Question

Read the following sentence from the article.

Air conditioning spread to nearly 100 million American homes — more than 87 percent of all households, according to a federal organization.
How does this detail develop the article’s central idea?
A) By showing how quickly air conditioning was made available
B) By highlighting the impact of improvements to air conditioning
C) By describing the popularity of air conditioning in hot-weather states
D) By suggesting federal regulations made air conditioning possible

Answer 1

The detail about the spread of air conditioning to American homes develops the article's central idea by emphasizing the impact of air conditioning improvements and how they have changed living patterns, growth of Sunbelt cities, and prompted technological changes due to environmental impacts.The correct answer is option B.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail that air conditioning spread to nearly 100 million American homes, encompassing more than 87 percent of all households, helps to develop the article's central idea. It highlights the impact of improvements to air conditioning technology over time.

This widespread adoption demonstrates how essential air conditioning has become in American households, changing patterns of living and home design, such as the move away from high ceilings and sitting on front porches to escape the heat.

The detail also signifies the technological advancement in making homes more comfortable, leading to an explosive growth in Sunbelt cities and altering cultural practices. Moreover, it addresses the unintended negative consequences like damage to the Earth's ozone layer through the use of specific gases in air conditioning units, which demanded new technologies and gases to be developed.The correct answer is option B.