Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 2...

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

A new social arena is solidifying in Vietnam’s affluent urban districts. Glass-walled fitness centers, charging exorbitant membership fees, are now conspicuous hubs for a specific, upwardly mobile demographic. Inside, sought-after personal trainers with regimented schedules guide clients through strenuous, highly specialized workouts. The prescribed apparel, often from prestigious international brands, is a functional uniform that also denotes commitment to a certain lifestyle. The ostensible objective surpasses rudimentary physical fitness. Assiduous participation in grueling classes becomes a tangible broadcast of professional status, personal discipline, and disposable income.

The pursuit of this bodily aesthetic is all-encompassing, demanding far more than just consistent gym attendance. The endeavor dictates a meticulous and often prohibitive nutritional regimen. Upscale juice-cleanse subscriptions, imported dietary supplements, and organic-only meal plans are ubiquitous within this social set. "Clean eating" is discussed with a specialized lexicon, replete with arcane terminology. Food consumed is rarely for simple sustenance; it is a fastidiously curated component of a personal brand. Countless images of artfully arranged, health-conscious meals are subsequently documented and disseminated on social media, garnering social validation.

An intense focus on physical optimization contrasts sharply with conventional concepts of health, which were often synonymous with the simple absence of illness. In the modern corporate milieu, being perceptibly fit is increasingly conflated with a high-performing career. A lean, sculpted physique implies a level of austere self-control, ample financial means, and a mastery of one's own time. The body itself becomes a credential. A powerful, non-verbal assertion of an individual's place in the prevailing social hierarchy has thus been established, visible to all.

An unmistakable social stratification accompanies such a trend. Entry into the rarified world of "wellness" is predicated almost entirely on substantial disposable income and considerable leisure time. A profound paradox is created. A construction worker or a farmer, whose occupation requires immense physical stamina and strength, is excluded from the contemporary "fitness" conversation. Their physical prowess is not aspirational because it is not commodified. The new, fashionable definition of health is not about intrinsic capability or longevity, but about participation in a very exclusive, commercialized, and visually performative lifestyle.

(Adapted from Vietnam Briefing)

Question 23: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 1?

A. The required clothing, frequently from elite global labels, serves as a practical uniform and simultaneously signifies dedication to a specific way of life.

B. The stipulated attire, often from high-end global names, is a practical garment which consequently indicates dedication to a particular mode of living.

C. In addition to signaling adherence to a certain way of life, the designated wear from top-tier international sources serves as a high-status outfit.

D. The mandated clothing, frequently from reputable global brands, is seen as a utilitarian outfit precisely because it signals commitment to a specific lifestyle.