Emile was a two-year-old boy living in Meliandou, a village in the West African nation of Guinea. In December 2013, Emile may have been bitten by a fruit bat, a common animal in West Africa. On December 26, he became ill. He died two days later. By January 14, his three-year-old sister, his mother, and his grandmother had also died. No one yet realized it, but researchers now believe Emile was patient zero—the first person to contract and begin spreading the Ebola virus during this outbreak. There have been more than two dozen Ebola outbreaks since the virus’s discovery in 1976. The 2014 outbreak quickly became by far the most devastating.

Question

What topic does this introductory paragraph introduce?

(1 point)
Responses

the story of Emile and his family
the story of Emile and his family

the history of the Ebola virus
the history of the Ebola virus

the 2014 Ebola outbreak
the 2014 Ebola outbreak

the theory of how viruses spread

Answer 1

the 2014 Ebola outbreak

Answer 2

What technique does the writer use to engage readers in this introductory paragraph?

(1 point)
Responses

telling a brief related story
telling a brief related story

using a connection to the readers’ experiences
using a connection to the readers’ experiences

using a vivid image or description
using a vivid image or description

telling an interesting or surprising fact
telling an interesting or surprising fact

Answer 3

telling a brief related story