hce_nchu
115年
英文
第 49 題
📖 題組：
Read the following passages and answer questions 46 to 50. Vaccines (Question 46-50) Vaccines are biological preparations that help your body’s immune system recognize and defend itself against harmful germs. They can be administered in various forms, including injections, liquids, pills, or nasal sprays. Vaccines protect against illnesses caused by viruses, such as influenza and COVID-19, as well as bacterial infections like tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The main purpose of vaccination is to stimulate the immune system in a controlled way, so that it can respond effectively if the body encounters the actual disease in the future. There are several types of vaccines, each working through different mechanisms to generate immunity. Live-attenuated vaccines contain a weakened form of the germ that cannot cause severe illness but still prompts an immune response. Inactivated vaccines use germs that have been killed, making them safe while still teaching the immune system to recognize the pathogen. Other vaccines, such as subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines, contain only specific components of the germ, such as proteins, sugars, or the outer casing. Toxoid vaccines use inactivated toxins produced by certain bacteria to trigger immunity, while more recent innovations, including mRNA vaccines, deliver genetic instructions to the body’s cells to produce a harmless piece of the pathogen, prompting an immune response. Viral vector vaccines also employ genetic material from a germ, but this material is delivered using a harmless virus that facilitates entry into cells. Despite the differences in design, all vaccines function by eliciting an immune response that allows the body to recognize and fight off harmful substances, known as antigens. When the body encounters a germ, it identifies the invader as foreign and activates the immune system to combat it. The immune system not only neutralizes the germ during the initial encounter but also retains a memory of the pathogen. This memory ensures that if the germ enters the body again, the immune system can respond more quickly and effectively. The protection gained from this process is referred to as immunity. Immunization is the broader process of becoming protected against a disease, and vaccination is one of the primary methods to achieve immunization, ensuring that individuals can develop immunity safely without suffering from the actual illness. The importance of vaccines extends beyond individual protection. Vaccines prevent serious diseases more safely than acquiring immunity through natural infection, and in some cases, vaccination can produce a stronger or more reliable immune response than surviving the disease itself. Additionally, vaccines contribute to community health through what is called community immunity, or herd immunity. This concept is based on the idea that when a significant portion of a population is immunized, the spread of contagious diseases is reduced, protecting those who are unable to receive vaccines, such as individuals with weakened immune systems, people with specific allergies, or newborn babies who are too young for certain immunizations. By limiting disease transmission, community immunity helps prevent outbreaks and safeguards vulnerable populations. Vaccines are rigorously tested for safety before they are approved for use. Regulatory agencies in the United States, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), require extensive evaluation to ensure that vaccines are both safe and effective. In addition to safety, it is important to follow recommended vaccine schedules. These schedules, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicate which vaccines are recommended for different age groups, the number of doses required, and the optimal timing for administration. Adhering to the recommended schedule allows individuals, both children and adults, to receive protection at the most appropriate times, ensuring that immunity develops when it is most needed. In summary, vaccines are essential tools in modern medicine, offering protection against a wide range of infectious diseases. They work by teaching the immune system to recognize harmful germs and respond quickly to prevent illness. By following recommended vaccination schedules, individuals not only protect themselves but also contribute to the health and safety of their communities. With decades of rigorous safety testing and scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness, vaccines remain a cornerstone of public health, reducing disease burden and preventing potential outbreaks worldwide.
