Final answer:
Opportunity is a critical component in skill development, as it allows individuals to practice and refine their skills. Without opportunities, it's difficult to accumulate the experience needed to achieve mastery as proposed by the 10,000-Hour Rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 10,000-Hour Rule is a popular concept suggesting that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. However, the role of opportunity cannot be overlooked in this process. Answer B is correct: Opportunity is a critical component in skill development. Without the opportunity to practice, have access to resources, guidance, and time to commit to practice, it becomes very challenging to amass the hours needed to develop a skill. This applies to various fields, including sports, intellectual, and artistic pursuits.
It is important to recognize that there are many factors working together to influence an individual's ability to develop a skill, aligning with the idea that intelligence level and skill development are influenced by a confluence of factors. Opportunities are not equally distributed, and factors such as socioeconomic status can have a substantial impact on whether individuals can reach their full potential, regardless of the field.