Question

Read the paragraph from "The Workers of Ellis Island."

Ellis Island doctors were particularly watching for signs of contagious diseases. Incurable diseases included trachoma and tuberculosis and guaranteed a return trip to where the immigrant came from. Others, like diphtheria, measles and scarlet fever, for example, relegated the immigrant to the contagious disease wards where they were generally treated, cured and released. Sometimes the entire family was held on the Island while a child or responsible adult was being treated.

Which sentence best represents the paragraph's central idea?

Ellis Island doctors were particularly watching for signs of contagious diseases.
Incurable diseases included trachoma and tuberculosis and guaranteed a return trip to where the immigrant came from.
Others, like diphtheria, measles and scarlet fever, for example, relegated immigrants to the contagious disease wards where they were generally treated, cured and released.
Sometimes the entire family was held on the Island while a child or responsible adult was being treated.

Answer 1

a

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Ellis Island doctors were particularly watching for signs of contagious diseases.

Step-by-step explanation:

The "central idea" in a paragraph is also known as the "key idea." It tells you what the paragraph is all about and it is very essential in order to understand the entire text. It is supported by other information in the text–you call this information as "supporting details."

The doctors on the island were focusing their work towards treating people with contagious diseases (a disease that is transmissible from one person to the other). They didn't focus on people with incurable diseases. Those with contagious diseases were treated, cured and released. All of these are supporting details that make the central idea clear to the reader.