In exploring the concept of perfection, the story ultimately reveals that our understanding of an ideal body is deeply flawed. Rather than conforming to a single standard of beauty or proportion, the diversity of human bodies showcases the importance of variation and adaptation. Figures such as Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles exemplify how unique physical attributes can contribute to excellence in their respective fields, transcending traditional notions of perfection. The pursuit of personal excellence lies not in achieving an unrealistic ideal, but in recognizing and embracing our individual differences. Thus, perfection can be redefined as the ability to harness one's unique strengths and skills, navigating through challenges to achieve personal goals. In this light, each person's journey toward their own version of perfection becomes a celebration of humanity’s inherent diversity and resilience.
make a conclusion fort this story but dont' mention leonardo da vinci plsss broo
The artist Leonardo da
Vinci, perhaps best
known for painting the
Mona Lisa, produced
a drawing called the
Vitruvian Man. In it, da Vinci
depicted his idea of the perfectly
sized and proportioned male
body. But is this really what a
perfect body looks like? And
if it’s perfect, does that make
every other type of body flawed?
Or maybe those are the wrong
questions and the idea of a
“perfect” body is actually
what’s flawed. An Imperfect Man
is as long as what you would expect
to see in a man who is 6 feet 8 inches
tall. His legs are the length typical of
a man who is 5 feet 10 inches. Phelps
has long arms too. Like the Vitruvian
Man, most people have a wingspan
roughly the same as their height.
Phelps’ wingspan is 6 feet 7 inches,
three inches longer than his height.
His ankles are (reportedly) double
jointed, and thus extremely flexible.
And his feet are big—he wears size 14
shoes. So Phelps’ legs act like flippers
when he swims.
No one could argue that Phelps
has a perfect body in da Vinci’s
sense. But is it correct to say
it is imperfect? What does
“perfection” mean when we are
talking about human biology?
Does it even exist?
Consider Michael Phelps. The
winningest swimmer of all time,
Phelps earned 28 Olympic medals. His
body does not look like the Vitruvian
Man. In fact, Phelps’ body is quite
unusual. The best swimmers tend
to have long torsos and short legs.
Phelps is 6 feet 4 inches, but his torso What Is Physical
Perfection?
the animal kingdom. Imagine a
population of brown rabbits and
white rabbits in a snowy field. Under
these conditions, predators are less
likely to see and catch the white
rabbits. In a summertime field—all
brown soil and green and golden
plants—white rabbits are more
visible and easier to catch. Neither
white nor brown fur is perfect for
rabbit survival. Rabbits need different
Maybe perfection has more
to do with how a body works
than how it looks. How we
function actually depends
upon how well we fit into our
environment.
Here’s an example from bodies for different seasons. And
in fact, in some types of rabbits, fur
color changes with the seasons. Like
rabbits, all organisms, including
people, adapt to their environments.
The process of evolution selects for
the survival of organisms that thrive
in their specific environments. But
evolution isn’t engineering. Often,
imperfections that don’t affect
survival too badly get passed on
through the generations. Odd Parts and Compromises
People have plenty. Here are just a few
imperfections in the human body. Our
knees are less flexible than some of
our other joints, which makes injury
common. Unlike most other animals,
we cannot make vitamin C and need
to make sure we get it in our diets.
And our jaws are too small to easily
fit all our teeth, which is why wisdom
teeth usually need to be removed.
All our odd parts and functional
compromises exist because evolution
builds on what came before. Our
ancestors walked on four legs, not
two. Our knees are a compromise that
allow us to be bipedal. More recent
ancestors of humans lost the ability
to make vitamin C, but we figured
out a way to solve this problem with
a change in diet. Humans’ primate
ancestors grew bigger jaws than we
do, because they ate tougher foods.
Now our teeth are crowded. None of
these flaws are so serious that they prevent people from
reproducing, though.
Amazingly, most of
us function extremely
well despite these
flaws. Some of us
function spectacularly Variation as
an Element
of Success
Michael Phelps’
body is not perfectly
symmetrical or
balanced. His physical
variations, however,
may have given him
the raw materials s to
be a close-to-perfect
swimmer. Phelps’ case is not unique;
elite athletes highlight dramatic
variability that provides them the
physical characteristics to approach
perfection in action. Usain Bolt, an
Olympic sprinter, has an abundance
of fast-twitch muscle fibers that make
him speedy and legs so long that it
takes him four to five fewer steps to
complete a 100-meter race than his
competitors.
Simone Biles, another Olympic gold
medalist, is both strong and small.
The combination is ideal for her sport
of gymnastics. She may also have a
better-than-average ability to sense
where her body is in space, perhaps
making jumps, spins, and somersaults
a tad easier than for an average person.
No athlete is born with the skills
to win gold medals, though. Those
achievements require years of effort Using Variation to
Your Advantage
40
bodies for different seasons. And
in fact, in some types of rabbits, fur
color changes with the seasons. Like
rabbits, all organisms, including
people, adapt to their environments.
The process of evolution selects for
the survival of organisms that thrive
in their specific environments. But
evolution isn’t engineering. Often,
imperfections that don’t affect
survival too badly get passed on
through the generations.
