Question

Although his younger students greeted the new practice with enthusiasm, the "old guard" had staked their reputations on the belief in miasmas.
Which type of connection does the author make between the ideas in this sentence?

Answer 1

The author makes a contrastive connection between two groups of people: the younger students and the "old guard." The younger students are described as enthusiastic about a new practice, suggesting a willingness to embrace change and potentially new ideas or methodologies. In contrast, the "old guard" represents a more traditional perspective, having firmly established their reputations on the outdated belief in miasmas—an idea that disease is caused by "bad air." This contrast highlights the tension between innovation and established beliefs, suggesting a generational or ideological divide in their approaches to understanding a particular concept.