Measures To Combat Infectious Disease in Tsarist Russia Reading Answers
Candidates' reading aptitude is assessed in the IELTS Academic Reading section, which includes a passage and questions. Candidates are required to react to a variety of questions, each of which is unique. In the IELTS reading section, students' comprehension skills are examined using a range of issue kinds. In this area of the IELTS Reading Answers, there are three sorts of questions for the text Measures To Combat Infectious Disease In Tsarist Russia.
- Choose the Correct Heading
- Choose the Correct Letter
- No more than one word
Measures To Combat Infectious Disease In Tsarist Russia contains an academic passage that reads an IELTS passage. Based on the passage below, answer questions 1-13. The answers, as well as where they're situated in the passage and the keywords that will help you identify them, are found after the questions. IELTS reading practice papers cover a variety of themes to help students improve their exam performance.
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Measures To Combat Infectious Disease in Tsarist Russia Reading Answers
A - Systematic intelligence-gathering about external cases of plague.
In the second half of the seventeenth century, Russian authorities began implementing controls at the borders of their empire to prevent the importation of plague, a highly infectious and dangerous disease. Information on disease outbreaks occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar’s court through various means, including commercial channels (traveling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents, the network of Imperial Foreign Office embassies and representations abroad, and the customs offices. For instance, the heads of customs offices were instructed to question foreigners entering Russia about possible epidemics of dangerous diseases in their respective countries.
B - Partly successful bans against foreign states affected by plague.
If news of an outbreak came from abroad, relations with the affected country were suspended. For instance, foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports if there was credible information about the existence of epidemics in countries from whence they had departed. In addition, all foreigners entering Russia from those countries had to undergo quarantine. In 1665, after receiving news about a plague epidemic in England, Tsar Alexei wrote a letter to King Charles II in which he announced the cessation of Russian trade relations with England and other foreign states. These protective measures appeared to have been effective, as the country did not record any cases of plague during that year and in the next three decades. It was not until 1692 that another plague outbreak was recorded in the Russian province of Astrakhan. This epidemic continued for five months and killed 10,383 people, or about 65 percent of the city’s population. By the end of the seventeenth century, preventative measures had been widely introduced in Russia, including the isolation of persons ill with plague, the imposition of quarantines, and the distribution of explanatory public health notices about plague outbreaks.
C - Outbreaks of plague as a result of military campaigns.
During the eighteenth century, although none of the occurrences was of the same scale as in the past, plague appeared in Russia several times. For instance, from 1703 to 1705, a plague outbreak that had ravaged Istanbul spread to the Podolsk and Kiev provinces in Russia, and then to Poland and Hungary. After defeating the Swedes in the battle of Poltava in 1709, Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) dispatched part of his army to Poland, where plague had been raging for two years. Despite preventive measures, the disease spread among the Russian troops. In 1710, the plague reached Riga (then part of Sweden, now the capital of Latvia), where it was active until 1711 and claimed 60,000 lives. During this period, the Russians besieged Riga and, after the Swedes had surrendered the city in 1710, the Russian army lost 9.800 soldiers to the plague. Russian military chronicles of the time note that more soldiers died of the disease after the capture of Riga than from enemy fire during the siege of that city.
D - Various measures to limit outbreaks of plague associated with war
Tsar Peter I imposed strict measures to prevent the spread of plague during these conflicts. Soldiers suspected of being infected were isolated and taken to areas far from military camps. In addition, camps were designed to separate divisions, detachments, and smaller units of soldiers. When plague reached Narva (located in present-day Estonia) and threatened to spread to St. Petersburg, the newly built capital of Russia, Tsar Peter I ordered the army to cordon off the entire boundary along the Luga River, including temporarily halting all activity on the river.
In order to prevent the movement of people and goods from Narva to St Petersburg and Novgorod, roadblocks and checkpoints were set up on all roads. The tsar’s orders were rigorously enforced, and those who disobeyed were hung.
E - The general limitations of early Russian anti-plague measures
However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character: they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague. The advent of such a standard response system came a few years later.
F - The formulation and publication of preventive strategies
The first attempts to organize procedures and carry out proactive steps to control plague date to the aftermath of the 1727- 1728 epidemic in Astrakhan. In response to this, the Russian imperial authorities issued several decrees aimed at controlling the future spread of plague. Among these decrees, the ‘Instructions for Governors and Heads of Townships’ required that all governors immediately inform the Senate - a government body created by Tsar Peter I in 1711 to advise the monarch - if plague cases were detected in their respective provinces.
