The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Top
Complete the notes below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.
Causes of AMR:
Consequences:
Passage Title: The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance Reading Time: 20 minutes
A. The discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century is often cited as one of the greatest achievements in medical history. Penicillin, discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, transformed once-fatal infections into manageable conditions, saving countless lives. However, this medical triumph is facing a formidable adversary: antibiotic resistance. This phenomenon occurs when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the drugs designed to kill them. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist, and the risk of spreading resistant strains to others increases.
B. The mechanism of resistance is a classic example of Darwinian evolution. When a person takes an antibiotic, the drug kills the susceptible bacteria, leaving behind only those few bacteria that, by chance or genetic mutation, possess traits allowing them to survive. These survivors then multiply, becoming the dominant strain. This process is accelerated significantly by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. When drugs are used unnecessarily—for instance, to treat viral infections like the common cold, against which they are ineffectual—bacteria are exposed to the medication without fully eradicating the infection, providing an environment for resistance to flourish. Complete the notes below using NO MORE THAN
C. While the natural biological mutation of bacteria is a slow process, human activity has rapidly escalated the crisis. In many parts of the world, antibiotics are readily available over the counter without a prescription, leading to self-medication and improper dosing. Furthermore, the agricultural sector is a major driver of resistance. Farmers frequently administer antibiotics to livestock not only to treat illness but also to promote growth and prevent disease in crowded conditions. This sub-therapeutic usage creates a reservoir of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be transmitted to humans via the food chain or through environmental contamination.
D. The implications of a "post-antibiotic era" are profound. Routine medical procedures that rely on prophylactic antibiotics, such as joint replacements, organ transplants, and cancer chemotherapy, would become life-threateningly risky. Common infections, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and blood poisoning, could once again become fatal. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that antibiotic resistance threatens the very core of modern medicine and could result in a global economic burden comparable to the 2008 financial crisis, due to prolonged hospital stays and lost productivity.
E. Addressing this growing threat requires a multifaceted approach. On an individual level, patients must adhere strictly to prescribed courses of treatment and avoid demanding antibiotics for viral illnesses. Policymakers are urged to implement stricter regulations on the sale of antibiotics and invest in better diagnostic tools to ensure drugs are only prescribed when necessary. Simultaneously, there is a pressing need to stimulate pharmaceutical research. The development of new antibiotics has stalled in recent decades because the financial return on drugs that are used sparingly is low. Without a renewed commitment to innovation and stewardship, the world risks returning to a time where a simple scratch could prove fatal.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write:
Here are the correct answers with explanations and location of evidence in the text. Consequences:
| Question | Answer | Explanation (Paragraph reference) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | 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) |
The Silent Pandemic
Antibiotics have saved hundreds of millions of lives since the discovery of penicillin in 1928. However, the overuse and misuse of these drugs in humans and animals have accelerated a natural evolutionary process: bacteria developing resistance. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared AMR one of the top 10 global public health threats. Each year, at least 700,000 people die from drug-resistant infections. Without action, this number could reach 10 million by 2050, surpassing deaths from cancer. Common infections, such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhoea, are becoming untreatable. Routine surgeries and chemotherapy rely on effective antibiotics to prevent infections; without them, these procedures become high-risk.
Low- and middle-income countries face the greatest burden due to weaker healthcare systems, lack of sanitation, and easy access to antibiotics without prescription. However, no country is immune. Even in high-income nations, antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) cause thousands of deaths annually. Passage Title: The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic
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Drivers and Consequences of Antibiotic Resistance
The rise of antibiotic resistance is not a simple medical problem but a complex interplay of human behaviour, agricultural practices, and economic pressures. One major driver is the overprescription of antibiotics by healthcare providers, often in response to patient demand or diagnostic uncertainty. Viral infections, against which antibiotics are useless, are frequently treated with antibiotics, promoting resistance without any benefit.
In agriculture, up to 80% of total antibiotic consumption in some countries is used in food animals to promote growth and prevent disease in crowded conditions. This practice allows resistant bacteria to develop in animals and spread to humans through direct contact, food, or the environment. Waste from farms and pharmaceutical manufacturing also releases antibiotics into water systems, creating reservoirs of resistance genes.
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) pose a particularly severe threat. Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to resistant strains like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which are resistant to last-resort antibiotics. The economic burden is staggering: in the USA alone, treating resistant infections costs an estimated $4.6 billion annually. Patients with resistant infections stay in hospital longer, require more expensive drugs, and have mortality rates up to twice as high as those with treatable infections.
The pipeline for new antibiotics is drying up. Between 2010 and 2020, only ten new antibiotics were approved, and most were variations of existing classes. Pharmaceutical companies have little financial incentive to develop new drugs because antibiotics are used for short courses and resistance limits their long-term profitability.
