Opening the circle
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
A small arts collective had become insular, inviting the same friends to every discussion and rarely seeking outside opinions. Its coordinator worried about a provincial outlook that dismissed unfamiliar forms before considering them. The group usually favored a conventional exhibition of framed pictures on white walls. That format was workable, but treating it as the only legitimate option limited the conversation.
To challenge its insular habits, the collective invited artists from several different communities to describe their work. The coordinator stressed that provincial thinking was a narrowness of outlook, not a judgment about anyone's hometown. Some visitors preferred the conventional format too. The value of the meeting lay in examining those preferences instead of assuming that familiar choices needed no explanation.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.