Main Ideas and Details

According to the United States Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, everybody who is at least six months old should get a flu shot this year. This recommendation was first made last year. The AARP Bulletin reports that a vaccine called Fluzone High-Dose is now available, designed especially for people aged 65 years and older. Because older people produce less robust immune responses than younger people, scientists have produced this vaccine to give them better protection against the influenza virus. This is important because cases of the flu can involve very serious complications for older persons.

Which of the following choices best identifies the main idea of this passage?

• Everyone over six months old should get a flu shot this year.

• There is now a special high-dose flu shot just for older people.

• People over 65 years of age are more likely to contract the flu.

• Due to complications, no flu shot can protect an older person

According to the United States Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, everybody who is at least six months old should get a flu shot this year. This recommendation was first made last year. The AARP Bulletin reports that a vaccine called Fluzone High-Dose is now available, designed especially for people aged 65 years and older. Because older people produce less robust immune responses than younger people, scientists have produced this vaccine to give them better protection against the influenza virus. This is important because cases of the flu can involve very serious complications for older persons.

Which choice is a detail included in this passage?

• The recommendation about flu shots is new this year.

• The new high-dose flu shot is designed for everybody.

• Avoiding the flu is more important for elderly people.

• Older people have an exaggerated immune response.

As of the year 2011, heart disease was the number one killer of Americans. It was projected that more than 40 percent of adults in the United States would be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease by the year 2030. This proportion translates to more than a trillion

dollars in medical costs. In addition, Medicare would be responsible for covering more than half of those expenses. Therefore, advocates such as AARP say one way that aging

Americans can help to reduce our federal government's budget deficit is to exercise.

Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, and helps us lose weight. These results can lower our nation's medical expenditures by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Which of the following best represents the main idea of this passage?

• Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans

• In 2011, heart disease was expected to have declined by 2030

• Medicare would have to cover less than half our medical costs

• Exercise can reduce the budget deficit by cutting medical costs.

As of the year 2011, heart disease was the number one killer of Americans. It was projected that more than 40 percent of adults in the United States would be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease by the year 2030. This proportion translates to more than a trillion

dollars in medical costs. In addition, Medicare would be responsible for covering more than half of those expenses. Therefore, advocates such as AARP say one way that aging

Americans can help to reduce our federal government's budget deficit is to exercise. Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, and helps us lose weight. These results can lower our nation's medical expenditures by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Which of the following best represents the main idea of this passage?

• More than 50% of American adults would have heart disease by 2030.

• Heart disease was projected to cost a billion dollars for medical care

• Medicare would owe over half of the medical costs for heart disease.

• Exercising would improve our health but not affect the budget deficit.

Many of us have become aware that statistically, the majority of Americans are overweight. Although we hear this often in the media, not everybody may realize the implications of this fact for health care and ultimately for our national economy. Not only is excess weight associated with heart disease, a number of different cancers, and other problems; it especially is associated with diabetes. In 2011, 28.5 million of American citizens had

diabetes. An additional 66 million Americans had pre-diabetic symptoms. In 2011, medical costs for diabetics were $174 billion per year. Research from a health insurance company projected that by 2020, diabetes would cost America $3.4 trillion per year. The federal government would pay over 60% of that total. Accordingly, some organizations have recommended that losing weight by reducing our intake of high-calorie foods could help save the government money by lowering the risk, and hence the incidence, of diabetes. As a result, improving our physical health also can improve our fiscal health.

Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of this passage?

• More than 28 million Americans had diabetes in 2011.

• Losing weight reduces diabetes risk, thereby saving government expense.

• The federal deficit must be reduced to allow for medical expense.

• Diabetes has become an American epidemic unrelated to weight.

Many of us have become aware that statistically, the majority of Americans are overweight. Although we hear this often in the media, not everybody may realize the implications of this fact for health care and ultimately for our national economy. Not only is excess weight associated with heart disease, a number of different cancers, and other problems; it especially is associated with diabetes. In 2011, 28.5 million of American citizens had

diabetes. An additional 66 million Americans had pre-diabetic symptoms. In 2011, medical costs for diabetics were $174 billion per year. Research from a health insurance company projected that by 2020, diabetes would cost America $3.4 trillion per year. The federal government would pay over 60% of that total. Accordingly, some organizations have recommended that losing weight by reducing our intake of high-calorie foods could help save the government money by lowering the risk, and hence the incidence, of diabetes. As a result, improving our physical health also can improve our fiscal health.

Which of the following statements is a detail stated in this passage?

• The annual medical cost for diabetics in 2011 America was $174 billion.

• Health insurance companies could not predict future diabetes expenses.

• 28.5 million United States citizens had pre-diabetic symptoms as of 2011.

• The United States federal government would pay 100% of diabetes costs.