Verbal Reasoning — Classification (Always/essential component): Identify the element that must necessarily exist in a “race”. Focus on definitional essentials versus optional features such as judges, spectators, or prizes. Choose the item that is always present in any race.

Concept/Approach
A race is a competitive event where competitors strive to finish first. Officials (judges), audience (spectators), and rewards (prizes) are common but not essential to the very definition.

Option Analysis

• Judge — desirable for formal results, but a race can occur informally without one.
• Spectators — not required.
• Competitor — indispensable; without competitors there is no race. Correct.
• Prize — optional.

Final Answer
Competitor.