Depression Reading Answers

Dec 13, 2022

Depression Reading Answers is a topic where the effects of depression in human beings have been discussed. The given IELTS topic has a total of 13 sets of questions which the candidates should answer within 20 minutes of the given time. The candidates should mandatorily go through the passage for understanding the core of the passage. The topic has a wide range of questions and is divided into three sorts of questions, like, choose the correct paragraph, choose the correct answer, choose three letters and complete the summary. The candidates should thoroughly skim the IELTS reading passage in order to analyze the gist of the passage, recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and then should attempt to answer the questions below. The candidates for the preparation of similar kinds of topics should practice the IELTS reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Depression Reading Answers

It is often more difficult for outsiders and non-sufferers to understand mental rather than a physical illness in others. While it may be easy for us to sympathize with individuals living with the burden of a physical illness or disability, there is often a stigma attached to being mentally ill or a belief that such conditions only exist in individuals who lack the strength of character to cope with the real world. The pressures of modern life seem to have resulted in an increase in cases of emotional disharmony and government initiatives in many countries have, of late, focused on increasing the general public’s awareness and sympathy towards sufferers of mental illness and related conditions.
Clinical depression, or ‘major depressive disorder’, a state of extreme sadness or despair, is said to affect up to almost 20% of the population at some point in their lives prior to the age of 40. Studies have shown that this disorder is the leading cause of disability in North America; in the UK almost 3 million people are said to be diagnosed with some form of depression at any one time, and experts believe that as many as a further 9 million other cases may go undiagnosed. World Health Organisation projections indicate that clinical depression may become the second most significant cause of disability’ on a global scale by 2020. However, such figures are not unanimously supported, as some experts believe that the diagnostic criteria used to identify՛ the condition are not precise enough, leading to other types of depression being wrongly classified as ‘clinical’.
Many of us may experience periods of low morale or mood and feelings of dejection, as a natural human response to negative events in our lives such as bereavement, redundancy or breakdown of a relationship. Some of us may even experience periods of depression and low levels of motivation which have no tangible reason or trigger. Clinical depression is classified as an on-going state of negativity, with no tangible cause, where sufferers enter a spiral of persistent negative thinking, often experiencing irritability, perpetual tiredness, and listlessness. Sufferers of clinical depression are said to be at higher risk of resorting to drug abuse or even suicide attempts than the rest of the population.
Clinical depression is generally diagnosed when an individual is observed to exhibit an excessively depressed mood and/or ‘anhedonia’ – an inability to experience pleasure from positive experiences such as enjoying a meal or pleasurable social interaction – for a period of two weeks or more, in conjunction with five or more additional recognized symptoms. These additional symptoms may include overwhelming feelings of sadness; inability to sleep, or conversely, excessive sleeping; feelings of guilt, nervousness, abandonment or fear; inability to concentrate; interference with memory capabilities; fixation with death or extreme change in eating habits and associated weight gain or loss.
Clinical depression was originally solely attributed to chemical imbalance in the brain, and while anti-depressant drugs which work to optimize levels of ‘feel-good’ chemicals – serotonin and norepinephrine – are still commonly prescribed today, experts now believe that onset of depression may be caused by a number, and often combination of, physiological and socio-psychological factors. Treatment approaches vary quite dramatically from place to place and are often tailored to an individual’s particular situation; however, some variation of a combination of medication and psychotherapy is most commonly used. The more controversial electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may also be used where initial approaches fail. In extreme cases, where an individual exhibits behaviour which Indicates that they may cause physical harm to themselves, psychiatric hospitalization may be necessary as a form of intensive therapy.
Some recent studies, such as those published by the Archives of General Psychiatry, hold that around a quarter of diagnosed clinical depression cases should actually be considered as significant but none-the-less ordinary sadness and maladjustment to coping with trials in life, indicating that in such cases, psychotherapy rather than treatment through medication is required. Recovery as a result of psychotherapy tends, in most cases, to be a slower process than improvements related to medication; however, improvements as a result of psychological treatment, once achieved, have been observed in some individuals to be more long term and sustainable than those attained through prescription drugs. Various counselling approaches exist, though all focus on enhancing the subject’s ability to function on a personal and interpersonal level. Sessions involve the encouragement of an individual to view themselves and their relationships in a more positive manner, with the intention of helping patients to replace negative thoughts with a more positive outlook.
It is apparent that susceptibility to depression can run in families. However, it remains unclear as to whether this is truly an inherited genetic trait or whether biological and environmental factors common to family members may be at the root of the problem. In some cases, sufferers of depression may need to unlearn certain behaviours and attitudes they have established in life and develop new coping strategies designed to help them deal with problems they may encounter, undoing patterns of destructive behaviour they may have observed in their role models and acquired for themselves.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Reading Passage 1 has seven sections A-G.
Write the correct letters A-G in boxes 1-5 in your answer sheet.
Which Paragraph contains the following information?

