Question

PART A: Which statement best expresses the central idea of the text?

Answer 1

Answer:

The statement best expresses the central idea of the text is

B. The attack on Kerrigan put both her and Harding in the national spotlight and

further solidified the public's opinions about both skaters

Explanation:

After the attack incident, the media seized on the unexpected story. Reporters were following Harding everywhere she went, begging for comments, hiding outside her house, and even searching through her trash. Kerrigan’s every move was also monitored and accompanied news reporters and camera crews. She appeared on the cover of magazines like TIME and Newsweek. Hundreds of pages of press were dedicated to the two women. This put both of them on the national spotlight .

Also, it solidifies public opinions about both of them as public perception was that Tonya Harding was the scrappy, disadvantaged athlete who fought for everything she thought she deserved; and Nancy Kerrigan is the elegant, natural performer who had now, in the media and public eyes, become a victim of ruthless ambition.

The Winter Olympics that rarely draws public attention beyond the two weeks it is televised every four years is still being talked about till today, people still talk about Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding because of the attack incident. The media coverage made it about more than just sports. In tabloids and news features, Kerrigan and Harding still founds theirselves being subjects of a universal story about competition, ambition, victimhood, and justice.

The mass appeal and public opinion of this narrative is easy to see. The rivalry between Kerrigan and Harding has became a pop culture trope. Sitcoms, like Seinfeld, leaned on the narrative to crack relatable jokes to their audiences.