Furthermore, the decree required that governors ensure the physical examination of all persons suspected of carrying the disease and their subsequent isolation. In addition, it was ordered that sites where plague victims were found had to be encircled by checkpoints and isolated for the duration of the outbreak. These checkpoints were to remain operational for at least six weeks.
The houses of infected persons were to be burned along with all of the personal property they contained, including farm animals and cattle. The governors were instructed to inform the neighboring provinces and cities about every plague case occurring on their territories. Finally, letters brought by couriers were heated above a fire before being copied.
G
The implementation by the authorities of these combined measures demonstrates their intuitive understanding of the importance of the timely isolation of infected people to limit the spread of plague.
Section 2
Solution with Explanation
Questions 1-6:
Reading Passage has SEVEN sections, A-G.
Choose the correct heading for sections A-F from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-viii.
List of Headings:
- Outbreaks of plague as a result of military campaigns.
- Systematic intelligence-gathering about external cases of plague.
- Early forms of treatment for plague victims.
- The general limitations of early Russian anti-plague measures.
- Partly successful bans against foreign states affected by plague.
- Hostile reactions from foreign states to Russian anti-plague measures.
- Various measures to limit outbreaks of plague associated with war.
- The formulation and publication of preventive strategies.
Questions 1: Section A
Answer: ii
Supporting sentence: Information on disease outbreak occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar's court through various means, including commercial channels (traveling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents, the network of imperial Foreign office embassies and representations abroad and the customs office.
Keywords: 'information on disease outbreak' , 'occurring abroad', 'reported to the tsar's court through various means'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line- 2
Explanation: According to paragraph A, it was in the second half of the seventeenth century when a highly contagious and dangerous disease called plague rapidly broke out in various regions in the world, and the Russian authority implemented some strict guidelines to control the disease. As the disease outbroke rapidly information was regularly reported to the Russian tsar's court through various sources like commercial channels, undercover agents, Foreign embassies etc.
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Questions 2: Section B
Answer: v
Supporting sentence: If news of an outbreak came from abroad, relations with the affected country were suspended.
Keywords: 'outbreak came from abroad', 'relations with the affected country were suspended'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, Line- 1
Explanation: As it is clearly mentioned in paragraph B that, the Russian authorities enforced some strict guidelines to control the disease, and if they heard any news about the disease affected country they stopped any kind of association with that country.
Questions 3: Section C
Answer: i
Supporting sentence: After defeating the Swedes in the battle of Poltava in 1709, Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) dispatched part of his army to Poland, where plague had been raging for two years. Despite preventive measures, the disease spread among the Russian troops.
Keywords: 'where plague had been raging for two years', 'disease spread among Russian troops'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Line- 3 and 4
Explanation: According to paragraph C, after the Battle of Poltava which happened in 1709, Tsar Peter transmitted his army troops to Poland where plague had prevailed for almost two years and the disease spread among the Russian cavalry units in spite of their preventive measures.
Questions 4: Section D
Answer: vii
Supporting sentence: Tsar Peter I imposed strict measures to prevent the spread of plague during these conflicts.
Keywords: 'imposed strict measures', 'to prevent the spread during these conflicts'
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, First Para Line- 1
Explanation: As in the previous paragraph it is clearly mentioned how the Russian army lost their fellow soldiers' lives due to this epidemic. So, according to paragraph D, Russian Tsar Peter I implemented various strict guidelines to prevent the rapid outbreak of the disease in wartime.
Questions 5: Section E
Answer: iv
Supporting sentence: However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character: they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague.
Keywords: 'Russian authorities applied such methods', 'to contain the spread of the disease', 'limit the number of victims', ' all of the measures had a provisional character', 'respond to a specific outbreak'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, Line- 1
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned in the first line of paragraph E that Russian authorities enforce various methods to limit the spread of the infectious disease as well as to limit the number of affected people. As all of the preventive measures have some circumstantial features.
Questions 6: Section F
Answer: viii
Supporting sentence: In response to this, the Russian imperial authorities issued several decrees aimed at controlling the future spread of plague.
Keywords: 'issued several decrees', 'aimed at controlling the future spread of plague'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, first para, Line- 2
Explanation: As it is mentioned in Paragraph F that there were various preventive measures taken by the Russian authorities for controlling the spread of this fatal disease.
