Genetic Disorders IELTS Reading Answers

Aug 29, 2023

Genetic Disorders IELTS Reading Answers is a general reading subject that explores Genetic Disorders. Genetic Disorders IELTS reading answers, have a total of thirteen questions. The specified topic generates a single type of question: True/False/Not Given. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Genetic Disorders IELTS Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Genetic Disorders IELTS Reading Answers

Carl Sagan once said, 'Science loses ground to pseudo science because the latter seems to offer more comfort.' Yes,hard science, proven facts, and indisputable logic are often not sufficiently consoling, and thus routinely eliminated from the equation. Never, though, has this been more distressing than with the so-called 'anti-vaccination' movement. The end result has been the needless death of very young children, the most helpless of bystanders, and yet it seems there is no end in sight.
It is strange to believe that vaccination, with such a long and distinguished track record, is now under assault. Smallpox, for example, had killed over half a billion human beings throughout history but was eradicated - completely removed from the face of the Earth - via immunization programs. Similarly, polio, rubella, whooping cough, measles,and a slew of other diseases which routinely decimated the youth are now, virtually, things of the past. The days of high infant mortality, short life spans, and nasty brutish lives are indeed long gone, and we owe it all to this crucial insight into disease prevention.
And this is part of the problem. With the once terrible epidemics lying outside of human memory, a growing number of people are convinced that vaccinations are no longer necessary, and of that the small risk of adverse effects outweighs the benefits. One reason for this belief is that many genetic disorders related to brain impairment often emerge at around two years of age - that is, the same period in which babies receive vaccinations. If one in a hundred babies is destined to develop autism among a vaccinated group, then observable symptoms of the problem will likely appear after a vaccination shot, leading distraught parents to link one event to the other.
This misattribution is compounded by the Internet, which now hosts a sprawling forum of anti-vaccination lobby groups and their websites, full with unsubstantiated claims, fraudulent research, anecdotal evidence, and the passionate tirades of multitudes, 6rmly convinced of the correctness of their case. Authority is undermined, statistics ignored, and hard science excluded. Is it so surprising? If creationists and alternative medicine practitioners can gain respectability and widespread public and political support, so too can the pseudoscience of the anti-vaccinationists. When faced with this wave of propaganda, it would be hard for many parents, motivated by the intense desire to protect their children, not to be influenced.
At this is point, it must be clarified that there is no credible evidence whatsoever to support the anti-vaccinationists' claims. Over a score of peer-reviewed studies have found nothing to link the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine to autism, or even the more subtle neurological problems, and every reason to continue with vaccinations.The so-called increase in autism so often attributed to vaccinations merely results from more accurate diagnoses. Children who in the past would have been labeled as 'retarded' or 'slow' are now identified as having one of the three main grades of autism (which is probably genetically determined). Yet this argument falls on deaf ears, and the counter- claimants have succeeded in reducing vaccination rates among certain communities to the extent that outbreaks of preventable childhood illnesses (such as polio, meningitis, and measles) are occurring.
The MMR controversy is a sad case. In 1998, a high-profile paper linked this vaccine to autism. It was later shown that the author was receiving funds from various groups engaged in a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers, and that the study was both ethically and methodologically faulty. Data had been manipulated, and results misreported. Similar studies found no link whatsoever, and in 2004, the medical journal which hosted the original article formally retracted its conclusion. Yet vaccination rates in the UK. had dropped to in 80% in the subsequent years. In late 1999, a measles outbreak occurred in North Dublin (which had vaccination rates as low as 60%), resulting in 100 hospitalizations and three deaths.
One of the key arguments of the anti-vaccinationists is that they have the right to choose their medication. These people attack what they see as the impersonal, intrusive, and uncaring approach of modern medical science. However, the success of immunization programs depends on a sufficiently high number of the population being immune, which forces the disease to die out through lack of carriers.

If there are enough susceptible individuals to provide a chain of disease transmission, safety is a compromised for all, and this is why free choice should not be an issue, particularly when the hard evidence presents an overwhelming case. Personally, I would have thought that when children started dying from preventable diseases, the antivaccinationists' case would die also.

