Complementary and Alternative medicine - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

The IELTS Reading section contains three passages and forty questions. There are different types of questions found in each IELTS reading passage. It is crucial to read the passage carefully and take mental notes of important points in order to answer the questions quickly. This IELTS reading sample - Complementary and Alternative medicine, is an IELTS Academic topic. The passage contains the following question types from IELTS Reading Question Types:

• True/False/Not Given
• Choose the correct option

The IELTS Reading section tests the reading proficiency of the candidates through the passage and follow-up questions. There are about 40 questions of different types. The section tests the understanding ability through different task types.

Topic: Complementary and Alternative medicine

What do scientists in Britain think about alternative’ therapies? Or la kennedy reads a surprising survey

1. Is complementary medicine hocus-pocus or does it warrant large-scale scientific investigation? Should science range beyond conventional medicine and conduct research on alternative medicine and the supposed growing links between mind and body? This will be hotly debated at the British Association for the Advancement of Science. One Briton in five uses complementary medicine, and according to the most recent Mintel survey, one in ten uses herbalism or homoeopathy. Around £130 million is spent on oils, potions, and pills every year in Britain, and the complementary and alternative medicine industry is estimated to be worth £1.6 billion. With the help of Professor Edzard Ernst, Laing chair of complementary medicine at The Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, we asked scientists their views on complementary and alternative medicine. Seventy-five scientists, in fields ranging from molecular biology to neuroscience, replied.
2. Surprisingly, our sample of scientists was twice as likely as the public to use some form of complementary medicine, at around four in 10 compared with two in 10 of the general population. Three-quarters of scientific users believed they were effective. Acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy were the most commonly used complementary treatments among scientists and more than 55 per cent believed these were more effective than a placebo and should be available to all on the National Health Service.
3. Scientists appear to place more trust in the more established areas of complementary and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy, for which there are professional bodies and recognized training than therapies such as aromatherapy and spiritual healing. ‘Osteopathy is now a registered profession requiring a certified four-year degree before you can advertise and practice,’ said one neuroscientist who used the therapy. Nearly two-thirds of the scientists who replied to our survey believed that aromatherapy and homoeopathy were no better than placebos, with almost a half thinking the same of herbalism and spiritual thinking. Some of the comments we received were scathing, even though one in ten of our respondents had used homoeopathy. ‘Aromatherapy and homoeopathy are scientifically nonsensical,’ said one molecular biologist from the University of Bristol. Dr.Romke Bron, a molecular biologist at the Medical Research Council Centre at King’s College London, added: ‘Homoeopathy is a big scam and I am convinced that if someone sneaked into a homoeopathic pharmacy and swapped labels, nobody would notice anything.’
4. Two centuries after homoeopathy was introduced, it still lacks a watertight demonstration that it works. Scientists are happy that the resulting solutions and sugar baffled by how they can do anything. Both complementary and conventional medicine should be used in routine health care, according to followers of the ‘integrated health approach’, who want to treat an individual ‘as a whole’. But the scientists who responded to our surveys expressed serious concerns about this approach, with more than half believing that integrated medicine was an attempt to bypass rigorous scientific testing. Dr. Bron said: ‘There is an awful lot of bad science going on in alternative medicine and the general public has a hard time to distinguish between scientific myth and fact. It is absolutely paramount to maintain rigorous quality control in health care. Although the majority of alternative health workers mean well, there are just too many frauds out there preying on vulnerable people.’
5. One molecular biologist from the University of Warwick admitted that ‘by doing this poll I have realized how shamefully little I understand about alternative therapy. Not enough scientific research has been performed. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that at least some of the alternative therapies are effective for some people, suggesting this is an area ripe for research.’
6. When asked if complementary and alternative medicine should get more research funding, scientists believed the top three (acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy) should get money, as should herbalism. It seems that therapies based on physical manipulation or a known action – like the active ingredients in a herb on a receptor in the body – are the ones that the scientific community has faith in. Less than a quarter thought that therapies such as aromatherapy, homeopathy, and spiritual healing should get any funding. Scientists believed that the ‘feelgood’ counseling effect of complementary medicine and the time taken to listen to patients’ problems was what worked, rather than any medicinal effect. In contrast, the average visit to the doctor lasts only eight minutes, says the British Medical Association. Dr. Stephen Nurrish, a molecular biologist at University College London, said: ‘Much of the benefits people get from complementary medicine is the time to talk to someone and be listened to sympathetically, something that is now lacking from medicine in general.’
7. But an anonymous neuroscientist at King’s College London had a more withering view of this benefit: ‘On the validity of complementary and alternative medicines, no one would dispute that ‘feeling good’ is good for your health, but why discriminate between museum-trip therapy, patting-a-dog therapy, and aromatherapy? Is it because only the latter has a cadre of professional ‘practitioners’?’ Other hardline scientists argue that there should be no such thing as complementary and alternative medicine. As Professor David Moore, director of the Medical Research Council’s Institute for Hearing Research, said: ‘Either a treatment works or it doesn’t. The only way to determine if it works is to test it against appropriate controls (that is, scientifically).’

