Read this excerpt from When Birds Get Flu and Cows Go Mad! by John DiConsiglio. A Modern Pandemic During the past 25 years, AIDS
has spread throughout the world. The first cases of AIDS were reported in 1981. Since then, the disease has become a pandemic. Now there are nearly 40 million people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Africa is the hardest-hit continent. More than 60 percent of all the people in the world with HIV live there. But no region has been spared. Why does the author conclude the article with this passage? a. to contrast current events with past events
b. to place a spotlight on the African continent
c. to place emphasis on what is happening now
d. to compare AIDS to diseases mentioned earlier
The author concludes the article with that passage because he or she is trying to explain that the virus that causes AIDS can affect anyone in the world even if the majority of the cases are in Africa, people from other regions can be infected, so everyone should be concerned about AIDS and take action.
A central idea of a passage is the main point that the passage is revolving around. The central idea is the building block and starting point for all other small ideas. The central idea is your main selling point and is the reason the passage was written.
