Ms. Ebersole
Language Arts 7
Junior Scholastic
“Outbreak: Ebola”
Directions: Follow the instructions on our class blog to access our online Junior Scholastic
magazine subscription. Read the article, “Outbreak” about the Ebola virus (Junior Scholastic
magazine online, pages 10-15). After reading, answer the questions below.
Use the map on magazine p. 14 to answer these questions:
1. The current Ebola outbreak is centered in which region of Africa?
2. In which country did it originate?
3. Where did the first known Ebola outbreak take place, and in what year?
4. In which direction would you travel from the site of the first known Ebola outbreak to the
origin of this year’s outbreak?
5. Four of the five countries with outbreaks from 2000 to 2009 lie along which line of
latitude (lines of latitude circle the Earth in an east-west direction)?
6. Ebola has spread through almost all of which West African country?
7. The southernmost Ebola outbreak occurred during which time span?
8. Which country has had the most outbreaks?
9. In which time span were there no known outbreaks?
10. Which two countries borders were completely closed to their neighbors after this year’s
outbreak?
Use the information in the article to answer these questions:
1. What are two facts from the article about Ebola? Who are the sources of the facts?
2. What are two opinions from the article about the disease? Who are the sources of the
opinions?
3. How do you think the public’s access to facts or opinions affects the spread of the Ebola
virus?
4. What do you think is the best way for health care workers to communicate facts about the
disease to the people who live in places that are effected?
Reread the first three paragraphs of the article. Then, answer this question:
1. What might have been the author’s purpose in writing the first three paragraphs of the
article? How would you describe this section of text? How does the tone of these
paragraphs affect your reading of the rest of the article?