The passage states that the school has always been the most important means of transferring the wealth of tradition from one generation to the next and that this applies even more today because modern economic development has weakened the family as bearer of tradition and education. On the basis of this passage, which of the following statements best completes the idea about transferring tradition from one generation to the next?

Introduction / Context:
This theme detection question examines the role of the school in passing on tradition. The passage says that the school has always been the most important means of transferring the wealth of tradition from one generation to the next. It further notes that this is even more true today because modern economic development has weakened the family as bearer of tradition and education. We must choose the option that best completes the idea about transferring tradition while staying faithful to what the passage actually states.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• School is described as the most important means of transferring tradition.
• This importance is higher today than in earlier times.
• Modern economic development has weakened the family as bearer of tradition and education.
• The passage implicitly recognises at least two institutions: the school and the family.
• The options refer to other means, multiple sources, economic development, or modern technology.

Concept / Approach:
In theme detection, the correct option should capture the central emphasis of the passage without over generalising or introducing unrelated concepts. The passage stresses the primacy of school as an institution for transmitting tradition and contrasts it with a family whose role has weakened. It does not claim that school is the only means, nor does it claim that economic development or technology are themselves means of transferring tradition. Therefore, we seek a statement that recognises that other means may exist but that school is still the most important channel.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase most important means. This implies that there can be other means, but school is ranked highest in importance.Step 2: Examine option a. It says there are means other than school, but the school remains the most important. This mirrors the idea of the passage precisely.Step 3: Examine option b. It suggests that several different sources must be tried equally. This conflicts with the passage which emphasises priority of school rather than equal weighting.Step 4: Examine option c. It states that economic development plays the crucial role in transferring tradition. In the passage, economic development is a background factor that weakens the family; it is not a means of transferring tradition.Step 5: Examine option d. It introduces modern technology as a means of passing on traditions. The passage does not mention technology at all.Step 6: Notice that because option a aligns exactly with the idea of school as the most important means among several, option e, which rejects all, is also incorrect.

Verification / Alternative check:
Summarise the passage in a single sentence: Traditionally and especially today, school is the principal institution for transmitting the wealth of tradition between generations, even though the family and possibly other means exist. Option a is the only statement that respects this nuance. Options b, c, and d either redistribute importance or misidentify economic development or technology as principal means, which the passage does not support. Thus option a is best supported.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option b wrongly suggests that several different sources must be used in an equal manner, ignoring the highlighted primacy of school.
• Option c incorrectly elevates economic development from background factor to main channel of tradition transfer.
• Option d introduces modern technology, which is not mentioned in the passage.
• Option e is wrong because one option, namely a, fits the passage well.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates are tempted by statements that mention economic development or modern technology due to their contemporary relevance. However, the passage is not about modernisation in general but about institutional roles in education and tradition. Another pitfall is to confuse most important with only. Recognising that the expression most important allows for other means is essential for choosing the correct statement here.

Final Answer:
There are means other than the school for transferring tradition, but the school remains the most important one.