Question

als
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. the causes of als are unknown, and there is currently no cure. amyotrophic comes from greek: a, meaning no, myo, meaning muscle, and trophic, meaning nourishment. because of a lack of muscle nourishment, it atrophies in an als patient. lateral, identifies the spinal cord portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles. as this area degenerates, it leads to sclerosis, which means hardening.

which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
a it explains the severity of als and presents the warning signs for the condition.
b it explains how the greeks discovered the origin of als and searched for a cure.
c it presents the causes of als as well as ways it can be treated and cured.
d it defines the origin of the meaning of als and what parts of the body it affects

Explanation:

The text first introduces ALS as a neurodegenerative disease affecting brain and spinal cord nerve cells, then breaks down the Greek roots of "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis" to explain its meaning, and notes the affected body parts. Option A is incorrect because no severity or warning signs are discussed. Option B is wrong as there is no mention of Greeks discovering ALS or searching for a cure. Option C is incorrect because the text states causes are unknown and there is no cure, so it does not cover causes or treatments. Option D matches the text's focus on defining the term's origin and the affected body areas.

Answer:

D. It defines the origin of the meaning of ALS and what parts of the body it affects