Details of treatment alternatives for worst-case scenario depression.

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: Clinical depression was originally solely attributed to chemical imbalance in the brain, and while anti-depressant drugs which work to optimize levels of ‘feel-good’ chemicals – serotonin and norepinephrine – are still commonly prescribed today, experts now believe that onset of depression may be caused by a number, and often combination of, physiological and socio-psychological factors.
Keywords: anti-depressant
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, 1st line
Explanation: The beginning sentence of paragraph E explains that although anti-depressant medications that increase levels of the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine are still frequently prescribed today, experts increasingly think that the start of clinical depression may be triggered by a number of physiological and socio-psychological variables, sometimes in combination.

Information regarding cases where drug treatment is inappropriate.

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: Recovery as a result of psychotherapy trends , in most cases, to be a slower process than improvements related to medication; however, improvements as a result of psychological treatment, once achieved, have been observed in some individuals to be more long term and sustainable than those attained through prescription drugs.
Keywords: long term and sustainable
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, 5th line
Explanation: Line 5 of paragraph F suggests that however, once obtained, gains as a result of psychological treatment have been seen in some people to be more long-term and durable than those attained by prescription pharmaceuticals. Recovery as a result of psychotherapy tends to be a slower process than benefits associated to medication.

Details of how those diagnosed with depression may be more vulnerable than other members of society.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Sufferers of clinical depression are said to be at higher risk of resorting to drug abuse or even suicide attempts than the rest of the population.
Keywords: resorting
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, last sentence
Explanation: The conclusion part of paragraph C explains that most of the pupils who goes through or suffers from clinical depression, mostly commits suicides or gets addicted towards drugs.

Information about society’s attitudes to depression and similar illness.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: While it may be easy for us to sympathize with individuals living with the burden of a burden of a physical illness or disability.
Keywords: sympathize
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, 2nd line
Explanation: The second line of paragraph A implies that when someone else has a mental disease rather than a physical one, it might be more challenging for outsiders and non-sufferers to understand and it can be simple for us to empathise with people who are struggling with the effects of a physical sickness or handicap.

Information regarding why estimates of the incidence of future growth in cases may be overly exaggerated.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Clinical depression, or ‘major depressive disorder’, a state of extreme sadness or despair, is said to affect up to almost 20% of the population at some point in their lives prior to the age of 40.
Keywords: major depressive disorder
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, 1st line
Explanation: The beginning part of pargraph B states that 20% of the population is thought to experience clinical depression, sometimes known as "major depressive disorder," a state of intense melancholy or despair, before the age of 40.

Question 6-8:
Chose three letters A-G:
Write your answers in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.
NB your answers may be given in any order
Which three of the following states of are true of depression?

Governments have generally failed to take action to educate the general public about the condition.
The highest reported number of cases in USA.
In Britain, it is likely that there are more individuals who live with the condition without the help of a doctor than those being officially treated.
Clinical Depression may be triggered by Divorce.
Lethargy may be one of the symptoms of depression.
Prescribed pharmaceuticals have radically changed over recent years.
Approaches to treating depression are not universal.

