Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

What is the main idea of the passage?

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

What is the writer’s primary purpose in writing the passage?

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

Which statement is not a detail from the passage?

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

What is the meaning of the word inactivated?

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

According to the passage, how does a patient become immune to measles after receiving a measles vaccine?

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

Choose the best summary of the passage.

Vaccines

People think all vaccines inject a dead form of the virus into patients, or otherwise that vaccines “give you” the virus they’re meant to prevent. In reality, there are many types of vaccines that have all been proven to be effective despite their different methods—and you’ve likely had a few of them.

The first main type of vaccine is the live-attenuated vaccine. This method uses a live but weakened form of the germ and is typically used for measles, chickenpox, and yellow fever vaccines, among others. These vaccines may present challenges to those who are immune compromised, but they often cause no problems for patients in good health.

The next common vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. Like the name implies, this vaccine uses a killed version of the germ, like in the flu and polio shots. With some inactivated vaccines, the immunity isn’t as strong, and patients require several doses (“booster shots”) over time to ensure complete protection.

Toxoid vaccines use a toxin that the disease-causing germ produces. Diphtheria and tetanus vaccines are toxoids and thus don’t result in patients being immune to the germ; rather, the vaccines cause immunity to the specific parts of the germ that cause a disease.

The final category of common vaccines comes in many different forms: subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate. All of these vaccines use the protein, sugar, capsid, or some small piece of the germ to provide immunity. Hepatitis B, whooping cough, and pneumococcal vaccines all fit into this category.

Of course, new paths to vaccination are still being worked on every day. One of the more recent innovations is the mRNA vaccine, which employs a different strategy of teaching our cells to make a certain protein that will protect against a virus.

Vaccinations are not one and the same; scientists are consistently coming up with different ways to protect people from illnesses that can cause severe harm. Vaccines are developed in many different ways, but all are meant to help our bodies stay healthy and protected.

What is the meaning of the word attenuated?

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

Which statement is not a detail from the passage?

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

What is the author’s purpose?

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

What is the meaning of the word mitigating in the last paragraph?

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

According to the passage, what is the cause of a tumor?

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

Identify the overall tone of the passage.

Cancer

One of the biggest health concerns of the modern day is cancer. More than one million people are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. But where does this devastating disease come from?

Cancer isn’t a foreign object in the body—rather, it is our own cells experiencing problems. A cell may become abnormal, continue living after it should have died, or form when it was not needed. As the cell continues to divide and produce more abnormal cells, they form tumors, which can spread into surrounding tissues or even new areas of the body.

As many people know, cancer is a genetic disease; it cannot be “caught,” but instead abnormal cell growth is caused internally by a change in one’s genes. The genetic change may be hereditary, come from exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, or come from exposure to ultraviolet rays. An impact of the cell’s normal growth controls, misshapen proteins that cannot repair cellular damage, or increased production of a protein that causes growth can all come from a genetic abnormality and lead to cancer. Further, unlike normal cells, these cells can continually divide by ignoring signals to begin apoptosis, compounding the amount of disruption caused to the body.

Medical professionals recommend avoiding risk factors, although no factor is a guarantee for cancer—we don’t yet know why some people get cancer and why others don’t. Nonetheless, it’s important to apply sunscreen and avoid unnecessary sun exposure, stop tobacco use, and evaluate the materials and foods you bring into your home based on scientific evidence of connections to cancer (e.g., an old house may have cancer-causing asbestos in its walls, which should be checked for and promptly removed). Although cancer cannot be predicted, mitigating exposure to risk factors is a great way to remain healthy and reduce the likelihood of being impacted by the disease.

Which statement is implied by the author?