The author most likely uses the tone in the passage to reinforce the point that

the US is now free from mad cow disease.
Hughes and his team are very accomplished.
another mad cow disease outbreak is possible.
Hughes dreams of fighting epidemics with his team.

i think iowa because you committed the crime there

hey, did you get this? could you me out?

the correct answer is:   "   3.6 % " .

          →   the unemployment rate is:   " 3.6 % " .

explanation:

to calculate the "unemployment rate" :

the "unemployment rate"   =

  [# of people unemployed] /   [working age population]   * 100 %   ;

                =   [9 million] / [250 million]     *   100 % ;

    →     note:   the units of "million" cancel out;

                    since:   " {million} / {million} = 1 " ;

                =   (9 / 250)   * 100 %   ;

                = 0.036 * 100 % ;

                =   3.6 %

answer:   the unemployment rate is:   " 3.6 % " .