Odd Parts and Compromises
our survival. Human variation has
allowed us to live in wildly different
environments—the tropics, deserts,
and the Arctic—and to develop
many different physical, intellectual,
and emotional talents. Not only is
there no ideal human body, but our
species also thrives because we are
different from one another, each of us
particularly suited for our own way
of living.
How might Michael Phelps,
Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles define
perfection? Perhaps they might say
that perfection, or close to it, occurs
in peak athletic performance. Their
physical traits certainly helped them
excel at their sports. However, it was
hard work, dedication, and training
that allowed them to soar.
How do you define perfection?
Maybe something about you
seems different. Can you combine
your unique physical, mental, and
emotional skills and your attitude in
a way that works toward your version
Da Vinci’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man of perfection?
combined mathematics and art. To
da Vinci, the Vitruvian Man depicted
ideal proportions. It was his image of
the perfectly formed man. Da Vinci is a
time-honored artist, but is there really
such thing as a perfect body?
No.
In biology, there is no such thing
as one ideal body. In fact, variation in
all living things, including us, is the
rule. This variation is essential for our survival. Human variation has
allowed us to live in wildly different
environments—the tropics, deserts,
and the Arctic—and to develop
many different physical, intellectual,
and emotional talents. Not only is
there no ideal human body, but our
species also thrives because we are
different from one another, each of us
particularly suited for our own way
of living.
How might Michael Phelps,
Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles define
perfection? Perhaps they might say
that perfection, or close to it, occurs
in peak athletic performance. Their
physical traits certainly helped them
excel at their sports. However, it was
hard work, dedication, and training
that allowed them to soar.
How do you define perfection?
Maybe something about you
seems different. Can you combine
your unique physical, mental, and
emotional skills and your attitude in
a way that works toward your version
Da Vinci’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man of perfection?
11 answers
In the end, the story shows that there isn’t really a perfect body like we might think. Everyone's body is different, and that’s what makes us special! Athletes like Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles prove that being unique can help you do amazing things. They don’t look like the “perfect” body we might imagine, but their differences make them great at their sports.
Instead of trying to fit into an idea of perfection, we should focus on what makes us unique and use our own special talents. Perfection isn't about looking a certain way; it's really about being the best version of ourselves. So, the next time we think about what it means to be perfect, let’s remember that being different is completely awesome!
In the end, the story teaches us that there isn’t a “perfect” body. Everyone is different, and that’s what makes us unique! Athletes like Michael Phelps and Simone Biles show us that being unique helps you succeed in sports. Instead of trying to look perfect, we should celebrate our differences and focus on our own special talents. Perfection is really about being the best version of ourselves!
I’m sorry if the last response didn’t meet your expectations! Here’s a shorter and simpler conclusion written in a 6th-grade style:
The story shows that there is no such thing as a perfect body. Everyone looks different, and that makes us special! Athletes like Michael Phelps and Simone Biles prove that being unique helps you succeed. Instead of aiming for a perfect look, we should use our own unique strengths to be the best we can be. Perfection is about being ourselves!
Here is part of the story
Maybe perfection has more
to do with how a body works
than how it looks. How we
function actually depends
upon how well we fit into our
environment.
Here’s an example from the animal kingdom. Imagine a
population of brown rabbits and
white rabbits in a snowy field. Under
these conditions, predators are less
likely to see and catch the white
rabbits. In a summertime field—all
brown soil and green and golden
plants—white rabbits are more
visible and easier to catch. Neither
white nor brown fur is perfect for
rabbit survival. Rabbits need different
The text structure the author used in this paragraph is cause and effect. I know this because the author describes how the color of the rabbits affects their chances of survival based on their environment. For example, when the white rabbits are in a snowy field, they are less likely to be seen by predators, which makes it easier for them to survive. This is a cause (the white rabbits blending into the snow) and the effect is that they are less likely to be caught by predators. Conversely, in a summertime field, the white rabbits stand out against the brown soil and green plants, which makes them more visible and easier to catch. Here, the cause is the environment changing to summer and the effect is that the white rabbits are at greater risk.
Bozzone’s choice of cause and effect helped me as a reader because it made me understand how important it is for animals to adapt to their surroundings to survive. By seeing how the rabbits' fur color impacts their survival in different seasons, I realized that adaptability is key to success in nature.
One text feature I noticed was the example of the rabbits in different seasons. This feature was helpful because it clearly illustrated the concept of adaptation, making it easier for me to visualize how environment affects survival.
Got it! Here’s a simpler version written in a 6th-grade style:
The text structure the author used in this paragraph is cause and effect. I know this because the author explains how the color of the rabbits affects their survival. For example, when the white rabbits are in a snowy field, they blend in with the snow, so predators don’t see them. This is the cause, and the effect is that the rabbits are safer. But in the summer, the white rabbits stand out against the brown earth, making them easier to catch. So, the cause is the change of season, and the effect is that the rabbits are at more risk.
Bozzone’s use of cause and effect helped me as a reader because it made it clear how important it is for animals to adapt to their environment to survive. Understanding how the rabbits' colors help them helps me see how nature works.
One text feature I noticed was the example of the rabbits in different seasons. This feature was helpful because it made it easier to understand how animals change to fit their environment.
1 answer