When karate developed on the Japanese island of Okinawa during the Shogunate, it was intended as a practical response to a concrete problem. The Shogun, having just subdued the island and fearful of armed rebellion, forbade the Okinawans from carrying swords or other weapons. Suddenly, the Okinawans could no longer rely on fencing skill to defend themselves from marauding troops or native bandits, and were forced to use their bare hands. Thus, they developed a system of blocking, punching, and kicking, which has survived to this day. While the system was certainly innovative, students must remember that it was a product of its times, which have long passed. For example, ancient practitioners learned blocks effective against the various swords, clubs, and polearms wielded by Shogunate-era soldiers. Many of these sword-blocks are still learned today. Because the soldiers wore lacquered- wood armor, dissident karatekas learned bare-hand armor-breaking techniques, which today survive in the form of board-breaking exercises that often accompany a student's promotion to a higher-ranking belt. At the time, unarmed attacks and blocks were taught in the form of kata, which were a complex series of combination moves. These combinations of up to 34 movements were taught as a series, by rote, simply because rote learning was the norm in feudal Japan and throughout most of Asia.

Today, the requirements of fighting arts have changed. Hand weapons are no longer carried; if they are, they are guns rather than swords. Armor is no longer worn. People cannot kill their attackers with impunity, without facing serious legal repercussions. Similarly, the martial arts should stay true to their origins, by adapting to meet the defensive needs of modem times. They should begin by teaching students how to make themselves less of a target for street crimes, and how to defuse arguments through words before resorting to fists, because any fight puts the fighters at risk for serious injury and criminal charges. For the same reasons, they should eliminate training in the use of ancient Asian weapons (as remains the tradition in Chinese gunfu), both because modern criminals no longer carry such weapons, and because carrying them is now criminal.

Most of all, martial arts dojos which advertise themselves as schools of serious self-defence, rather than simply schools of Asian history and tradition, should adapt their martial arts for the demands of modem self- defence. Each style boast hundreds of advanced, flashy, and complex attacks and defences, but schools should consider restricting their repertoire to only those which are safe and effective. For example, karate includes several spinning punches and kicks, jump kicks, and even somersaulting attacks and evasions. These certainly demand impressive athleticism to execute, and often draw crowds at demonstrations. However, it is unclear whether they deliver a blow that is more forceful than a simple but well-executed punch or low kick. What is clear is that they are strenuous and difficult to remember, leaving the person open to injury from faster and simpler counterattacks, and dangerous to the person who executes them incorrectly.

What is the primary purpose of the author in writing the passage?

A. to discuss the history of karate and how it came into being
B. to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional martial arts in modern times
C. to provide a background of how the teachings of traditional martial arts are rooted in practical needs of people of that time
D. to urge modern teachers of traditional martial arts to focus more on teaching students effective moves rather than moves that look good cosmetically
E. to suggest that the teachings of traditional martial arts be adapted in line with the changing needs and dynamics of modern times


Consider all that apply

Which of the following assertions about the sword-blocks mentioned in the 1st paragraph would the author of the passage most likely agree with?

A. These sword-blocks came into being as a direct result of the fact that the soldiers at that time wore wooden armor
B. These blocks would not be particularly effective in a modern fighting environment
C. These blocks had to be memorized by the students of karate because rote learning was the norm at that time


Select the sentence in the passage that highlights a problem associated with the teachings of modern martial arts dojos.





Which of the following lessons, if it were to be taught in a modern martial arts dojo, would the author find most useful in current times?

A. how to fight an opponent who is carrying a gun or a modern switchblade
B. how to perform a spinning heel kick without losing one's balance
C. how to negotiate effectively with criminals
D. how to run away from a street fight
E. how to develop a calm temperament to avoid getting into fights