Question

    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 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.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. A vaccine that cures people of their flu.

B. A team that does research on seasonal flu.

C. A patch that makes flu shots a thing of the past.

D. A method that makes traditional flu shot painless.

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.

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

4.What is Katja and Maria’s attitude towards the new shot?

A. Cautious. B. Favorable.

C. Unclear. D. Disapproving.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.A

4.B

【解析】

本文介绍的是一种不需要实际注射，并且效果很好，易于操作，成本低，易于运输，不需冷藏流感疫苗贴。

1.主旨大意题。根据第一段A flu shot that doesn’t require an actual shot.第三段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.第四段The study authors declared it a success on all fronts.等内容可知本文介绍的是一种不需要实际注射并且效果很好的流感疫苗贴，这个新发明使以往的疫苗注射成为了过去。故选C。

2.细节推理题。根据第四段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,可知疫苗实验过程中，志愿者只是有轻微的副作用反应，故选B。

3.细节推理题。根据第三段These tiny needles can fit under your thumb倒数第二段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.可知这种疫苗贴的优点，易于操作，成本低，易于运输，不需冷藏，没有针头的浪费等，题中A项没有明确提到，故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段“Microneedle Patches have the potential to become ideal candidates for vaccination programs,” wrote Katja Hoschler and Maria Zambon of Public Health England.可知Katja Hoschler和 Maria Zambon认为这种疫苗贴有可能成为疫苗接种项目的理想候选，由此可见他们对疫苗贴是赞成的，故选B。