Questions 1-6:

Look at the following views (Questions 1 - 6) and the list of people below them.
Match each view with the person expressing it in the passage. Write the correct letter A- E in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

N.B. You may use any letter more than once.

List of People

1. Dr. Romke Bron
2. a molecular biologist from the University of Warwick
3. Dr. Stephen Nurrish
4. a neuroscientist at King’s College London
5. Professor David Moore

1. Complementary medicine provides something that conventional medicine no longer does.

Answer- “C” Dr. Stephin Nurrish

Supporting sentence- Dr. Stephen Nurrish, a molecular biologist at University College London, said: ‘Much of the benefits people get from complementary medicine is the time to talk to someone and be listened to sympathetically, something that is now lacking from medicine in general.’

Keywords- lacking, medicine

Keywords location- Paragraph 9,4-5th line

Explanation- Dr.Stephen clearly says that with time complementary medicine can provide something as compared to conventional medicine and something that is not available in general medicine.

Also, check:

2. It is hard for people to know whether they are being told the truth or not.

Answer-‘A’: Dr. Romkre Bron

Supporting sentence- Dr. Bron said: ‘There is an awful lot of bad science going on in alternative medicine and the general public has a hard time distinguishing between scientific myth and fact.

Keywords- distinguish, scientific

Keywords location- Paragraph 6, 5-6th line

Explanation- Dr. Bron has said that with bad tactics played in the medical field it becomes a tough decision for citizens to know that the thing which is being told to them is true or false.

3. Certain kinds of complementary and alternative medicine are taken seriously because of the number of people making money from them.

Answer- ‘D’ : a neuroscientist at King’s College London

Supporting sentence- But an anonymous neuroscientist at King’s College London had a more withering view of this benefit: ‘On the validity of complementary and alternative medicines, no one would dispute that ‘feeling good’ is good for your health, but why discriminate between museum-trip therapy, patting-a-dog therapy, and aromatherapy? Is it because only the latter has a cadre of professional ‘practitioners’?’

Keywords- discriminate, complementary

Keywords location- Paragraph 10, 4th,5th line

Explanation- It is clearly mentioned that there is no mean to discriminate between types of surgeries and doctors are charging a higher amount of money

4. Nothing can be considered a form of medicine unless it has been proved effective.

Answer- ‘E’ : Professor David Moore

Supporting sentence- As Professor David Moore, director of the Medical Research Council’s Institute for Hearing Research, said: ‘Either a treatment works or it doesn’t. The only way to determine if it works is to test it against appropriate controls (that is, scientifically).’

Keywords- appropriate controls

Keywords location- Last Paragraph,3rd line

Explanation- Professor David Moore already stated that it is crucial for a medicine to be tested before using it.

5. It seems likely that some forms of alternative medicine do work.

Answer- ‘B’: a molecular biologist from the University of Warwick

Supporting sentence- One molecular biologist from the University of Warwick admitted that ‘by doing this poll I have realised how shamefully little I understand about alternative therapy. Not enough scientific research has been performed. There is enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that at least some of the alternative therapies are effective for some people, suggesting this is an area ripe for research.’

Keywords- alternative, medicine, research

Keywords location- 7th Paragraph,3rd line

Explanation- The biologist realized that different medicines were available that can be effective for different types of people and a proper research should be conducted on them.

6. One particular kind of alternative medicine is a deliberate attempt to cheat the public.

Answer- ‘A’: Dr. Romke Bron

Supporting sentence- Dr. Romke Bron, a molecular biologist at the Medical Research Council Centre at King’s College London, added: ‘Homoeopathy is a big scam and I am convinced that if someone sneaked into a homeopathic pharmacy and swapped labels, nobody would notice anything.’

