Test Your Knowledge About GMAT Reading Comprehension Test!

1.

According to the author, what element is crucial to the success of a pandemic preparedness plan?

A.

Effective vaccines.
B.

Identifying the proper strain of influenza to vaccinate against.
C.

Creating an effective distribution plan.
D.

Creating an effective communication strategy.
E.

Identifying novel strains of the virus.

Correct Answer
A. Effective vaccines.

Explanation
According to the passage: "Central to pandemic preparedness planning are effective vaccines to thwart the spread of a pandemic virus and to prevent illness and death associated with a novel virulent strain."

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2.

According to the passage, a vaccine will be successful in humans under what condition?

A.

Effective vaccines offer broad protection against many strains of the virus.
B.

Effective vaccines are easily manufactured.
C.

Effective vaccines are distributed in the areas where pandemics are most likely to occur.
D.

Effective vaccines trigger the human immune system to create antibodies that cripple the virus.
E.

Effective vaccines combine inactive and active virus components.

Correct Answer
D. Effective vaccines trigger the human immune system to create antibodies that cripple the virus.

Explanation
According to the passage: "The principle behind the generation of human influenza vaccines is to elicit protective antibodies directed primarily against HA, the major protective antigen of the virus that induces neutralizing antibodies."

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3.

According to the passage, a vaccine will be successful in humans under what Based on the information in the passage, what does the author imply?

A.

Successful vaccines have been developed and are being tested.
B.

No successful vaccines have been developed against the most virulent influenza strain.
C.

Successful vaccines have been developed, but problems with manufacturing are interfering with effective delivery.
D.

Successful vaccines have not yet been developed, but scientists are confident that one will be found soon.
E.

A successful vaccine requiring two doses has been developed, but a single dose vaccine is still being worked on.

Correct Answer
B. No successful vaccines have been developed against the most virulent influenza strain.

Explanation
The passage states: "...gaps remain in our understanding of immunity to AI viruses. Filling in these gaps is vital to developing vaccines to protect the human population." The author implies, but does not state, that our lack of understanding of avian influenza prevents the development of a successful vaccine.

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4.

According to the author, why has it been difficult to develop an effective vaccine?

A.

The H5N1 influenza strain has not been isolated.
B.

The H9N2 influenza strain does not behave like other influenza strains.
C.

The H5N1 influenza strain exhibits properties that scientists have never seen before.
D.

Scientists do not know very much about the H5N1 influenza strain.
E.

To date, candidate vaccines have not been able to trigger the immune system very well.

Correct Answer
E. To date, candidate vaccines have not been able to trigger the immune system very well.

Explanation
The passage states: "Studies using inactivated vaccines against H9N2 and H5 subtypes of AI or purified recombinant H5 HA have demonstrated that these vaccines are poorly immunogenic in comparison to epidemic human influenza strains of the H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes." The vaccines developed to date do not trigger the human immune system to produce antibodies against these strains of influenza.

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5.

According to the author, what are the most important tasks for researchers with respect to avian influenza?

A.

Overcoming constraints on manufacturing capacities.
B.

Developing candidate vaccines that do not require an egg white culture.
C.

Development of effective containment for isolated virus strains.
D.

The development and testing of candidate vaccines.
E.

Developing successful predictors for the most likely pandemic strains.

Correct Answer
D. The development and testing of candidate vaccines.

Explanation
According to the passage: "For these reasons, the time before the next pandemic must be used judiciously for developing and clinically testing candidate vaccines."

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6.

Based on the information in the passage, what can the reader infer about the next influenza pandemic?

A.

The scientific community is adequately prepared to deal with an avian influenza pandemic.
B.

The work being done now will be completed in time to prevent a world heath disaster.
C.

The pandemic strain may not target segments of the population that are typically vulnerable to known influenza strains.
D.

The successful candidate vaccine will require a minimum of two doses per person.
E.

Inactivated vaccines are most likely to be successful against avian influenza strains.

Correct Answer
C. The pandemic strain may not target segments of the population that are typically vulnerable to known influenza strains.

Explanation
According to the passage: "The most vulnerable sections of the population may not be the same as those seen with yearly influenza epidemics, making planning to target certain population groups for vaccination difficult at best."

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7.

Based on the information in the article, which of the following conditions would have a serious impact on pandemic preparedness?

A.

The Federal approval process for a new vaccine.
B.

Atypical vulnerabilities among the human population.
C.

An avian influenza outbreak that kills 40% of the world's poultry population.
D.

Political unrest in Asia.
E.

Idle vaccine manufacturing capacity.

Correct Answer
C. An avian influenza outbreak that kills 40% of the world's poultry population.

Explanation
According to the article, one of the criteria for successful vaccine production is a candidate that grows well in egg whites. If 40% of the world's chicken population dies, that will have a serious impact on egg production, which will, in turn, cripple the ability to manufacture a vaccine.

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