Final answer:
Having a terminal illness can operate as a master status because it affects how people react and interact with the person.
Step-by-step explanation:
A master status is a social identity that overrides other aspects of a person's identity and shapes how they are perceived by others. Having a terminal illness can function as a master status because it may affect how people interact with and react to the individual. For example, someone with a terminal illness may receive sympathy, medical treatment, or special accommodations based on their condition. Therefore, the statement that having a terminal illness may operate as a master status is true.
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