Question

Study the italicized words in each of the following passages, and decide what each word’s connotations contribute to your understanding of the passage. Think of a synonym for each word, and write it in the text box below along with your explanation of what difference the new word would make on the effect of the passage.

If boxing is a sport, it is the most tragic of all sports because, more than any human activity, it consumes the very excellence it displays: Its very drama is this consumption.
—JOYCE CAROL OATES, “On Boxing”

The words "tragic" and "drama" are italicized.

Answer 1

Understanding: that no matter how good you are, the show or drama of they sport takes away from that leaving it sad/tragic.

Synonyms: tragic - dreadful

drama - show

Step-by-step explanation:

By replacing the two words with these synonyms, we are still understanding it in the same way. While there are so many synonyms we could use that could change the meaning, these keep the meaning the same. This passage is saying that no matter how go you are (excellence displayed), the tragedy/dread far outweighs the excellence for it is more about the show than how good you are.