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day; however, it is more likely that students will only engage in 16–18 minutes.
Which opinion could be generated using the evidence the author included?
A.
States should enforce stricter physical education requirements in their schools.
B.
Students should spend more time in the classroom to ensure higher achievement.
C.
Students should steer away from physical activity and spend time studying.
D.
Parents should require their children to exercise at home every day.
The opinion that could be generated using the evidence the author included is:
A. States should enforce stricter physical education requirements in their schools.
The opinion that could be generated using the evidence the author included is:
A. States should enforce stricter physical education requirements in their schools.
To answer this question, we need to analyze the paragraph for evidence and underlying arguments. The paragraph provides information about the positive effects of physical activity on overall health, circulation, brain function, stress reduction, mood improvement, and academic achievement. It also provides statistics about the low percentage of schools that provide daily physical education and the recommended daily physical activity duration for students.
Based on the evidence provided, the author's opinion could be that physical education should be given more importance in schools. This aligns with option A: "States should enforce stricter physical education requirements in their schools." The evidence shows that physical activity has numerous benefits, including improved academic performance, and that the current percentage of schools providing physical education is low. Therefore, it can be inferred that the author might suggest stricter physical education requirements in schools.
The other options, B, C, and D, do not align with the evidence provided. Option B suggests spending more time in the classroom, which does not directly address the benefits of physical activity. Option C suggests avoiding physical activity and spending more time studying, which is not supported by the evidence. Option D suggests relying on parents to enforce daily exercise at home, which overlooks the importance of physical education in schools.
Therefore, the most accurate answer is A.