Question

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage. 
The weight of society's expectations is hardly a new phenomenon but it has become particularly draining over recent decades, perhaps because expectations themselves are so multifarious and contradictory. The perfectionism of the 1950 s was rooted in the norms of mass culture and captured in famous advertising images of the ideal white American family that now seem self-satirising. In that era, perfectionism meant seamlessly conforming to values, behaviour and appearance: chiselled confidence for men, demure graciousness for women. The perfectionist was under pressure to look like everyone else, only more so. The perfectionists of today, by contrast, feel an obligation to stand out through their idiosyncratic style and wit if they are to gain a foothold in the attention economy.

• A. Though long-standing, the pressure to appear perfect and thereby attract attention, has evolved over time from one of conformism to one of non-conformism.
• B. The image of perfectionism is reflected in and perpetuated by the media; and people do their best to adhere to these ideals.
• C. The pressure to appear perfect has been the cause of tension and conflict because the idea itself has been in a state of flux and hard to define.
• D. The desire to attract attention is so deep-rooted in individual consciousness that people are willing to go to any lengths to achieve it.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The text contrasts the 1950s, where perfection meant adhering to social norms, with the present, where individuals feel compelled to be unique and draw attention through individual style and intellect. The core concept—the shift from conformity to non-conformity—supports Option A as the most suitable choice. It effectively illustrates the evolution of perfectionism in response to diverse and often contradictory cultural expectations.

Option B focuses on people pursuing ideals and media influence, which deviates from the paragraph's primary focus on changing societal standards over time.

The paragraph emphasizes a historical shift in expectations, not conflict, contradicting Option C's assertion of tension and conflict regarding the changing definition of perfection.

Option D presents an oversimplified view that individuals will resort to any means for attention, a claim not directly supported by the text's emphasis on the evolving nature of perfectionism.

The correct option is (A): The enduring pressure to achieve perfection and gain recognition has transformed over time, moving from an emphasis on conformity to one of non-conformity.