Passage 7
The Importance of Vaccination
1 Measles, which once killed 450 children each year and disabled even more, was nearly wiped out in the United States 14 years ago by the universal u mouldingof the MMR vaccine. 2 But the dia is making a comeback, caud by a growing anti-vaccine movement and misinformation that is spreading quickly. 3 Already this year, 115 measles cas have been reported in the USA, compared with 189 for all of last year.
4 The numbers might sound small, but they are the leading edge of a dangerous trend. 5 When vaccination rates are very high, as they still are in the nation as a whole, everyone is protected. 6 This is called “herd immunity”, which protects the people who get hurt easily, including tho who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons, babies too young to get vacci
nated and people on whom the vaccine doesn’t work.
7 But herd immunity works only when nearly the whole herd joins in. 8 When some refu vaccination and ek a free ride, immunity breaks down and everyone is in even bigger danger.
9 That’s exactly what is happening in small neighborhoods around the country from Orange County, California, where 22 measles cas were reported this month, to Brooklyn, N.Y., where a 17-year-old caud an outbreak last year.
10 The resistance to vaccine has continued for decades, and it is driven by a real but very small risk. 11 Tho who refu to take that risk lfishly make others suffer.
12 Making things wor are state laws that make it too easy to opt out of laughing是什么意思what are suppod to be required vaccines for all children entering kindergarten. 13 Seventeen states allow parents to get an exemption, sometimes just by signing a paper saying they personally object to a vaccine.
14 Now, veral states are moving to tighten laws by adding new regulations for opting out. 15 But no one does enough to limit exemptions.
16 Parents ought to be able to opt out only for limited medical or religious reasons. 17 But personal opinions? Not good enough. 18 Everyone enjoys the life-saving benefits vaccines provide, but they’ll exist only as long as everyone shares in the risks.
一．单词和短语Words and expressions
* measles /ˈ修辞方法miːzlz/ n. <医>麻疹;
* vaccine /ˈvæksiːn/ n. 疫苗
我亲爱的英文make a comeback 卷土重来
* anti-vaccine movement 反疫苗运动
misinformation /ˌm ableɪ氛围英语sɪnfəˈmeʃn/ n. curtain是什么意思错误信息topi
* the leading edge 前缘；领先地位
* vaccination /ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃn/ n. 接种疫苗；种痘
* herd immunity /hɜːd/ /ɪˈmjuːnɪtɪ/ 群体免疫
a free ride免费搭车；占便宜；坐享其成
lfishly /ˈlfɪʃ什么是t恤衫lɪ/ adv. 自私地；
* opt /ɒevermorept/ vi. 选择
* opt out 决定退出
* exemption /ɪɡˈzempʃn/ n.免除
tighten /ˈtaɪtən/ vt. & vi. 收紧;（使）变紧;（使）绷紧;加紧
