Final answer:
The underlined phrase "on the rare occasions" indicates the author's tone of excitement and enthusiasm for taped gymnastics competitions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The underlined phrase helps indicate the author's tone in the excerpt by expressing a sense of rarity and uniqueness when it comes to gymnastics competitions being televised. The phrase "on the rare occasions" suggests that the author views televised gymnastics competitions as infrequent, special events. This conveys the author's excitement and enthusiasm for capturing those moments by taping them.
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