Alternative Medicine in Australia - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

The IELTS reading test spans 60 minutes. It has 40 questions. IELTS reading passages are based on different topics like science, technology, arts, humanities. A variety of question formats are used to assess reading ability. Skimming, grasping logical argumentation, recognizing writers' perspectives, attitudes, and intent are all examples of reading for gist. The IELTS reading sample article - Alternative Medicine in Australia consists of passages along with the answers and explanations.

The following passage contains the following types of questions:

• Choose the correct answer
• Yes/No/Not Given
• No more than 3 words

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Alternative Medicine in Australia IELTS Reading Sample​

The first students to study alternative medicine at university level in Australia began their four-year, full-time course at the University of Technology, Sydney, in early 1994. Their course covered, among other therapies, acupuncture. The theory they learnt is based on the traditional Chinese explanation of this ancient healing art: that it can regulate the flow of ‘Qi’ or energy through pathways in the body. This course reflects how far some alternative therapies have come in their struggle for acceptance by the medical establishment.

Australia has been unusual in the Western world in having a very conservative attitude to natural or alternative therapies, according to Dr Paul Laver, a lecturer in Public Health at the University of Sydney. ‘We’ve had a tradition of doctors being fairly powerful and I guess they are pretty loath to allow any pretenders to their position to come into it.’ In many other industrialized countries, orthodox and alternative medicines have worked ‘hand in glove’ for years. In Europe, only orthodox doctors can prescribe herbal medicine. In Germany, plant remedies account for 10% of the national turnover of pharmaceutical. Americans made more visits to alternative therapist than to orthodox doctors in 1990, and each year they spend about $US 12 billion on the therapies that have not been scientifically tested.

Disenchantment with orthodox medicine has seen the popularity of alternative therapies in Australia climb steadily during the past 20 years. In a 1983 national health survey, 1.9% of people said they had contacted a chiropractor, naturopath, osteopath, acupuncturist or herbalist in the two weeks prior to the survey. By 1990, this figure had risen to 2.6% of the population. The 550,000 consultations with alternative therapists reported in the 1990 survey represented about an eighth of the total number of consultations with medically qualified personnel covered by the survey, according to Dr Laver and colleagues writing in the Australian Journal of Public Health in 1993. ‘A better educated and less accepting public has become disillusion with the experts in general and increasingly skeptical about science and empirically based knowledge,’ they said. ‘The high standing of professionals, including doctors, has been eroded as a consequence.’

Rather than resisting or criticizing this trend, increasing numbers of Australian doctors, particularly younger ones, are forming group practices with alternative therapists or taking courses themselves, particularly in acupuncture and herbalism. Part of the incentive was financial, Dr Laver said. ‘The bottom line is that most general practitioners are business people. If they see potential clientele going elsewhere, they might want to be able to offer a similar service.’

In 1993, Dr Laver and his colleagues published a survey of 289 Sydney people who attended eight alternative therapists’ practices in Sydney. These practices offered a wide range of alternative therapies from 25 therapists. Those surveyed had experience chronic illnesses, for which orthodox medicine had been able to provide little relief. They commented that they liked the holistic approach of their alternative therapists and the friendly, concerned and detailed attention they had received. The cold, impersonal manner of orthodox doctors featured in the survey. An increasing exodus from their clinics, coupled with this and a number of other relevant surveys carried out in Australia, all pointing to orthodox doctors’ inadequacies, have led mainstream doctors themselves to begin to admit they could learn from the personal style of alternative therapists. Dr Patrick Store, President of the Royal College of General Practitioners, concurs that orthodox doctors could learn a lot about beside manner and advising patients on preventative health from alternative therapists.

According to the Australian Journal of Public Health, 18% of patients visiting alternative therapists do so because they suffer from musculo-skeletal complaints; 12% suffer from digestive problems, which is only 1% more than those suffering from emotional problems. Those suffering from respiratory complaints represent 7% of their patients, and candida sufferers represent an equal percentage. Headache sufferers and those complaining of general ill health represent 6% and 5% of patients respectively, and a further 4% see therapists for general health maintenance.

The survey suggested that complementary medicine is probably a better term than alternative medicine. Alternative medicine appears to be an adjunct, sought in times of disenchantment when conventional medicine seems not to offer the answer.

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Section 2

Solution With Explanation

Questions 1-2:
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 1-2 on your answer sheet.

1. Traditionally, how have Australian doctors differed from doctors in many Western countries?

1. They have worked closely with pharmaceutical companies.
2. They have often worked alongside other therapists.
3. They have been reluctant to accept alternative therapies.
4. They have regularly prescribed alternative remedies.

Answer: (c) They have been reluctant to accept alternative therapies.

Supporting Sentence: Australia has been unusual in the Western world in having a very conservative attitude to natural or alternative therapies.

Keyword: reluctant, accept, alternative therapies.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 1

Explanation: Unlike several countries of the Western world, Australian doctors have been quite opposed to adopting any natural or alternative remedies.