Keywords- Scam, medicine

Keywords location- 4th paragraph,11th line

Explanation- A great biologist says that people can easily fall into the trap of alternative medicines and they will be cheated.

Questions 7-9:

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-F from the box below.

Write the correct letter A-F in boxes 7-9 on your answer sheet.

1. what makes people use complementary rather than conventional medicine.
2. how many scientists themselves use complementary and alternative medicine.
3. whether alternative medicine should be investigated scientifically.
4. research into the use of complementary and conventional medicine together.
5. how many people use various kinds of complementary medicine.
6. the extent to which attitudes to alternative medicine are changing.

7. The British Association for the Advancement of Science will be discussing the issue of..........

Answer- “C”.:whether alternative medicine should be investigated scientifically.

Supporting sentence- Is complementary medicine hocus-pocus or does it warrant large-scale scientific investigation?

Keywords- Complementary, investigation

Keywords location- 1st paragraph,1st line

Explanation- At the beginning of the paragraph, it is mentioned that the British association of science is discussing a particular issue regarding the investigation of alternative medicines.

8. A recent survey conducted by a certain organisation addressed the issue of..........

Answer- “E’: how many people use various kinds of complementary medicine

Supporting sentence- One Briton in five uses complementary medicine, and according to the most recent Mintel survey, one in ten uses herbalism or homo\eopathy.

Keywords- complementary medicine

Keywords location- 2nd paragraph,1st line

Explanation- It is mentioned that One Briton in five uses complementary medicines that give us the correct answer that they are discussing about the particular issue.

9. The survey in which the writer of the article was involved gave information on..........

Answer- ”B”: how many scientists themselves use complementary and alternative medicine.

Supporting sentence- Surprisingly, our sample of scientists was twice as likely as the public to use some form of complementary medicine, at around four in 10 compared with two in 10 of the general population.

Keywords- sample, survey

Keywords location- 3rd paragraph,1st line

Explanation- The supporting statement mentioned above plays a great role in finding the correct answer as it is mentioned that the number of medicines used by the scientist.

Questions 10-13:

Classify the following information as being given about

1. acupuncture
2. aromatherapy
3. herbalism
4. homeopathy

Write the correct letter, A, B, C, or D in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.

10. Scientists believe that it is ineffective but harmless.

Answer- ”D”: Homeopathy

Supporting sentence- Nearly two-thirds of the scientists who replied to our survey believed that aromatherapy and homeopathy were no better than placebos, with almost a half thinking the same of herbalism and spiritual thinking. Some of the comments we received were scathing, even though one in ten of our respondents had used homeopathy. ‘Aromatherapy and homoeopathy are scientifically nonsensical

Keywords- no better, half thinking, nonsensical

Keywords location- 4th paragraph,6th line

Explanation- The supporting statement mentioned clearly states that homeopathy is not so effective and the best thing about it is that it has zero side effects.

11. Scientists felt that it could be added to the group of therapies that deserved to be provided with resources for further investigation.

Answer- herbalism

Supporting sentence- When asked if complementary and alternative medicine should get more research funding, scientists believed the top three (acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy) should get money, as should herbalism.

Keywords- research funding, believed

Keywords location- 8th paragraph,1st line

Explanation- According to scientists, the amount of money invested for other surgeries should increase as is the same for herbalism and a proper research should be made on it.

12. Scientists felt that it deserved to be taken seriously because of the organised way in which it has developed.

Answer- ”A”: Acupuncture

Supporting sentence- Scientists appear to place more trust in the more established areas of complementary and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and osteopathy, for which there are professional bodies and recognised training,

Keywords- trust, professional bodies, and recognised training

Keywords location- 4th paragraph,1st line

Explanation- There is an organised structure for acupuncture as there is a professional body and a recognised training and scientists believe that more attention should be given on it.

13. A number of scientists had used it, but harsh criticism was expressed about it.

Answer- 'D':Homeopathy

Supporting sentence- Some of the comments we received were scathing, even though one in ten of our respondents had used homoeopathy.

Keywords- scathing, used

Keywords location- 4th paragraph, 8th line

Explanation- almost 10% of the scientists had used the homeopathy technique, but the results obtained by the opinion of the scientist were very critical .