Comprehension
Read the following passage and answer the THREE questions that follow.
If we imagine the action of a vaccine not just in terms of how it affects a single body, but also in terms of how it affects the collective body of a community, it is fair to think of vaccination as a kind of banking of immunity. Contributions to this bank are donations to those who cannot or will not be protected by their own immunity. This is the principle of herd immunity, and it is through herd immunity that mass vaccination becomes far more effective than individual vaccination.
Any given vaccine can fail to produce immunity in an individual, and some vaccines, like the influenza vaccine, are less effective than others. But when enough people are vaccinated with even a relatively ineffective vaccine, viruses have trouble moving from host to host and cease to spread, sparing both the unvaccinated and those in whom vaccination has not produced immunity. This is why the chances of contracting measles can be higher for a vaccinated person living in a largely unvaccinated community than they are for an unvaccinated person living in a largely vaccinated community.
The unvaccinated person is protected by the bodies around her, bodies through which disease is not circulating. But a vaccinated person surrounded by bodies that host disease is left vulnerable to vaccine failure or fading immunity. We are protected not so much by our own skin, but by what is beyond it. The boundaries between our bodies begin to dissolve here. Donations of blood and organs move between us, exiting one body and entering another, and so too with immunity, which is a common trust as much as it is a private account. Those of us who draw on collective immunity owe our health to our neighbors.
If we imagine the action of a vaccine not just in terms of how it affects a single body, but also in terms of how it affects the collective body of a community, it is fair to think of vaccination as a kind of banking of immunity. Contributions to this bank are donations to those who cannot or will not be protected by their own immunity. This is the principle of herd immunity, and it is through herd immunity that mass vaccination becomes far more effective than individual vaccination.
Any given vaccine can fail to produce immunity in an individual, and some vaccines, like the influenza vaccine, are less effective than others. But when enough people are vaccinated with even a relatively ineffective vaccine, viruses have trouble moving from host to host and cease to spread, sparing both the unvaccinated and those in whom vaccination has not produced immunity. This is why the chances of contracting measles can be higher for a vaccinated person living in a largely unvaccinated community than they are for an unvaccinated person living in a largely vaccinated community.
The unvaccinated person is protected by the bodies around her, bodies through which disease is not circulating. But a vaccinated person surrounded by bodies that host disease is left vulnerable to vaccine failure or fading immunity. We are protected not so much by our own skin, but by what is beyond it. The boundaries between our bodies begin to dissolve here. Donations of blood and organs move between us, exiting one body and entering another, and so too with immunity, which is a common trust as much as it is a private account. Those of us who draw on collective immunity owe our health to our neighbors.
Question: 1
Based on the passage, which of the following CANNOT be concluded?
Based on the passage, which of the following CANNOT be concluded?
Updated On: Dec 5, 2024
- A vaccine cannot guarantee immunity in an individual.
- Our survival, as a community, is largely based on herd immunity.
- A vaccinated person may get infected if her surroundings are largely unvaccinated.
- Collective immunity protects those with compromised immune systems.
- Even, relatively, ineffective vaccines can stop the spread of viruses if enough people are vaccinated.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Analyze the passage.
The passage explains the concept of herd immunity and highlights how vaccinations contribute to the community's collective defense against diseases. It mentions that even ineffective vaccines can help if enough people are vaccinated.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: This is true as no vaccine provides 100% protection.
- Option 2: Herd immunity is the basis of community survival as described in the passage.
- Option 3: This cannot be concluded because the passage does not explicitly state that a vaccinated individual will always get infected in largely unvaccinated surroundings.
- Option 4: The passage supports the idea that herd immunity protects individuals with weaker immune systems.
- Option 5: The passage asserts that even relatively ineffective vaccines can contribute to stopping virus spread through herd immunity.
Final Answer: (3)
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Question: 2
Why does the author think about vaccination as a “banking of immunity?”
Why does the author think about vaccination as a “banking of immunity?”
Updated On: Dec 5, 2024
- Because it creates a reserve of immunity within a person’s immune system.
- Because when somebody is vaccinated, it is a deposit of protection against a particular disease.
- Because different vaccines contribute to a diverse portfolio of immune defences.
- Because it is like providing a safety net for those who are more vulnerable to diseases.
- Because it is a way to mitigate health risks for those who may not have access to vaccination.
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The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Interpret the metaphor.
The "banking of immunity" refers to the idea that vaccination contributes to a collective reserve of immunity, safeguarding those who cannot be vaccinated or who are vulnerable.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: Misleading as immunity is not reserved in a single person's system.
- Option 2: Incorrect since it simplifies the metaphor to an individual perspective.
- Option 3: The passage does not mention a diverse portfolio of defenses.
- Option 4: Partially correct, but the metaphor extends beyond safety nets.
- Option 5: Best captures the idea of mitigating risks for the unvaccinated or vulnerable population.
Final Answer: (5)
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Question: 3
Based on the last paragraph of the passage, which of the following would the author BEST agree with?
Based on the last paragraph of the passage, which of the following would the author BEST agree with?
Updated On: Apr 28, 2025
- In times of health crises, communities should come together to support and protect each other.
- It is important to express gratitude to those who contribute to the herd immunity by getting vaccinated.
- It is an ethical obligation of individuals to get vaccinated for the greater good.
- In any community, immunity is transactional.
- Immunity of a community is interconnected, and everyone plays a role to keep each other healthy.
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The Correct Option is
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Focus on the final paragraph.
The last paragraph emphasizes collective responsibility and interconnectedness of immunity.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: True, but it is not the central idea of the paragraph.
- Option 2: Gratitude is implied but not the main argument.
- Option 3: Ethical obligation is addressed, but it's secondary to interconnectedness.
- Option 4: The term "transactional" misrepresents the author's argument.
- Option 5: Accurately captures the core argument about interconnectedness in herd immunity.
Final Answer: (5)
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