Click
Here to return to the previous page
Paul Sparks,
Sino-Canadian International College, Guangxi University, Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas
for Reading Lessons...
Reading: In Class Test No.1
(October 2003)
Instructions: Time allowed = 30 minutes.
Read the article “Childhood Immunizations: Always a Good Idea” then
answer the questions, reading the instructions carefully for each question.
Write in pen, not pencil, crossing out any mistakes. Write all of your
answers on this paper. Do not communicate in any way with another student or
you will fail.
Childhood Immunizations:
Always A Good Idea.
By Daphne Miller:
Surprising as it is,
there are still some parents who struggle over whether or not to have
their children vaccinated. Here's a look at the facts, and the falsehoods,
about immunization.
The truth about immunization:
Most of the shots your child receives in the first few years of life
provide lifelong protection (immunity) against deadly childhood diseases
such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and other infections. Half a
century ago, these diseases caused a great deal of childhood death and
disability throughout the world. In the United States today, we rarely see
these diseases. In other parts of the world, however -- where vaccinations
are not widely used -- these diseases still affect many children.
Myths and misconceptions:
Even knowing those facts, some parents still decide not to give their
children the recommended childhood vaccines. Several myths and
misconceptions lead parents to make this decision:
-
My child might
have a bad reaction to the vaccination shot.
-
My child might
develop the disease that the immunization is supposed to prevent.
-
Since everyone
else is vaccinating their children, my child won't be exposed to
infections.
-
I can't afford to
vaccinate my child.
Debunking the myths:
In reality, most reactions to vaccines are
very mild and last only a few hours. Symptoms include fever, fussiness,
and pain in the area where the shot was given. Your healthcare provider
can usually suggest remedies to make your children more comfortable and
get them through this time.
The occurrence of disease caused by vaccinations is rare. Each year in the
United States, only a small number of children come down with polio or
encephalitis (a brain infection) or have an allergic (hypersensitive)
reaction after getting their vaccines. These instances cases of polio in
the United States were thought to have been caused by vaccines. This is a
ratio of approximately one child to 1.2 million children vaccinated. And
most of those seven children had some other disease that compromised their
immune systems and allowed them to become infected by polio.
While it's true that vaccines contain bacteria or viruses, the amount
injected into your child in a vaccine is tiny compared with the amount of
bacteria that enters your child's body every day while playing with other
children or sucking on fingers and toys.
Vaccinations only make your child's immune system stronger. There is no
evidence to suggest that being vaccinated will make your child more likely
to catch colds, flu bugs, or other illnesses.
Free vaccines for all:
Sadly, some parents are not aware that
vaccines are available free of charge to every child in the United States.
While some private clinics refuse to treat uninsured children, each
county should have a vaccination program for children regardless of age,
ethnicity, or citizenship status. If you don't know where you can get your
child immunized for free, call the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) hotline at 1-800-232-2522 (English) or 1-800-232-0233
(Spanish). These hotlines operate Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
EST.
Any parent who is uncertain about whether or not to immunize their child
should consult with their healthcare provider. Many myths about
immunization can be put to rest by getting the facts. Parents who learn
these facts usually decide that immunizing their children is the safer and
healthier choice.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/health/9905/124/immunizations/index.html
Questions
1.
Answer the following questions using short answers (not sentences).
(Worth 5 marks each.)
a)
Name 2 of the worst diseases affecting children.
b) How many cases of polio were considered a result
of vaccination last year?
c) What effect does vaccination have on the immune
system?
d) What is the phone number to call for advice on
immunization in Spanish?
2. Write “True”, “False” or “Not Given” beside
each statement. (10 marks each)
a) Many parents are afraid of
children’s vaccinations.
b) Many children died world wide of
diseases fifty years ago.
c) The reactions to vaccines are
serious and dangerous.
d) The hotlines are operated by nurses.
e) It’s expensive to get children
vaccinated in the USA.
3. Underline the word closest in meaning as used in the
context of the article. (5 marks each)
a) deadly:
silent
inconvenient
fatal
b) myths:
untrue stories
medical staff
true details
c) shot:
bullet
injection
procedure
d) remedies:
cures
pillows
corrections
e) compromised:
strengthened
weakened
cured
4. The main idea of this article is that: (5 marks)
a) Parents need more information about injections.
b) Vaccination is a safe way to protect children from disease.
c) Children should be kept clean to avoid sickness.
d) Healthcare providers should help parents to pay for vaccinations
for children.
ANSWERS
1. a) polio, measles, mumps, rubella
b) 7
c) makes it stronger
d) 1-800-232-0233
2. a) True
b) True
c) False
d) Not Given
e) False
3. a) fatal
b) untrue stories
c) injection
d) cures
e) weakened
|