Question

typical north americans carry around with them an air space of about two feet in any direction. they feel uncomfortable when they are bumped or when this air space is penetrated in any way. when they are required to make some sort of physical contact with other north americans, they do so by extending their hand rather tentatively out through their air space to join another hand that has reached out through another air space, in what is known as a handshake. the hands are then immediately withdrawn, and there is rarely another physical contact.
12
select the correct answer.
which statement best expresses a central idea of this passage?
a. people should always keep two feet of air space around them.
b. people should consider greeting each other with handshakes.
c. typical north americans do not like to interact with each other at all.
d. typical north americans greet each other with a handshake.

Explanation:

The passage focuses on North Americans' personal air space preference and how they use handshakes as a limited physical contact method. Option A is a prescriptive statement not stated in the text. Option B is also a recommendation not present. Option C is incorrect as the passage does not say they avoid all interaction. Option D matches the passage's detail about their handshake greeting.

Answer:

D. Typical North Americans greet each other with a handshake.