Are Vaccines Up for Debate?

According to the article, why did Italy's parliament pass legislation making some vaccinations for children mandatory?

• Italy's parliament hopes to increase vaccination rates and stop the spread of some contagious diseases in the country.
• Some people have been opting out of vaccinations for medical, religious, and philosophical reasons.
• Protestors carrying signs with strong messages about vaccines gathered outside Italy's parliament.
• British physician Andrew Wakefield conducted a study to investigate a suspected link between vaccines and autism.

Which of these is most important to include in a summary of this Article?

• In recent years, there have been measles outbreaks in countries where a vaccine for the disease is widely available.
• A theory that links vaccines with autism comes from a single study that was conducted by British physician Andrew Wakefield in 1998.
• Italy's government is requiring certain vaccines for children up to age 16, along with stiff penalties for parents who do not comply.
• Protestors carried signs and gathered outside of Italy's parliament in response to some new legislation in the country.

Which is the closest antonym for the word comply, as it is used in the Article?

• Assemble
• Scatter
• Conform
• Resist

Suppose Evan wants to research trends in childhood diseases. He would find most of his information __________.

•  In a journal article authored by physician Andrew Wakefield regarding the vaccines given to children in the 1990s
• In a report released by the World Health Organization about the link between lower vaccination rates and outbreaks of preventable diseases
• In a letter to the editor from a father who believes that legislation making vaccines mandatory violates his rights
• In a letter from Italian schools to parents informing them of new legislation that requires their children to be vaccinated before attending school

The reader can infer from the Article that __________.

• Officials with the World Health Organization supported the change in mandatory vaccine laws that the Italian government passed nearly 20 years ago.
•  Most parents who have children attending Italian schools will choose to pay a fine rather than have their children vaccinated.
• The findings of Andrew Wakefield's 1998 study factored heavily in the Italian parliament's decision to pass the 2017 law requiring vaccines for schoolchildren.
• An increasing number of parents in Italy will ensure that their children are vaccinated during upcoming school years.

The Article states:
WHO officials say that measles killed 35 children across Europe in 2016. They called this "an unacceptable tragedy," as the disease is preventable with a vaccine.

Which would be the closest synonym for the word tragedy, as it is used above?

• Calamity
• Decision
• Routine
• Barrier

The author probably wrote this article in order to....

•  Inform the reader about a recent report released by the World Health Organization about the spread of measles
• Caution the reader against traveling to countries where measles vaccines are currently unavailable
•  Help the reader understand the work involved in establishing a program that provides vaccines for an entire country
•  Inform the reader about a debate regarding new legislation requiring children to receive certain vaccines in Italy

Which quote from the Article best indicates why the scientific community is in favor of childhood vaccines?

• In some countries, vaccines are not always available. But even in nations where vaccines are on hand, immunization is not universal.
• Italy's parliament has approved legislation making a slate of childhood vaccines mandatory for schoolchildren up to age 16.
• Further studies have found no link between vaccines and autism. What's more, officials say, there is no denying the link between vaccine refusal and the risk of infectious diseases.
• Parents or guardians who do not comply may face fines of between 500 and 7,500 euros ($559 to $8,380) and suspension of their parental rights.