Question

Difficulty: HardFigurative and Metaphorical Expressions

Read the passage below.

In mid-twentieth-century urban planning, a fierce ideological battle was waged between those who viewed the city as a machine and those who saw it as a living organism. The modernist school treated the metropolis as a complex engine whose efficiency could be maximized through strict zoning and geometric order. In this mechanistic vision, neighborhoods were merely specialized parts to be repaired or replaced.

Conversely, advocates of organic urbanism, most notably Jane Jacobs, argued that a healthy city is not a static machine but a dynamic ecosystem. Jacobs described the complex, seemingly chaotic interactions of street life as an 'intricate sidewalk ballet.' This metaphor was not meant to suggest a highly choreographed, rigid performance, but rather a spontaneous harmony of diverse movements. The dancers—shopkeepers, children, commuters, and residents—each performed their individual routines, yet collectively they wove a protective web of mutual trust and public safety. To Jacobs, attempting to impose rigid, top-down order on this delicate dance was akin to stopping the music entirely, rendering the city sterile and unsafe.

Based on the second paragraph, the author uses the metaphor of an 'intricate sidewalk ballet' to describe street interactions. What adjective best describes the nature of these interactions as conveyed by this metaphor? Fill in the blank with a single word that completes the statement below.

Answer:According to the passage, the sidewalk ballet metaphor characterizes street life as being 【spontaneous】 rather than rigidly choreographed.

Answer

The sidewalk ballet metaphor characterizes street life as being spontaneous (or unplanned, unrehearsed, improvised, organic) rather than rigidly choreographed.
The correct answer is 'spontaneous' (or synonyms like 'unplanned', 'unrehearsed', 'improvised', or 'organic'). The passage explicitly contrasts the 'intricate sidewalk ballet' metaphor with a 'highly choreographed, rigid performance,' describing it instead as a 'spontaneous harmony of diverse movements' where individuals perform their own routines to collectively build community trust and safety.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the target metaphorical phrase 'intricate sidewalk ballet' within its context in the second paragraph.
The author contrasts this metaphor with a 'highly choreographed, rigid performance,' pointing to the natural, organic nature of the street interactions.
Understanding the contrast established by the author helps identify the core characteristic of the metaphor.
2
Identify the word in the passage that directly defines the harmony of these diverse movements.
The text states the metaphor suggests a 'spontaneous harmony of diverse movements.'
The author explicitly uses the word 'spontaneous' to describe the harmonious, unchoreographed nature of the ballet.
3
Determine the word that fits the blank by opposing 'rigidly choreographed' based on the text's description.
The correct answer is 'spontaneous' (or synonyms like 'unplanned', 'unrehearsed', 'improvised', or 'organic').
Filling in the blank with 'spontaneous' or its close synonyms accurately reflects the author's metaphorical meaning.

Key Concept

Interpreting figurative and metaphorical expressions to determine the author's intended meaning in context.
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