Read the following passages and answer questions 46 to 50. Vaccines (Question 46-50) Vaccines are biological preparations that help your body’s immune system recognize and defend itself against harmful germs. They can be administered in various forms, including injections, liquids, pills, or nasal sprays. Vaccines protect against illnesses caused by viruses, such as influenza and COVID-19, as well as bacterial infections like tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The main purpose of vaccination is to stimulate the immune system in a controlled way, so that it can respond effectively if the body encounters the actual disease in the future. There are several types of vaccines, each working through different mechanisms to generate immunity. Live-attenuated vaccines contain a weakened form of the germ that cannot cause severe illness but still prompts an immune response. Inactivated vaccines use germs that have been killed, making them safe while still teaching the immune system to recognize the pathogen. Other vaccines, such as subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines, contain only specific components of the germ, such as proteins, sugars, or the outer casing. Toxoid vaccines use inactivated toxins produced by certain bacteria to trigger immunity, while more recent innovations, including mRNA vaccines, deliver genetic instructions to the body’s cells to produce a harmless piece of the pathogen, prompting an immune response. Viral vector vaccines also employ genetic material from a germ, but this material is delivered using a harmless virus that facilitates entry into cells. Despite the differences in design, all vaccines function by eliciting an immune response that allows the body to recognize and fight off harmful substances, known as antigens. When the body encounters a germ, it identifies the invader as foreign and activates the immune system to combat it. The immune system not only neutralizes the germ during the initial encounter but also retains a memory of the pathogen. This memory ensures that if the germ enters the body again, the immune system can respond more quickly and effectively. The protection gained from this process is referred to as immunity. Immunization is the broader process of becoming protected against a disease, and vaccination is one of the primary methods to achieve immunization, ensuring that individuals can develop immunity safely without suffering from the actual illness. The importance of vaccines extends beyond individual protection. Vaccines prevent serious diseases more safely than acquiring immunity through natural infection, and in some cases, vaccination can produce a stronger or more reliable immune response than surviving the disease itself. Additionally, vaccines contribute to community health through what is called community immunity, or herd immunity. This concept is based on the idea that when a significant portion of a population is immunized, the spread of contagious diseases is reduced, protecting those who are unable to receive vaccines, such as individuals with weakened immune systems, people with specific allergies, or newborn babies who are too young for certain immunizations. By limiting disease transmission, community immunity helps prevent outbreaks and safeguards vulnerable populations. Vaccines are rigorously tested for safety before they are approved for use. Regulatory agencies in the United States, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), require extensive evaluation to ensure that vaccines are both safe and effective. In addition to safety, it is important to follow recommended vaccine schedules. These schedules, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicate which vaccines are recommended for different age groups, the number of doses required, and the optimal timing for administration. Adhering to the recommended schedule allows individuals, both children and adults, to receive protection at the most appropriate times, ensuring that immunity develops when it is most needed. In summary, vaccines are essential tools in modern medicine, offering protection against a wide range of infectious diseases. They work by teaching the immune system to recognize harmful germs and respond quickly to prevent illness. By following recommended vaccination schedules, individuals not only protect themselves but also contribute to the health and safety of their communities. With decades of rigorous safety testing and scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness, vaccines remain a cornerstone of public health, reducing disease burden and preventing potential outbreaks worldwide.
In the passage, the term “herd immunity” most nearly refers to:
- A Immunity developed after recovering from a disease
- B Reduction in infections within hospitals due to precautions
- C Fewer outbreaks in the community due to high immunity
- D Legal requirements for vaccination in a community
思路引導 VIP
如果傳染病就像在人群中傳遞的一把火，而每位具備免疫力的人都像是一道「防火牆」，那麼當一個社區裡絕大多數的人都變成了防火牆時，這把火還能輕易延燒到那些沒有保護的人身上嗎？請試著思考，這種整體的防禦狀況，對於整個社會的傳病狀況會產生什麼樣的改變？
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AI 詳解
AI 專屬家教
恭喜你！能精確選出 (C) 這個選項，代表你對於學術文章中專有名詞的定義捕捉得非常敏銳，這是一項非常重要的閱讀與分析能力。
群體免疫的核心定義
在文章第四段中，作者詳細說明了「群體免疫」（herd immunity，又稱社區免疫）的概念。其核心觀念在於：當一個群體中具備免疫力的人數達到「顯著比例」時，病毒在人群中傳播的路徑就會被截斷。這不僅能保護已接種疫苗的個體，更重要的是能建立起一道屏障，間接守護那些因過敏或免疫系統脆弱而無法施打疫苗的弱勢族群。因此，(C) 選項提到的「因高免疫力而減少社區疫情爆發」，最能精確對應文中關於「降低傳染病傳播」的描述。
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