Question 6:

Answer: C or E or G
Supporting Sentence: ...in the UK almost 3 million people are said to be diagnosed with some form of depression at any one time, and experts believe that as many as a further 9 million other cases may go undiagnosed
Keywords: diagnosed with some form of depression
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 4
Explanation: The fourth line of paragraph B estimates that near about 3 million people in Britain have a diagnosis of depression of some kind.

Question 7:

Answer: C or E or G
Supporting Sentence: Clinical depression is classified as an on-going state of negativity, with no tangible cause, where sufferers enter a spiral of persistent negative thinking, often experiencing irritability, perpetual tiredness, and listlessness.
Keywords: negative thinking, often experiencing irritability, perpetual tiredness, and listlessness
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, 4th line
Explanation: The fourth line of paragraph C states that negative or ill kind of thoughts, frequent irritation, ongoing fatigue, and listlessness are all common symptoms of depression.

Question 8:

Answer: C or E or G
Supporting Sentence: Treatment approaches vary quite dramatically from place to place and are often tailored to an individual’s particular situation; however, some variation of a combination of medication and psychotherapy is most commonly used.
Keywords: tailored to an individual’s particular situation
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, 5th line
Explanation: According to the the fifth line of paragraph E in the passage, each patient's treatment has been individually adapted to meet their unique needs.

Questions 9-13:
Complete the summary of paragraphs F and G with the list of words A-L below:
Write the correct letter A-L in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.

Whilst recovery through counseling rather than medicine may be more 9. _______, results once achieved may have more 10. ___________ with some patients. Counseling sessions are geared towards improving the subject’s relationship with others and their own 11. __________, encouraging sufferers of depression to take on a more 12. ________outlook. The extent to which generic disposition and sociological factors impact on state of mind is 13. ________. Many people undergoing counseling therapy do so with the purpose of unlearning negative behavior and reactions.

Gratifying
Longevity
Ambition
Optimistic
Pessimistic
Difficulty
Inconclusive
Self-image
Gradual
Unequivocal
Immediate
Categorical

Question 9:

Answer: Gradual
Supporting Sentence: Recovery as a result of psychotherapy tends, in most cases, to be a slower process than improvements related to medication;
Keywords: slower process
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, 5th line.
Explanation: Line 5 of paragraph F explains that patient’s betterment or recovery through the procedure of medication is far away rapid than the psycotheraphy tends.

Question 10:

Answer: Longevity
Supporting Sentence: ...however, improvements as a result of psychological treatment, once achieved, have been observed in some individuals to be more long term and sustainable than those attained through prescription drugs.
Keywords: long term and sustainable
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, 6th line
Explanation: The 6th line of paragraph F implies that some people regarded about psychological treatments to be more long-lasting and sustainable than those brought on by using prescription medications.

Question 11:

Answer: Self-image
Supporting Sentence: Sessions involve the encouragement of an individual to view themselves and their relationships in a more positive manner, with the intention of helping patients to replace negative thoughts with a more positive outlook
Keywords: Sessions
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last sentence
Explanation: The concluding line of paragraph F suggests that in order to assist patients replace negative thinking with a more positive approach, sessions involve encouraging a patient to perceive themselves and their relationships in a more positive way.

Question 12:

Answer: Optimistic
Supporting Sentence: Sessions involve the encouragement of an individual to view themselves and their relationships in a more positive manner, with the intention of helping patients to replace negative thoughts with a more positive outlook
Keywords: positive outlook
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last sentence
Explanation: The last part of paragraph F shows that the goal of sessions is to help patients replace negative thoughts with more optimistic ones by encouraging them to see themselves and their relationships in a more positive or beneficial light.

Question 13:

Answer: Inconclusive
Supporting Sentence: ...with the intention of helping patients to replace negative thoughts with a more positive outlook
Keywords: replace negative thoughts
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last sentence
Explanation: The concluding part of paragraph F explains that in order to get rid of depression, a person should primarily perish away all the negative or ill thoughts from themselves.

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