IV. Reading Comprehension (20%)Read the following passages and choose the best answer to each question. Mark the correspondingletter A, B, C, or D on your answer card.
Passage 1
       Have you been sniffling, sneezing and snorting? Assuming you do not have COVID-19, there isa good chance you are suffering from spring allergies. You may have seen television commercials for awide variety of symptomatic treatments. There are oral antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) andlevocetirizine (Xyzal). The Claritin commercials, for example, promote spring as the "Most WonderfulTime of the Year."' As the family comes rushing downstairs to embrace the great outdoors, theannouncer says, "Claritin provides non-drowsy symptom relief from over 200 indoor and outdoorallergens day after day." However, there is one drawback to using antihistamines for the entire allergyseason: stopping them suddenly after months of use can lead to unbearable itching that may last sixweeks or longer.       Then there are corticosteroid nasal sprays. Products such as fluticasone (Flonase) andtriamcinolone (Nasacort) have been joined on over-the-counter shelves by mometasone (Nasonex). Inthe Flonase commercial, an enormous grcen monster rises out of the earth, while the narrator tells us,"Allergies don't have to be scary." Apparently, one person on Earth got that message. He watches withinterest while the others scream and flee. That's becausc he sprayed Flonase in his nose before leavinghome. Such steroid nasal sprays are cffective against allergy symptoms. However, they can cause sideeffects of their own, including changes in the sense of smell or taste. Long-term use may increase therisk for cataracts.     One kind of allergy medicine that you probably won't see advertised on television is cromolyn(NasalCrom). This drug works differently from steroids as well as antihistamines. Rather thancounteracting histamine after its release or calming chemicals in the nose with cortisone-likecompounds, cromolyn stabilizes mast cells. That keeps them from reacting to allergens anddischarging inflammatory agents. The origins of this medication are in a natural remedy called Ammivisnaga. The prescription drug NasalCrom was introduced in 1983. It went over the counter in 1997.Not all pharmacies stock NasalCrom, but it is available online. The drug is considered quite safe,although some people experience temporary sneezing or irritation. The biggest downside is that theinstructions say it should be used three or four times a day, which can be inconvenient.
【題組】26. What is the main purpose of this passage?
(A) To inform that spring allergies and COVID-19 have similar symptoms.
(B) To discuss the power of television commercials in promoting drugs.
(C) To explain why every allergy medication has its side effects.
(D) To introduce an alternative drug for spring allergies.