The Spread of Yellow Fever

question 175

Multiple Choice

The Spread of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a dangerous disease that is primarily found in tropical climates. Sometimes, people infected with yellow fever suffer only mild flu-like symptoms. In other cases, however, yellow fever can be much more serious, causing kidney problems, liver failure, and sometimes, even death. For many years, people believed that the disease was spread from person to person, much like the cold or flu. However, this was not the case. It took the dedicated research of a doctor named Carlos Juan Finlay to show people how to prevent a disease that was killing people by the thousands.
In the 1800's, yellow fever was a serious threat to Cuba's population. Because people believed that the disease was spread from person to person, they tried to prevent the spread of the disease by quarantining people. However, this did not help.
Dr) Finlay had a different hypothesis. He noticed the worst outbreaks of yellow fever happened when mosquitoes were most active. This led him to theorize that mosquitoes spread the disease, not people. This was a revolutionary idea; no one had considered the possibility of mosquitoes being vectors of disease. In fact, the idea was so revolutionary that no one believed Finlay for over 20 years.
Eventually, Finlay's theory was proven. A team of military doctors led by Dr. Walter Reed conducted a series of experiments that proved once and for all that mosquitoes were indeed responsible for spreading yellow fever. Armed with this information, people took new measures to protect themselves from yellow fever. As a result of this discovery, yellow fever has almost completely disappeared from Cuba and many other nations.
What is the meaning of the word 'quarantining' in paragraph 2?

• A)The act of completely banishing someone from society
• B)The act of placing someone in solitary confinement
• C)The act of placing someone exposed to a disease in isolation
• D)The act of placing someone who is sick under strict hospitalized care

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Definitions:

Human Characteristics

Traits, qualities, or features that are considered typical of humans, including physical, psychological, and social attributes.

Nature and Nurture

The debate concerning the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities (nature) versus personal experiences (nurture) in determining or causing differences in physical and behavioral traits.

Practice Play

Activities or exercises engaged in repeatedly with the aim of improving or mastering a skill.

Evolutionary Sense

Pertaining to the interpretation or understanding of phenomena in terms of evolution and natural selection.