Today's Word Radio

In recent years, an unusual case of a young teenager has been making headlines around the world. At first glance, a 17-year-old high school student appears to be a typical teenager. But there’s a difference: she does not feel fear. In fact, she hasn’t felt fear since she was a small child. The case has become the subject of scientific studies, given that she is only one of about 400 people world-wide with this rare condition. Because of a rare disease, the part of her brain that controls the fear response has hardened and died. Without this part of the brain, she cannot experience fear. She is unfazed by haunted houses, scary movies, and she’s even been held at gunpoint without feeling a shred of fear. This may seem like a superpower, but it’s actually a curse. Fear is a natural response that is designed to help keep us safe. Without fear, this teenager puts herself in dangerous situations without realizing it. Her condition, called Urbach-Wiethe disease, has given scientists a unique insight into the role of fear in the human brain.

Based on the passage, why is it surprising that only about 400 people world-wide have the condition?

A) The condition makes individuals immune to scary movies and haunted houses.

B) The condition is described as a superpower in the passage.

C) The condition results from the brain's fear center hardening and dying.

D) The passage does not say it is surprising.

E) The condition is a curse that puts people in danger.

The passage mentions that the 17-year-old girl is one of about 400 people worldwide with this rare condition, but it doesn't state that this number is surprising. It merely provides the number to indicate the rarity of the condition.

Therefore, the correct answer is **D) The passage does not say it is surprising.**