Unlike vaccinations for polio, measles, mumps, and many other virus-bo

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 413, Date: 26-Oct-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

Unlike vaccinations for polio, measles, mumps, and many other virus-borne diseases, which yield lifetime protection with one vaccination or a short series of vaccinations, vaccinations combating the influenza virus must be administered annually, and even then they may not be fully successful in preventing illness. The reason for this striking difference is the ability of the influenza virus to evolve quickly. The antigens, the parts of the influenza virus recognized by the human body, include two important surface proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Hemagglutinin is involved in the invasion of a cell within the human body, and neuraminidase assists in the release of new viruses from the cell after the viruses are replicated. As hemagglutinin is copied, it is not replicated exactly, so the human immune system does not recognize the mutation as the same protein it has encountered before and does not inaugurate the immune response. In this process, called antigenic drift, the known strains of influenza are recognized and effectively combated, but, unchallenged by the immune system, mutated viruses are able to reproduce freely and, thus, form a new strain of influenza.

Researchers in immune therapy are working on a variety of innovations to improve influenza vaccinations such as faster methods of production of vaccines and improvements to existing vaccines to strengthen the immune response of the human body. By far the most intriguing of these efforts are researchers’ attempts to produce vaccines that would target the evolutionarily conserved areas of the influenza virus. The stem that attaches hemagglutinin to the virus, the neuraminidase protein, and M2—a protein found in the membrane of the influenza virus—all appear to be nearly identical across virus strains and seem to evolve slowly. While much work remains to be done, a vaccine targeting one of these may be the key to a one-time immunization protocol that would provide efficacious protection against most influenza strains.   1  
 D 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) explain the process by which the influenza virus mutates quickly, thus making the development of a single vaccination impossible
(B) identify the action of hemagglutinin within the influenza virus that causes the virus to evolve rapidly
(C) compare and contrast the influenza virus with the viruses that cause polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases
(D) discuss the reason influenza vaccinations are administered annually and recent innovations in research that may address this anomaly
(E) describe the mechanism of antigenic drift and how this process affects the human immune system

2  
 B 
 2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true about a vaccine that could provide permanent protection against influenza with a single immunization protocol?

(A) Research into such a vaccine is promising, and the vaccine will be available soon if tests are completed successfully.
(B) The vaccine could affect neuraminidase or other areas of the virus that do not mutate rapidly.
(C) Such a vaccine cannot be effective because hemagglutinin antigens evolve too quickly.
(D) The vaccine will most likely target hemagglutinin antigens because their rapid mutation makes them susceptible to the defenses of the human immune system.
(E) The vaccine will have a similar mechanism to that of the vaccines now administered for polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases.

3  
 E 
 3. According to the passage, each of the following is true of the influenza virus EXCEPT:

(A) The rapid evolution of hemagglutinin on the surface of the virus can prevent the human immune system from recognizing and attacking the virus.
(B) Some of the surface proteins on the influenza virus have different functions.
(C) The antigenic drift of the influenza virus means that a vaccine against influenza must change frequently.
(D) Annual immunization is not always effective protection against the influenza virus. 
(E) The influenza virus is remarkable in its ability to mutate more rapidly than any other known virus.

Source:   Kaplan Prep Plus 2020

Skywalker18 · Answer

All correct in 7 mins,including 3 mins 30 seconds to read.

Para 1- influenza virus(IV) vaccines must be administered annually, and even then they may not be fully successful in preventing illness, ability of the influenza virus to evolve quickly- As hemagglutinin is copied, it is not replicated exactly
Para 2- R&D on improving IV vaccines, target the evolutionarily conserved areas of the influenza virus

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to  
(D) discuss the reason influenza vaccinations are administered annually and recent innovations in research that may address this anomaly- Correct

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true about a vaccine that could provide permanent protection against influenza with a single immunization protocol?  
(B) The vaccine could affect neuraminidase or other areas of the virus that do not mutate rapidly.
By far the most intriguing of these efforts are researchers’ attempts to produce vaccines that would target the evolutionarily conserved areas of the influenza virus. The stem that attaches hemagglutinin to the virus, the neuraminidase protein, and M2—a protein found in the membrane of the influenza virus—all appear to be nearly identical across virus strains and seem to evolve slowly.

