Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: The Individual
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This reading comprehension question focuses on the central idea that in the knowledge era, each person is like the Chief Executive Officer of his or her own life. The passage argues that just as organisations craft mission statements, individuals should also define their own missions. The question asks who is responsible for designing this personal mission, according to the author.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The passage compares a person to the Chief Executive Officer of his or her own life.- It describes how the narrator framed his own mission statement.- The author encourages readers to create their own mission statements beginning with core values.- There is no suggestion that companies, families, or friends should dictate an individual's mission.
Concept / Approach:
The author uses the metaphor of a Chief Executive Officer to emphasise personal responsibility and leadership. Being the CEO of your life means you are in charge of your vision, mission, and decisions. Therefore, the only logical answer must be that the individual is responsible for designing and owning the personal mission. While others such as friends, family, or employers may influence or support, they do not define the mission for you in the author's framework.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the passage states: "As the Chief Executive Officer of your own life... you need a mission and a mission statement."Step 2: Understand that this metaphor indicates self leadership and self direction.Step 3: Note that the narrator provides his own mission statement as an example, showing individual design and responsibility.Step 4: Examine the options: a Chief Executive Officer, the family and friends, the Individual, or the company.Step 5: Recognise that "a Chief Executive Officer" in a company is responsible for an organisational mission, not a personal one, in general usage.Step 6: See that "The Individual" is the only option that directly matches the idea of being the CEO of your own life.Step 7: Choose "The Individual" as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, imagine how the author would answer the question directly: he would say that each person must personally decide on their mission statement by starting from core values and moving outward. The examples and the motivational tone both emphasise personal responsibility rather than external control. Neither the company nor family and friends are presented as the designers of your mission; they are simply part of the context in which you live out your mission.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option "A Chief Executive Officer": Refers to organisational leadership; the passage uses the CEO metaphor to describe the individual, not an external corporate leader.Option "The family and friends": They may influence or support you, but the passage does not state that they design your personal mission.Option "The company": The company creates its own mission statement, but the passage encourages individuals to create their own, independent of the organisation.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be misled by the repeated phrase "Chief Executive Officer" and think that the answer must be an external CEO or company leader. Others may assume that family and friends shape a person's life mission and choose that option. To avoid these errors, always look at how metaphors are used in context. Here, "Chief Executive Officer of your own life" clearly means that you, the individual, hold that role for yourself.
Final Answer:
According to the passage, the Individual is responsible for designing and framing a personal mission statement for his or her own life.
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