A
Here’s an idea whose time has come: A flu shot that doesn’t require an actual shot.
For the first time,researchers have tested a flu vaccine patch (疫苗贴) in a human clinical experiment and found that it delivered as much protection as a traditional injection with a needle. Doctors and public health experts have high hopes that it will increase the number of people who get immunized (免疫的) against the flu.
Seasonal flu is responsible for up to half a million deaths around the world each year according to the World Health Organization. A team led by Georgia Tech engineer Mark Prausnitz has come up with an alternative method that uses “microneedles”. These tiny needles are so small that 100 of them,arranged in order on a patch can fit under your thumb (拇指). Yet they’re big enough to hold vaccine for three types of flu.
None of the study volunteers had serious side effects. The groups that got patches had mild skin reactions that were not seen in the regular needle group,while the volunteers in the regular needle group were more likely to experience pain. Overall,70 percent of the volunteers who got vaccine patches said they’d rather use them again than get a traditional flu shot. The study authors declared it a success on all fronts.
The biggest beneficiaries(受益者) could be people in low-and middle-income countries,where flu vaccines are hard to come by. Reducing pain is nice,but other benefits—the patch costs less,is easier to transport,doesn’t require refrigeration,can be self-administered and doesn’t cause waste of needles—are even better.
“Microneedle patches have the potential to become ideal candidates for vaccination programs,” wrote Katja Hoschler and Maria Zambon of Public Health England.
【语篇概述】疫苗是维护人类健康的重要手段之一。但是一直以来,通过注射方式接种疫苗让很多人尤其是孩子感到痛苦,科学家研制出一种新的疫苗接种方式。
1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. A vaccine cures people of their flu.
B. A method makes traditional flu shot painless.
C. A patch makes flu shots a thing of the past.
D. A team has developed a new way to vaccinate.
【解析】选D。主旨大意题。根据文章内容可知,文章主要讲了一个研究团队研发出了新的疫苗接种方式。
2. What do we know about the vaccine patch?
A. It causes slight side effects.
B. It causes serious skin reactions.
C. It delivers vaccine on the head.
D. It works badly on 30% of the volunteers.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第四段第一句话“None of the study volunteers had serious side effects. ”可知。
3. The new patch has all the following benefits except that_______.
A. it is provided free of charge
B. it can be used without doctors
C. it can be kept at room temperature
D. it needs less care in transportation
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第五段中的“the patch costs less,is easier to transport,doesn’t require refrigeration,can be self-administered and doesn’t cause waste of needles”可知,这种新的接种方式费用较低,但不是免费的,故选A。
4. What is Katja and Maria’s attitude towards the new shot?
A. Cautious. B. Favorable.
C. Unclear. D. Disapproving.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据最后一段的话可知,两人认为新的接种方式很有潜力,故选B。