2. In 1990, Americans

1. were prescribed more herbal medicines than in previous years.
2. consulted alternative therapists more often than doctors.
3. spent more on natural therapies than orthodox medicines.
4. made more complaints about doctors than in previous years.

Answer: (b) consulted alternative therapists more often than doctors.

Supporting Sentence: Americans made more visits to alternative therapists than to orthodox doctors in 1990.

Keyword: consult, alternative therapists, doctors.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Line 6

Explanation: During the 1990s, most of the people living in America preferred alternative therapists to traditional and orthodox doctors.

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Questions 3-10:

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 3-10 on your answer sheet write

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

3. Australians have been turning to alternative therapies in increasing numbers over the past 20 years.

Answer: Yes

Supporting Sentence: Disenchantment with orthodox medicine has seen the popularity of alternative therapies in Australia climb steadily during the past 20 years.

Keyword: Australians, alternative therapies, increasing, 20 years.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 1

Explanation: Over the past 20 years, alternative therapies have become quite popular in Australia and are slowly increasing in demand.

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4. Between 1983 and 1990 the numbers of patients visiting alternative therapists rose to include a further 8% of the population.

Answer: No

Supporting Sentence: In a 1983 national health survey, 1.9% of people said they had contacted a chiropractor, naturopath, osteopath, acupuncturist or herbalist in the two weeks prior to the survey. By 1990, this figure had risen to 2.6% of the population.

Keyword: 1983, 1990, patients, alternative therapists, 8%, population.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 2-3

Explanation: The number of patients using alternative therapies rose by 8 percent between 1983 and 1990.

5. The 1990 survey related to 550,000 consultations with alternative therapists.

Answer: Yes

Supporting Sentence: The 550,000 consultations with alternative therapists reported in the 1990 survey.

Keyword: 1990 survey, 550,000 consultations, alternative therapists.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 4

Explanation: The survey conducted in 1990 revealed about 550,000 consultations made by the people to alternative therapists.

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6. In the past, Australians had a higher opinion of doctors than they do today.

Answer: Yes

Supporting Sentence: A better educated and less accepting public has become disillusioned with the experts in general and increasingly skeptical about science and empirically based knowledge.

Keyword: Australians, higher opinion, doctors.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Line 5

Explanation: With the spread of education, Australians have become quite doubtful about scientific knowledge and thus, have less faith in doctors.

7. Some Australian doctors are retraining in alternative therapies.

Answer: Yes

Supporting Sentence: Increasing numbers of Australian doctors are forming group practices with alternative therapists or taking courses themselves.

Keyword: Australian doctors, retraining, alternative therapies.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Line 1

Explanation: With the passage of time, a greater number of Australian doctors are taking up courses in alternative therapies.

8. Alternative therapists earn higher salaries than doctors.

Answer: Not Given

Keyword: Alternative therapists, higher salaries, doctors.

Explanation: Although the fourth paragraph talks about several young Australian doctors taking up courses in alternative therapies, no mention of a higher salary of the alternative therapists as compared to orthodox doctors have been made.

9. The 1993 Sydney survey involved 289 patients who visited alternative therapists for acupuncture treatment.

Answer: No

Supporting Sentence: In 1993, Dr Laver and his colleagues published a survey of 289 Sydney people who attended eight alternative therapists’ practices in Sydney. These practices offered a wide range of alternative therapies.

Keyword: 1993, Sydney survey, 289 patients, alternative therapists,

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 1-2

Explanation: A survey conducted by researchers in 1993 included 289 patients from Sydney who had visited alternative therapists for different alternative therapies.

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10. All the patients in the 1993 Sydney survey had long-term medical complaints.

Answer: Yes

Supporting Sentence: In 1993, Dr Laver and his colleagues published a survey of 289 Sydney people; Those surveyed had experience chronic illnesses.

Keyword: patients, 1993, Sydney survey, long-term medical complaints

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, Line 1 and Line 3

Explanation: In 1993, a survey was conducted on 289 patients residing in Sydney who complained about long-standing diseases.

Questions 11-13:

Complete the vertical axis on the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from Reading Passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet.

Answer 11: Emotional Problems

Supporting Sentence: Only 1% more than those suffering from emotional problems.

Keyword: emotions, emotional problems.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 2

Explanation: Only 11 percent of the medical complaints comprised people suffering from emotional problems.

Answer 12: Headache

Supporting Sentence: Headache sufferers represent 6% of patients.

Keyword: headaches, headache, patients.

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 4

Explanation: Only 6 percent of patients visiting alternative therapists complained about headaches.

Answer 13: General ill health

Keyword: general, ill, health, maintenance

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Line 4

Supporting Sentence: 4% see therapists for general health maintenance.

Explanation: Only about 4 percent of the patients visit alternative therapists for the maintenance of their general health.