Which passage from the article best supports the belief that superstitions are not a waste of time?
A.Athletes' superstitions usually develop after notable matchups—such as great games or crushing defeats.
B.The powerful superstition makes the athletes believe they will perform better, so as a result, they often do.
C.Socks, songs, and spaghetti don't really have the power to influence the outcome of a competition.
D.Athletes are powerless to predict the outcome of a game because there are so many factors at play.
B.The powerful superstition makes the athletes believe they will perform better, so as a result, they often do.
To find the passage that best supports the belief that superstitions are not a waste of time, we need to look for evidence that suggests superstitions have actual influence or impact.
Option A states that athletes' superstitions develop after notable matchups, which implies that these superstitions are somehow connected to their performance. This suggests that superstitions may have some effect, providing support for the belief that they are not a waste of time.
Option B suggests that the powerful belief in superstitions can actually result in better performance by athletes. This further supports the idea that superstitions have an impact, as they can influence the athletes' mindset and potentially contribute to improved results.
On the other hand, options C and D do not provide evidence that supports the belief that superstitions are not a waste of time. Option C points out that relatively insignificant items like socks, songs, and spaghetti do not possess the power to influence competition outcomes. Option D emphasizes the fact that predicting game outcomes is a challenging task due to multiple factors at play, which does not directly address the effectiveness of superstitions.
Therefore, the passage that best supports the belief that superstitions are not a waste of time is option B: "The powerful superstition makes the athletes believe they will perform better, so as a result, they often do."