阅读理解
Health advice on hand
sanitizers
Antibacterial
hand sanitizers (免洗洗手液) are marketed as a
good alternative (替代品) when soap and water are not
available. Manufacturers say that their sanitizers kill 99. 9 percent of germs
(细菌) , but research suggests that this not the case.
How do hand sanitizers
work?
Most
sanitizers are alcohol-based; they work by removing the outer layer of oil on
our skin, then the alcohol kills the bacteria.
However,
Barbara Almanza, associate professor at Purdue University, notes that hand
sanitizers do not significantly reduce the amount of bacteria, and in some
cases, can increase it.
So
the question arises, how can manufacturers say sanitizers kill 99. 9 percent of
bacteria?
How can manufacturers
make the 99. 9 percent claim (声称) ?
Manufacturers
test their products on bacteria-tainted surfaces. In this controlled
environment, hand sanitizers do kill 99. 9 percent of bacteria. However, the
human hand is a lot more complex and goes through a lot of different changes in
a day compared to a controlled surface.
These
tests allow manufactures to obtain consistent results. But, in reality, how
effective are hand sanitizers in killing bacteria in everyday life?
Hand sanitizer VS hand
soap and water
Almanza
says that soap and water are the best way to clean your hands. Hand sanitizer
cannot and should not be a direct replacement.
However,
they are a useful alternative. To effectively kill bacteria, studies recommend
that people use sanitizers that are at least 60 percent alcohol. Also,
sanitizers won't work if you have dirty hands, so wipe them with a tissue or
napkin before sanitizing.
What about
antibacterial soaps?
Research
has shown that regular soap is just as effective as antibacterial soap in
reducing bacteria-related illnesses.
In
fact, some consumer antibacterial soap may increase some bacteria's resistance
to antibiotics (抗生素) , making them more
dangerous.
Other
studies show that overly clean environments will negatively affect children by
preventing their immune (免疫的) system
development. Children need to fight off common germs to develop their immune
systems.
(1)
What do we know about antibacterial hand sanitizers?
A . Most work similarly to hand soap.
B . Most use alcohol to kill the bacteria.
C . Most can't remove oil on our skin.
D . Most bring more bacteria to people.
(2)
What problem does the research find about the manufacturers' claim?
A . Their conclusion isn't drawn from real-life environments.
B . Manufacturers don't test their products before selling them.
C . Their products don't kill the bacteria people usually have.
D . Manufacturers don't tell the public how they get their conclusion.
(3)
Which is the first choice to clean your hands, according to Almanza?
A . Wet tissue.
B . Hand sanitizer.
C . Hand soap and water.
D . 60 percent alcohol and water.
(4)
What does the text tell us about antibacterial soaps?
A . Some contain dangerous antibiotics.
B . They kill more bacteria than regular soaps.
C . They might be harmful for children's development.
D . Some are proved to increase the amount of bacteria.
答案: B
A
C
C