The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the provided image, the correct answer is: You can use specific mental exercises to train your brain.
Here is a detailed explanation:
The question asks for the underlying idea that supports the suggestions mentioned in the passage. The passage’s title, “Cultivating a ‘Cruising Attitude’ with Positive Thinking,” provides the central clue. The word “cultivating” implies a deliberate process of development and training, not a fixed state. It suggests that a positive attitude is something that can be grown and strengthened through effort, much like a plant in a garden.
The correct option aligns perfectly with this concept. The idea that you can use specific mental exercises to train your brain is the foundational principle for any form of self-improvement based on positive thinking. It presumes that our thought patterns are not permanent and can be actively changed. The passage mentions “positive thinking exercises,” “practice,” and “neuroscience,” all of which point to the scientific basis for training the brain. Neuroscience has demonstrated the brain’s capacity for neuroplasticity, which is its ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. The suggestions in the passage are practical applications of this principle. They are actionable steps designed to rewire the brain to respond more positively to life’s challenges.
The other options are incorrect because they do not provide a basis for the suggestions. Stating that a negative outlook is part of one’s personality, or that difficult situations are unavoidable, describes a problem or a state of being, not a method for change. Similarly, acknowledging that stress increases focus on negativity describes a challenge to be overcome, not the principle that allows one to overcome it. The only option that explains why the suggested exercises would be effective is the one that posits the brain can be actively trained.
