At the edge of the lawn, behind the building, there was a line of underbrush and trees sloping down a hillside. Beyond that, there was a playground next to a day-care center. They could hear shouts of children in the air, and when they looked through the underbrush, they could see bundled-up four-year-olds swinging on swings and racing around a playhouse. The operation would be carried out near children.

Question

–The Hot Zone,
Richard Preston

What is the author’s purpose for including this paragraph? Check all that apply.

to express his thoughts clearly
to inform readers about the location
to persuade readers to become scientists
to entertain readers by showing how dramatic the situation is
to encourage readers to protect children

Answer 1

The author’s purpose for including this paragraph includes:

• to inform readers about the location: The paragraph provides descriptive details about the setting, including the presence of the playground and day-care center.
• to entertain readers by showing how dramatic the situation is: The contrast between the operation and the innocent setting of children playing adds an element of drama and tension to the narrative.

The other options (to express his thoughts clearly, to persuade readers to become scientists, and to encourage readers to protect children) are not explicitly supported by the content of the paragraph.

Answer 2

"Looks like we have some sick monkeys in here," he said. Some of the monkeys went berserk when they saw the space suits. They spun in circles in their cages or cowered in the corners. Others stared at the humans with fixed expressions on their faces.

"You see the clinical signs," Dalgard said, pointing to a monkey. "I feel pretty confident I can tell when a monkey is getting sick. They get a little bit depressed, they go off their feed, and in a day or two they are dead."

–The Hot Zone,
Richard Preston

Which statement is the best summary of the central idea of this passage?

Dalgard sees clinical signs of depression and illness in the monkeys.
The monkeys go berserk, stare with fixed expressions, and stop eating.
The monkeys are afraid of the men in space suits.
The monkeys do not show any signs of clinical depression or illness.

Answer 3

The best summary of the central idea of this passage is:

Dalgard sees clinical signs of depression and illness in the monkeys.

This encapsulates the main focus of the passage, which revolves around Dalgard's observations regarding the health of the monkeys and his ability to recognize signs of illness in them.