Question

What is the central idea of the article titled 'U.S. Mint asks Americans to spend coins amid shortage spurred by pandemic'?

A) The U.S. Mint is urging Americans to save their coins during the pandemic.
B) There is a coin shortage in the United States due to the pandemic, and the U.S. Mint is encouraging people to spend coins.
C) The U.S. Mint is producing more coins to address the pandemic-induced shortage.
D) Americans are reluctant to use coins because of concerns about virus transmission.

Answer 1

The central idea of the article is that there is a coin shortage in the United States due to the pandemic, and the U.S. Mint is encouraging people to spend coins.

Step-by-step explanation:

The central idea of the article titled 'U.S. Mint asks Americans to spend coins amid shortage spurred by pandemic' is B) There is a coin shortage in the United States due to the pandemic, and the U.S. Mint is encouraging people to spend coins.

The article explains that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a scarcity of hard currency, prompting shops to request people to use credit/debit cards or mobile payment apps. The U.S. Mint is responding to this shortage by encouraging Americans to spend their coins to increase circulation.

This central idea is supported by the information in the article about the scarcity of coins, the shift towards more abstract forms of payment, and the actions taken by the U.S. Mint to address the shortage.