What People Aged 50 and Older Need to Know About Flu Shots

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the opening report say about flu activity?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It is rising earlier than usual, but vaccination remains possible
   2. It has ended earlier than usual, so vaccination is unnecessary
   3. It is rising later than usual, despite unusually early vaccination
   4. It is unchanged, although manufacturers have stopped producing vaccines
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It is rising earlier than usual, but vaccination remains possible

   The report establishes that activity is increasing earlier than usual, while vaccination remains possible.

   Flu activity is rising earlier than usual, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but vaccination is still possible.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What sequence describes the RNA vaccine's biological action?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Instructions lead to protein production, which prompts immune reaction
   2. Immune reaction creates instructions, which destroy the original virus
   3. Protein production prevents cells from receiving any genetic message
   4. The vaccine delivers whole virus particles before producing instructions
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Instructions lead to protein production, which prompts immune reaction

   The sequence runs from instructions, to protein production, to immune response.

   The immune system then reacts to that protein.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Where may traditional viral components be grown?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. In chicken eggs or large containers of cells
   2. Only inside the bodies of vaccinated older adults
   3. Exclusively in refrigerated RNA storage facilities
   4. Within seasonal clinics after circulating strains are confirmed
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   In chicken eggs or large containers of cells

   The interview identifies chicken eggs and large cell containers as production settings.

   Manufacturers generally grow viral components in chicken eggs or in large containers of cells.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What consequence follows from the six-to-nine-month planning period?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Manufacturers commit before the season's full development is known
   2. Manufacturers can wait until every circulating strain is confirmed
   3. Manufacturers no longer need to estimate likely winter strains
   4. Manufacturers can immediately alter egg-grown components after release
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Manufacturers commit before the season's full development is known

   Manufacturers must commit to predictions before the season's full pattern is visible.

   That timetable means manufacturers must make predictions well before the flu season fully develops.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What may happen after selecting the RNA vaccine's antigen?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The RNA-based material can be produced relatively quickly
   2. The flu season must first be observed for six to nine months
   3. The antigen is replaced by a complete viral component
   4. Production becomes dependent on predicting every later strain
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The RNA-based material can be produced relatively quickly

   Selection is followed by relatively rapid production of the RNA-based material.

   Once manufacturers select an antigen—the protein targeted by the immune response—they can produce the RNA-based material relatively quickly.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What result could faster adaptation potentially produce?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Additional doses could become available sooner
   2. Existing vaccine formulations would become immediately obsolete
   3. Manufacturers would no longer need to select an antigen
   4. Seasonal flu protection would require no public communication
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Additional doses could become available sooner

   The stated result is earlier availability of additional doses.

   According to Falsey, this could make it easier to adapt to a new flu strain that emerges and to increase production more rapidly, potentially making additional doses available sooner.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the final paragraph encourage older adults to understand?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Different formulations can reflect considerably different underlying science
   2. Only the newest formulation is appropriate for older adults
   3. Production technology has no bearing on vaccine discussions
   4. Established options should be ignored when RNA technology exists
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Different formulations can reflect considerably different underlying science

   It encourages attention to both the variety of formulations and their scientific differences.

   Understanding that distinction may help people follow discussions about seasonal flu protection with greater clarity.

What to review next

Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.

Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?

The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.