Influenza

Epidemiology Activity

Name ___________________________ Date _____________

Reading Comprehension: 1918 Flu Pandemic

The 1918 Flu Killed Millions. Does It Hold Clues for Today? Reading Comprehension Questions Read "The 1918 Flu Killed Millions. Does It Hold Clues for Today?" in the March 28, 2006 issue of the New York Times and answer the following questions.

1. What was the epidemic of 1918?
   
   
   
   
2. Why was it different from other flu strains?
   
   
   
   
3. How many people has the current bird flu reportedly killed?
   
   
   
   
4. Why are scientists interested in looking at the 1918 flu pandemic?
   
   
   
   
5. What does the 1918 pandemic reveal about today's bird flu?
   
   
   
   
6. What are the specific similarities mentioned in the article between the current Avian flu (bird flu) and the 1918 pandemic?
   
   
   
   
7. What are the differences?
   
   
   
   
8. What happened in the fall of 1918?
   
   
   
   
9. What happened in the Alaskan village of Wales in 1918?
   
   
   
   
10. What did the city of Philadelphia do to ward off the spread of the virus?
    
    
    
    
11. Who is Dr. Victor Vaughan? What did he write about the flu?
    
    
    
    
12. What is the mystery that scientists are still left with about the 1918 flu?
    
    
    
    
13. What do scientists know about the 1918 flu virus?
    
    
    
    
14. Who is Jeffrey Taubenberger? What did he do?
    
    
    
    
15. What are Dr. Taubenberger and Dr. Oxford attempting to find out?
    
    
    
    
16. What is the 1918 flu virus teaching researchers?
    
    
    
    
17. Who is Terrence Tumpey and what does he say about flu vaccines?
    
    
    
    
18. What "puzzle" are scientists left with?