1. A U.S. Squirrel Has the Plague: Are We All Going to Die?

In response to the closing up of California campgrounds due to a plague-infected squirrel, James Hamblin, The Atlantic’s Health editor, wrote an article concerning this disease. The author starts off his article by answering its title, “A U.S. Squirrel Has the Plague: Are We All Going to Die?” Hamblin assures that yes, we are all going to die eventually, but not of the plague. He comments that since Black Death has not been completely wiped out in the U.S., “it’s worth knowing something about.” A brief history of the disease throughout the world is given by Hamblin. Topics regarding how the plague is transmitted and what are its symptoms were also explained. The author also adds in some statistics of bubonic plague cases in U.S. and throughout the world.

The article makes use of lots of information and some opinion. The former is heavily used to complete the author’s statement that “it’s worth knowing something about” the plague. Hamblin’s use of opinion is mainly to add some of his own commentary regarding the information given. Although, some of the information and opinion he includes seems unnecessary. In addition, it appears that he does not fully answer the question he proposes at the title.

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/a-us-squirrel-has-the-plague-are-we-all-going-to-die/278154/