Why does Mitch begin the novel with information about what is happening in the world outside of Morrie’s home?

Iam awful at english and am so confused sos ignore the completely wrong diagram above

Bicycle riding should be encouraged, and adding bicycle lanes will increase the number of riders. it is healthier for people to ride than to sit angrily in traffic. it is healthier for everyone to breathe cleaner air. sharing the road can be tricky, but there are things that can be done. so, add the bike lanes and get rolling! which sentence would improve this conclusion? every town should consider adding bicycle lanes, because it is a great idea. organizing safety classes for drivers and cyclists will ensure that everyone knows the rules. do not listen to negative people who complain about anything new. it is true that some people might get injured, but even walking can be dangerous.

Plz asap read this sentence from paragraph 3 of the article. the boys and girls are merely asked to obtain the signatures of ten friends or relatives. how does the word "merely" affect the meaning of the sentence? a- it suggests that asking people to subscribe to the washington times is something negative. b- it implies that obtaining ten signatures is not a requirement for receiving a prize. c- it downplays the fact that to win the prize, children must ask people to subscribe to the washington times. d- it emphasizes that children receive the prize only if they obtain ten signatures.