3. According to the passage, each of the following is true of the influenza virus EXCEPT:

(A) The rapid evolution of hemagglutinin on the surface of the virus can prevent the human immune system from recognizing and attacking the virus.- incorrect, As hemagglutinin is copied, it is not replicated exactly, so the human immune system does not recognize the mutation as the same protein it has encountered before and does not inaugurate the immune response. 
(B) Some of the surface proteins on the influenza virus have different functions.- incorrect, include two important surface proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase; the functions are also listed
(C) The antigenic drift of the influenza virus means that a vaccine against influenza must change frequently.- incorrect, 
In this process, called antigenic drift, the known strains of influenza are recognized and effectively combated, but, unchallenged by the immune system, mutated viruses are able to reproduce freely and, thus, form a new strain of influenza.
(D) Annual immunization is not always effective protection against the influenza virus. - incorrect
vaccinations combating the influenza virus must be administered annually, and even then they may not be fully successful in preventing illness.
(E) The influenza virus is remarkable in its ability to mutate more rapidly than any other known virus.- Correct, we don't whether influenza virus is No 1 among the known viruses in the ability to mutuate

Bikramjeet · Answer

please provide explanation for 3 question...and why the oa is correct

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

The first paragraph of the passage explains the changes in the influenza virus as it mutates and hence the requirement of frequent vaccinations. The second paragraph talks about the steps being taken by researchers to develop a one-time vaccination for flu.

(A) explain the process by which the influenza virus mutates quickly, thus making the development of a single vaccination impossible  The passage does not explain the steps of mutation, nor does it say that the development of a single vaccine is "impossible. Eliminate.

(B) identify the action of hemagglutinin within the influenza virus that causes the virus to evolve rapidly  The passage only states that the hemagglutinin evolves, whether rapidly or not we do not know. It also does not specify the specific action by which it evolves. Eliminate.

(C) compare and contrast the influenza virus with the viruses that cause polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases  There is only one sentence (the first, maybe the second as well) which contrasts the flu virus with those of other diseases - this cannot be the "primary purpose" of the passage. Eliminate.

(D) discuss the reason influenza vaccinations are administered annually and recent innovations in research that may address this anomaly  Correct. Consistent with our thinking above.

(E) describe the mechanism of antigenic drift and how this process affects the human immune system  The passage does not describe the "process" or antigenic drift. Eliminate.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true about a vaccine that could provide permanent protection against influenza with a single immunization protocol?

On this topic, the author's opinion is given by: "While much work remains to be done, a vaccine targeting one of these may be the key to a one-time immunization protocol that would provide efficacious protection against most influenza strains."

(A) Research into such a vaccine is promising, and the vaccine will be available soon if tests are completed successfully.  The author does not state this. Eliminate.

(B) The vaccine could affect neuraminidase or other areas of the virus that do not mutate rapidly.  Correct. Consistent with above.

(C) Such a vaccine cannot be effective because hemagglutinin antigens evolve too quickly.  The author does not state this. Eliminate.

(D) The vaccine will most likely target hemagglutinin antigens because their rapid mutation makes them susceptible to the defenses of the human immune system.  The author, in fact, states that such a vaccine should target neuraminidase and not hemagglutinin. Eliminate.

(E) The vaccine will have a similar mechanism to that of the vaccines now administered for polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases.  The author does not state this. Eliminate.

3. According to the passage, each of the following is true of the influenza virus EXCEPT:

(A) The rapid evolution of hemagglutinin on the surface of the virus can prevent the human immune system from recognizing and attacking the virus.  This is true ("As hemagglutinin is copied, it is not replicated exactly, so the human immune system does not recognize the mutation as the same protein it has encountered before and does not inaugurate the immune response"). Eliminate.