But there are other agendas at play. Anti-vaccinationists can posture as moral crusaders, dismissing those who support immunization as being in the payment of big pharmaceutical companies, whom they see as dishonest and immoral. Talk show hosts, women's magazines, paid 'experts', lawyers, and media celebrities, all benefit from creating controversy when none existed, while alternative medicine practitioners and snake-oil salesmen all oppose vaccination, believing that their own slew of pills, potions, and unproven expensive treatments do the job better. Against all this, how can rational science prevail?

Section 2

Questions 27-33
Reading Passage Three has 7 paragraphs, A-H. Choose the correct heading for Paragraphs B- H from the list of headings. Write the correct number, i-x, for each answer.

List of Headings

Easy publicity
Increasing outbreaks of disease
iii. Some real reasons
All or nothing
Autism on the rise
Past successes
A sad consequence
An unfortunate coincidence
A simple explanation
Some dubious evidence

Paragraph B

Answer: vi
Supporting statement: “....throughout history but was eradicated - completely removed from the face of the Earth - via immunization programs....”
Keywords: eradicated, immunization
Keyword location: para B, line 3-4
Explanation: The phrase "Past Successes" reflects the idea that vaccination has a remarkable track record of accomplishments in the past. It acknowledges the historical achievements and impact of vaccines on public health.

Paragraph C

Answer: viii
Supporting statement: “....If one in a hundred babies is destined to develop autism among a vaccinated group, then observable symptoms of the problem will likely appear after a vaccination shot, leading distraught parents to link one event to the other....”
Keywords: destined, vaccination
Keyword location: para C, line 6-8
Explanation: The text explains that due to the eradication of past epidemics, some people believe that vaccinations are no longer necessary and that the potential risks associated with vaccines outweigh their benefits.

Paragraph D

Answer: i
Supporting statement: “...This misattribution is compounded by the Internet, which now hosts a sprawling forum of anti-vaccination lobby groups and their websites.....”
Keywords: misattribution, sprawling
Keyword location: para D, line 1-3
Explanation: The text highlights the existence of online forums, websites, and lobby groups that promote anti-vaccination messages, often filled with unsubstantiated claims, fraudulent research, and emotional appeals.

Paragraph E

Answer: ix
Supporting statement: “....every reason to continue with vaccinations.
The so-called increase in autism so often attributed to vaccinations merely results from more accurate diagnoses....”
Keywords: vaccinations, autism
Keyword location: para E, line 4-5
Explanation: The phrase "A Simple Explanation" implies that the passage will provide a straightforward and clear explanation of the situation regarding vaccinations and the anti-vaccinationists' claims.

Paragraph F

Answer:x
Supporting statement: “... a high-profile paper linked this vaccine to autism. It was later shown that the author was receiving funds from various groups engaged in a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers, and that the study was both ethically and methodologically faulty....”
Keywords: autism, lawsuit
Keyword location: para F, line 1-2
Explanation:The phrase "Some Dubious Evidence" reflects the presence of questionable and unreliable evidence in the MMR controversy. The passage explains that the initial paper linking the MMR vaccine to autism was later revealed to be ethically and methodologically flawed.

Paragraph G

Answer:iv
Supporting statement: “...If there are enough susceptible individuals to provide a chain of disease transmission, safety is a compromised for all, and this is why free choice should not be an issue, particularly when the hard evidence presents an overwhelming case...”
Keywords: susceptible, evidence
Keyword location: para G, line 6-8
Explanation:The phrase "All or Nothing" represents the contrasting viewpoints presented in the passage. On one hand, the anti-vaccinationists argue for the right to choose their medication and criticize the perceived impersonal and intrusive nature of modern medical science.

Paragraph H

Answer:iii
Supporting statement: “...But there are other agendas at play. Anti-vaccinationists can posture as moral crusaders, dismissing those who support immunization as being in the payment of big pharmaceutical companies, whom they see as dishonest and immoral....”
Keywords:agendas, crusaders
Keyword location: para H, line 1-3
Explanation:The phrase "Some Real Reasons" implies that the passage will present genuine motivations behind the anti-vaccination movement. The passage highlights various agendas that contribute to the opposition against vaccination.

