Question

Highlight details that reveal the central idea.

There is no concept of "health and safety" in Elizabethan England, so you will inevitably feel vulnerable when you arrive. Nauseating smells and sights will assail your senses; contemporary standards of cleanliness will worry you. People die every day from unknown ailments, the young as often as the old. Infectious diseases periodically kill thousands within a few weeks.

–The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England,
Ian Mortimer

What is the central idea of this passage?

Remaining healthy in Elizabethan England was a challenge.
There was no form of medical care in Elizabethan England.
Medical practices in Elizabethan England were similar to those of modern medicine.
There were constant outbreaks of diseases in Elizabethan England.

Answer 1

Best answer: Remaining healthy in Elizabethan England was a challenge.

Supporting details that reveal this central idea:
- “There is no concept of ‘health and safety’… so you will inevitably feel vulnerable when you arrive.” — indicates lack of protections and vulnerability.
- “Nauseating smells and sights will assail your senses; contemporary standards of cleanliness will worry you.” — poor sanitation and hygiene.
- “People die every day from unknown ailments, the young as often as the old.” — frequent, unexplained deaths.
- “Infectious diseases periodically kill thousands within a few weeks.” — severe, recurring epidemics.

These points together show that staying healthy was difficult in that period.