One factor in this disparity is the fact that more men than women hold “hard” news beats such as politics and world news, where organizations often turn to hire management. An analysis of thousands of New York Times articles this year showed that men wrote most of the articles in the seven largest sections. And for women serving as primary child caretakers — the case in the majority of American families — irregular hours and travel make it difficult to commit to these beats, the Nieman report said.

Question

Women that make it through the pipeline in many industries face cultural attitudes that favor leadership by men. A Fortune study on performance reviews in the tech industry found that words like “bossy, abrasive, strident, and aggressive” appear in reviews of female leaders more frequently than men. Jill Abramson, who was fired from her position as editor of the New York Times this year, was frequently described as such. A Google search of “Jill Abramson abrasive” yields over 110,000 results.

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Question
Use the article to answer the question.

How does the central idea of the article emerge?

(1 point)
Responses which is the correct answer and why

It is stated directly in the first paragraph.
It is stated directly in the first paragraph.

The text leaves it totally up to reader interpretation.
The text leaves it totally up to reader interpretation.

It is stated directly in the final paragraph.
It is stated directly in the final paragraph.

The first three paragraphs lead up to it.
The first three paragraphs lead up to it.
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Answer 1

The central idea of the article is best captured by the response: "The first three paragraphs lead up to it."

This choice is correct because the article discusses various factors contributing to the disparity in leadership and representation of women in industries such as journalism and tech. The initial paragraphs analyze specific barriers such as the types of news beats that are mainly assigned to men and the cultural attitudes that disadvantage women in leadership roles, ultimately leading to a broader understanding of the central issue at hand. This progression through the text builds context and supports the central idea rather than stating it directly at the beginning or end.