Questions 34-36

Choose THREE answers from the list and write the correct letter, A-G, next to the questions. For which THREE reasons, A-, do anti-vaccinationists oppose vaccinations?

Believing they cause problems
Wanting to save money
Wanting freedom of choice
Not believing drug manufacturers
The pain of vaccinations
The influence of creationists
Preferring alternative medicine

Q.34

Answer:A
Supporting statement: “...a growing number of people are convinced that vaccinations are no longer necessary, and of that the small risk of adverse effects outweighs the benefits.....”
Keywords: adverse, benefits
Keyword location: para C, line 2-3
Explanation:Anti-vaccinationists oppose vaccinations because they believe that vaccines cause problems, particularly in relation to the development of certain conditions, such as autism. They often argue that vaccines are associated with adverse effects and claim a link between vaccinations and various health issues.

Q.35

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “...One of the key arguments of the anti-vaccinationists is that they have the right to choose their medication. These people attack what they see as the impersonal...”
Keywords: medication, impersonal
Keyword location: para G, line 1-3
Explanation:They argue that individuals should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies and the bodies of their children without interference or mandates from governmental or medical authorities.

Q.36

Answer: D
Supporting statement: “... dismissing those who support immunization as being in the payment of big pharmaceutical companies, whom they see as dishonest and immoral....”
Keywords: immunization, payment
Keyword location: para H ,line 2-3
Explanation: Anti-vaccinationists also oppose vaccinations because they express a lack of trust in drug manufacturers. They often question the motives and integrity of pharmaceutical companies, viewing them as profit-driven entities that prioritize financial gain over public health.

Questions 37-40
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

Autism is
A. sometimes caused by vaccinations.
B. a very subtle neurological disorder
C. most likely inherited
D. increasing.

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “...If one in a hundred babies is destined to develop autism among a vaccinated group, then observable symptoms of the problem will likely appear after a vaccination shot, leading distraught parents to link one event to the other....”
Keywords: autism, distraught
Keyword location: para C, line 7-8
Explanation:Yes, autism is widely believed to have a significant genetic component. Research suggests that genetic factors play a crucial role in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The 1998 paper was
A. the cause of falling vaccination rates.
B. defended by the medical journal.
C. verified by other studies.
D. funded by patients.

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “...engaged in a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers, and that the study was both ethically and methodologically faulty. Data had been manipulated, and results misreported....”
Keywords: faulty, misreported
Keyword location: para F, line 3-5
Explanation: Yes, the 1998 paper linking the MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) vaccine to autism had a significant impact on vaccination rates. The paper, authored by Andrew Wakefield and published in The Lancet, suggested a potential link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Vaccinations
A. have removed most smallpox from the world.
B. are supported by solid evidence.
C. are defended on some websites.
D. are no longer necessary.

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “...more subtle neurological problems, and every reason to continue with vaccinations. The so-called increase in autism so often attributed to vaccinations merely results from more accurate diagnoses. ...”
Keywords: subtle, autism
Keyword location: para E, line 3-4
Explanation:Indeed, vaccinations are supported by solid evidence. Extensive scientific research, clinical trials, and epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated the safety, effectiveness, and benefits of vaccinations in preventing infectious diseases.

Alternative medicine practitioners
A. believe vaccinations are generally good.
B. can be impersonal and uncaring
C. are often supported by politicians.
D. are often quite cheap.

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “...If creationists and alternative medicine practitioners can gain respectability and widespread public and political support, so too can the pseudoscience of the anti-vaccinationists....”
Keywords: creationists, respectability
Keyword location: para D, line 5-6
Explanation: One reason politicians may support alternative medicine practitioners is to appeal to a specific constituency or interest group. Some individuals and communities have a preference for alternative medicine approaches, and politicians may align themselves with these groups to gain their support and votes.

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