Questions 7 to 8:
Choose TWO letters, A—E. Write the correct letters.
Which TWO measures did Russia take in the seventeenth century to avoid plague outbreaks?
- Cooperation with foreign leaders.
- Spying.
- Military campaigns.
- Restrictions on access to its ports.
- Expulsion of foreigners.
Questions 7:
Answer: B- Spying
Supporting sentence: Information on disease outbreaks occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar's court through various means, including commercial channels (traveling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents,the network of imperial Foreign Office embassies and representations abroad, and the customs offices.
Keywords: 'reported to tsar's court', 'representations abroad', 'undercover agents'
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, Line - 2
Explanation: According to Paragraph A, news of the outbreak of the deadly disease was regularly informed to the Russian Tsar's court. Sources like commercial channels, military personnel, undercover spy agents played a vital role in this aspect. Besides, Foreign Office embassies, various representatives stayed abroad and the customs offices shared information regarding this epidemic.
Questions 8:
Answer: D-Restrictions on access to its ports.
Supporting sentence: For instance, foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports if there was credible information about the existence of epidemics in countries from where they had departed.
Keywords: 'foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports' .
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line-2
Explanation: According to Paragraph B, there were some rules and restrictions on access to Russian ports. For example, various foreign boats and watercraft were not allowed to enter Russian ports if the authority had some reliable information about the disease affected countries from where the vessels departed.
Questions 9 -10:
Choose TWO letters, A-E. Write the correct letters.
Which TWO statements are made about Russia in the early eighteenth century?
- Plague outbreaks were consistently smaller than before.
- Military casualties at Riga exceeded the number of plague victims.
- The design of military camps allowed plague to spread quickly.
- The tsar’s plan to protect St Petersburg from plague was not strictly implemented.
- Anti-plague measures were generally reactive rather than strategic.
Questions 9:
Answer: A
Supporting sentence: During the eighteenth century, although none of the occurrences was of the same scale as in the past, plague appeared in Russia several times.
Keywords: 'During the eighteenth century', although none of the occurrences was of the same scale in the past'
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Line 1
Explanation: There is a reference about Russia in the early eighteenth century in Paragraph C, the outbreak of plague had already proven its fatality in the past. The deadly disease prompted massive intervention in Russia many times. But the occurrences were not as same as occurred in the past.
Questions 10:
Answer: E
Supporting sentence: However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character, they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague.
Keywords: 'all of the measures had a provisional character' , 'respond to a specific outbreak', 'not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague'.
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line- 1
Explanation: According to Paragraph E, the Russian authorities applied various methods to control the outbreak of the disease and also to stop the suffering of the people. The measures they adopted had some specific 'provisional' characteristics. As they were designed to use in specific causes, during the spread of the disease.
Questions 11 to 13:
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Question 11: An outbreak of plague in_________ prompted the publication of a coherent preventative strategy.
Answer: Astrakhan
Supporting sentence: The first attempts to organize procedures and carry out proactive steps to control plague date to the aftermath of the 1727-1728 epidemic in Astrakhan.
Keywords: 'Astrakhan'
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, first para, Line 1
Explanation: In paragraph F it is clearly observed that the first efforts to stop the outbreak of plague as well as to execute various strategies, methods to control its destructiveness was taken by Astrakhan in 1727-1728.
Question 12: Provincial governors were ordered to burn the_________ and possessions of plague victims.
Answer: Houses
Supporting sentence: The houses of infected persons were to be burned along with all of the personal property they contained, including farm animals and cattle.
Keywords: 'houses'
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Third para, line- 1
Explanation: In Paragraph F there is a painful citation of how Russian authority treated the plague affected people. To stop the outbreak of the disease, during the reign of Tsar Peter I a Govt body created and ordered that the houses of the plague infected persons were to be burned along with all their belongings. Even the farm animals and cattle were also included in this aspect.
Question 13: Correspondence was held over a _________ prior to copying it.
Answer: Fire
Supporting sentence: Finally, letters brought by couriers were heated above a fire before being copied.
Keywords: 'fire'
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Third para, Line- Last
Explanation: As it is mentioned in Paragraph F that, the houses where the plague infected people lived, were to be burned to stop the spread of this fatal disease. The Russian authorities took a step to inform the neighboring provinces about the plague cases that happened in their region. But the letters which contained information regarding this disease were heated before reproducing.
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