((free)): The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Top

This article is designed to mimic the structure, vocabulary, and question types found in the IELTS Reading section (Academic Module). It includes a main passage, question types (True/False/Not Given, Summary Completion, and Short Answer), and a detailed answer key. Passage Title: The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance Reading Time: 20 minutes THE PASSAGE The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 ushered in the golden age of antibiotics. For the first time in human history, bacterial infections that were once death sentences—such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and sepsis—became manageable, curable conditions. However, just over nine decades later, this medical miracle is waning. The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), commonly known as antibiotic resistance, is now recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity.

| Question | Answer | Explanation (Paragraph reference) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | NOT GIVEN | The passage mentions Fleming’s discovery but does not state that he predicted resistance. This information is absent. (Para 1) | | 2 | FALSE | The passage states: “an estimated 70-80% of all antibiotics sold globally are used in livestock and aquaculture” – not human medicine. (Para 2) | | 3 | TRUE | The text says: “doctors are forced to revert to ‘last-resort’ antibiotics like colistin” – implying it is used when others fail. (Para 3) | | 4 | NOT GIVEN | The passage states antibiotics are less profitable, but it does not say cancer is “more common.” Profit motive is discussed, not prevalence. (Para 4) | | 5 | TRUE | The passage explicitly states: “Countries like the United Kingdom have introduced ‘subscription’ models.” (Para 5) | | 6 | viral infections | Direct quote: “antibiotics are prescribed for viral infections like the common cold.” (Para 2) | | 7 | livestock | Quote: “used in livestock and aquaculture.” (Para 2) | | 8 | second- or third-line | Quote: “may require second- or third-line drugs.” (Para 3) | | 9 | 10 million | Quote: “to 10 million deaths per year by 2050.” (Para 3) | | 10 | One Health | Quote: “a coordinated ‘One Health’ approach.” (Para 5) | | 11 | hygiene | Quote: “improving infection prevention through vaccination and hygiene.” (Para 5) | | 12 | subscription | Quote: “introduced ‘subscription’ models.” (Para 5) | | 13 | low- and middle-income | Quote: “particularly in low- and middle-income countries.” (Para 6) | BAND SCORE ESTIMATOR | Number Correct | IELTS Reading Band Score (Academic) | | :--- | :--- | | 13/13 | 9.0 | | 11–12 | 7.5 – 8.0 | | 9–10 | 6.5 – 7.0 | | 7–8 | 5.5 – 6.0 | | 5–6 | 4.5 – 5.0 | KEY VOCABULARY FROM THE PASSAGE (High-frequency IELTS words) | Word | Meaning | | :--- | :--- | | Waning | Becoming weaker or smaller | | Rampant | Uncontrolled, widespread | | Reservoir | A large supply or source | | Insidious | Gradual, subtle, but harmful | | Stagnation | Lack of activity or development | | Incentives | Motivations or rewards | | Sparing | Using little of something | | Interconnectedness | Mutual connection between things | This article serves both as a reading comprehension exercise and a source of accurate vocabulary and content for candidates preparing for the IELTS exam, specifically targeting the high-frequency theme of global health threats. Use the answer key to self-correct and the vocabulary list to build your academic word bank. This article is designed to mimic the structure,

The consequences of this trend are already visible. Common infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and gonorrhoea, are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. A patient with a resistant infection may require second- or third-line drugs, which are often more toxic, more expensive, and require longer hospital stays. In the worst cases, doctors are forced to revert to ‘last-resort’ antibiotics like colistin, a drug so toxic it can cause kidney failure. When colistin fails, the infection becomes untreatable. According to a 2019 report by the UN Ad Hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, at least 700,000 people die each year from drug-resistant diseases. If no action is taken, this number is projected to rise dramatically: to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, surpassing cancer as a leading cause of death. For the first time in human history, bacterial

Addressing the growing global threat of antibiotic resistance requires a coordinated ‘One Health’ approach that recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Key strategies include: improving infection prevention through vaccination and hygiene, reducing unnecessary agricultural use, investing in rapid diagnostic tests to distinguish viral from bacterial infections, and creating new economic models to incentivise antibiotic research. Countries like the United Kingdom have introduced ‘subscription’ models, where governments pay pharmaceutical companies upfront for access to antibiotics, regardless of how many doses are sold. | Question | Answer | Explanation (Paragraph reference)

Compounding this crisis is the stagnation of the antibiotic pipeline. The ‘golden age’ of antibiotic discovery ended decades ago. Large pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned antibiotic research due to poor financial incentives. A new cancer drug can be sold for thousands of dollars per dose and taken for months; a new antibiotic, by contrast, must be used sparingly to prevent resistance, and for short durations, making it far less profitable. Consequently, only two new classes of antibiotics have reached the market in the last 50 years. Even when new drugs are developed, resistant strains often emerge within a few years of their introduction.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to survive exposure to drugs that would normally kill them. This is a natural evolutionary process, but it has been drastically accelerated by human behaviour. The primary drivers are twofold: overuse and misuse in human medicine, and the rampant use of antibiotics in agriculture. In many countries, antibiotics are prescribed for viral infections like the common cold—against which they are entirely ineffective—or patients fail to complete their prescribed courses, allowing partially resistant bacterial strains to survive and multiply. Simultaneously, an estimated 70-80% of all antibiotics sold globally are used in livestock and aquaculture, not to treat disease, but to promote growth and prevent infection in crowded, unsanitary conditions. This creates an immense reservoir of resistant bacteria that can transfer to humans through the food chain and the environment.