(B) Some of the surface proteins on the influenza virus have different functions.  This is true. Different functions are identified for the surface proteins neuraminidase ("..assists in the release of new viruses from the cell..") and hemagglutinin ("..involved in the invasion of a cell .."). Eliminate.

(C) The antigenic drift of the influenza virus means that a vaccine against influenza must change frequently.  This is true ("..the known strains of influenza are recognized and effectively combated, but, unchallenged by the immune system, mutated viruses are able to reproduce freely and, thus, form a new strain of influenza" and "vaccinations combating the influenza virus must be administered annually...the reason for this striking difference is the ability of the influenza virus to evolve quickly"). Eliminate.

(D) Annual immunization is not always effective protection against the influenza virus.  This is true ("..vaccinations combating the influenza virus must be administered annually, and even then they may not be fully successful in preventing illness.."). Eliminate.

(E) The influenza virus is remarkable in its ability to mutate more rapidly than any other known virus.  Correct. The passage does not state anything about the ability of the flu virus to mutate  compared to other viruses .

Hope this helps.

siddhantmittal · Answer

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Pre-Thinking: The passage talks about how influenza virus, unlike some other know viruses, requires annual vaccination and then further discusses the challenges as well as ongoing research for new methods to tackle the mutation taking place in the influenza virus

(A) explain the process by which the influenza virus mutates quickly, thus making the development of a single vaccination impossible Incorrect. Nothing mentioned about the process of mutation.  Vaccine is under development and it isn't impossible 
(B) identify the action of hemagglutinin within the influenza virus that causes the virus to evolve rapidly Incorrect. Narrow scope. Doesn't represent the reason behind writing the passage
(C) compare and contrast the influenza virus with the viruses that cause polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases. Incorrect- Again narrow scope. The author has just given an introduction about how these viruses differ
(D) discuss the reason influenza vaccinations are administered annually and recent innovations in research that may address this anomaly Correct. Matched with our pre-thinking.
(E) describe the mechanism of antigenic drift and how this process affects the human immune system Incorrect- Narrow scope

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true about a vaccine that could provide permanent protection against influenza with a single immunization protocol?

Pre-thinking: The author mentions about the stem that attaches the different part of the virus to the cell and concludes that a vaccination targeting this could be helpful since the evolution process is slow for this part of the virus

(A) Research into such a vaccine is promising, and the vaccine will be available soon if tests are completed successfully. Incorrect- can't be found in the passage
(B) The vaccine could affect neuraminidase or other areas of the virus that do not mutate rapidly. Correct. Matches with our pre-thinking
(C) Such a vaccine cannot be effective because hemagglutinin antigens evolve too quickly. The author believes that vaccine development is possible. Incorrect.
(D) The vaccine will most likely target hemagglutinin antigens because their rapid mutation makes them susceptible to the defenses of the human immune system. The author states the opposite. Incorrect.
(E) The vaccine will have a similar mechanism to that of the vaccines now administered for polio, measles, mumps, and other virus-borne diseases.- Not mentioned in the passage. incorrect.

3. According to the passage, each of the following is true of the influenza virus EXCEPT:

(A) The rapid evolution of hemagglutinin on the surface of the virus can prevent the human immune system from recognizing and attacking the virus.- Incorrect- it is given in the passage that because of the rapid mutation, the immune system of the body isn't able to recognise the virus and hence doesnt attack the virus
(B) Some of the surface proteins on the influenza virus have different functions. Incorrect- hemagglutinin and neuraminidase have two separate functions
(C) The antigenic drift of the influenza virus means that a vaccine against influenza must change frequently. Incorrect- supported by the passage
(D) Annual immunization is not always effective protection against the influenza virus. Incorrect- the passage presents this information in the first para
(E) The influenza virus is remarkable in its ability to mutate more rapidly than any other known virus. Correct- not given in the passage

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