What's with the Lectionary?

Does anyone understand the thinking behind the track 1/track 2 Old Testament readings in the new Revised Common Lectionary?

As I understand it, at least as far as the Old Testament readings in ordinary time go, track 1 is more sequential, just reading through the OT in series, regardless or whether or not the story has anything to do with the other 2 readings; Track 2 I understand follows the "theme of the day" pattern where the OT goes with the theme of the Epistle and Gospel reading (in theory).

I don't understand why there is that option. A Choose-your-own-adventure seems to be antithetical to the idea of having a lectionary that everyone reads in common. That just does not make any sense to me, especially when you start having option choices for the epistle.

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