Parasitic Worms' Efficacy Reading Answers

Jan 21, 2023

Parasitic Worms' Efficacy Reading Answers is an IELTS reading topic that requires candidates to solve a given set of questions within 20 minutes. Parasitic Worms' Efficacy Reading Answers has been referenced from the IELTS Book Cambridge IELTS 5 Reading Test 3. This IELTS academic reading topic; Parasitic Worms' Efficacy Reading Answers comprises 13 questions. The question types in this IELTS reading topic that candidates are required to solve are; choose the correct letter, and true/false/not given. To practice more such reading passage candidates can refer to the IELTS reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Parasitic Worms' Efficacy Reading Answers

{A} Parasitic worms, like hookworms, whipworms, pinworms and flukes that plague humans are enough to make most of us shudder, except John Turton. In the middle of 1970s, whilst working at the UK’s Medical Research Council Laboratories in Surrey, he intentionally infected himself with hookworms in an attempt to alleviate his chronic hay fever. It worked. During two summer seasons whilst he held the parasites, his allergy diminished.

{B} In regions where parasitic worm infections are rife, when the remedy emerged, Turton’s vital experiment came. In 1913 W. Herrick, a doctor from Columbia University in New York found a very different link between parasitic worms, or helminths, and allergies. Lab workers analysed the gut-dwelling roundworm Ascaris that often caused tenderness and swelling around the fingers and more severe asthma after longer exposure.

{C} Researchers have been trying to make sense of these contradicting findings since the 1970s in the hope of being able to use the power of parasites to help free people of their allergies, without making things worse. They know they are playing with fire. After all, helminths are responsible for some truly horrible diseases and cause great suffering around the world. However, as the effects of helminths on the human body become clearer, it looks like their healing powers may have potential benefits.

{D} Not surprisingly, no researchers have been willing to take the risk of deliberately infecting themselves as Turton had done. Instead, most studies are dependent on populations in countries where people are already infected. This research tends to emphasize three commonly diagnosed allergic conditions: asthma, eczema and hay fever. The results have been confusing, but now researchers are beginning to have a better understanding.

{E} For instance, a study conducted in Taiwan showed that people infected with Enterobius vermicularis, a pinworm that is one of the most common gut parasites in the world, were less likely to have hay fever than the rest of the general population. But the results from Ecuador show a different story. Hay fever was not more common in children living in urban areas than it was in children living in rural areas. The parasite was equally common in both groups, so the researchers concluded that something else must be responsible for the prevalence of hay fever.

{F} Knowing about eczema has proved difficult to interpret. For instance, a study in Uganda discovered that eczema was less common among babies whose mothers had been infected with helminths whilst being pregnant. But, another study this time in Ethiopia discovered that children with Trichuris worms, and whipworms that infest the large intestine, were more likely to have eczema than uninfected children.

{G} Regarding asthma, Herrick’s discovery that it can be started by contact with the Ascaris was confirmed in the 1970s. But, hookworms decreased the extremity of asthma in a group of Ethiopians and similar benefits have been seen in Brazilian asthma sufferers infected with the Schistosoma Mansoni, the flatworm responsible for schistosomiasis, which damages internal organs. What are we to make of all this? The outstanding link between allergies and parasites is the human immune system. Allergies are caused by an overactive immune response, and helminths have strategies to dampen down our immune response to stimulate their survival. After all, they have evolved alongside humans for several thousands of years.

{H} In people with no allergies, foreign material entering the body stimulates the release of cytokines, molecules that sound the alarm to get the attention of other immune cells. As immune cells set to attack the intruder, another set of molecules is released to prohibit the immune response from overreacting. One of the main molecules responsible for keeping reactions in check is interleukin-10, which inhibits the release of certain cytokines. People with allergies tend to have lower than normal levels of interleukin-10, so their immune responses frequently get out of hand. In contrast, people infected with helminths have above-average levels of the molecule, and research on schistosomiasis patients indicates that this is at least partially because of the worms that set free chemicals that trigger the production of interleukin-10 in their host.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-8

Reading Passage 1 has eight paragraphs, A-H.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

(1) Lab workers’ duties

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Lab workers analysed the gut-dwelling roundworm Ascaris that often caused tenderness and swelling around the fingers and more severe asthma after longer exposure.
Keywords: Lab workers, Ascaris, tenderness
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, lines 3-5
Explanation: Paragraph B talks about lab workers. It quotes that researchers who worked in a lab examined the roundworm Ascaris. These worms are commonly inhabits the gut and can lead to inflammation and swelling in the fingers, as well as more severe asthma if exposure is prolonged.

(2) Contrary results between surveys

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: For instance, a study in Uganda discovered that eczema was less common among babies whose mothers had been infected with helminths whilst being pregnant.
Keywords: Uganda, eczema, helminths
Keyword Location:pargraph F, lines 1-3
Explanation: A research conducted in Uganda found that infants whose mothers were infected with helminths during pregnancy had a lower incidence of eczema.

(3) A voluntary attempt against allergy

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: During two summer seasons whilst he held the parasites, his allergy diminished.
Keywords: summer seasons, allergy
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, lines 4-5
Explanation: The passage quotes that over the course of two summers while he was infected with the parasites, his allergy symptoms decreased.

(4) The same results between surveys

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: For instance, a study conducted in Taiwan showed that people infected with Enterobius vermicularis, a pinworm that is one of the most common gut parasites in the world, were less likely to have hay fever than the rest of the general population.
Keywords: Taiwan, Enterobius vermicularis, pinworm
Keyword Location: paragraph E, lines 1-3
Explanation: The passage quotes; a Taiwan study found that people infected with gut parasite Enterobius vermicularis. These were less likely to have hay fever than the general population.

(5) A powerful remedy for allergies

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: After all, helminths are responsible for some truly horrible diseases and cause great suffering around the world. However, as the effects of helminths on the human body become clearer, it looks like
their healing powers may have potential benefits.
Keywords: helminths, healing powers
Keyword Location: paragraph C, lines 3-6
Explanation: Helminths are known to cause severe illnesses and result in significant suffering globally. However, as scientists gain a better understanding of their impact on the human body, it appears that they may also have therapeutic benefits.

(6) Understanding of immune responses

Answer: H
Supporting Sentence: As immune cells set to attack the intruder, another set of molecules is released to prohibit the immune response from overreacting.
Keywords: immune cells, intruder, molecules
Keyword Location: Paragraph H, lines 2-4
Explanation: When the immune system recognizes an intruder, it releases a set of cells to fight it off. Moreover, another set of molecules is also released to prevent an excessive immune response.

(7) Critical connection between allergies and parasites

Answer: G
Supporting Sentence: The outstanding link between allergies and parasites is the human immune system. Allergies are caused by an overactive immune response, and helminths have strategies to dampen down our
immune response to stimulate their survival.
Keywords: link, allergies, parasites, immune response
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, lines 5-7
Explanation: The connection between allergies and parasites is rooted in the human immune system. Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts, while helminths have evolved to suppress the immune response and promote their survival.

(8) Three most common allergies

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: This research tends to emphasize three commonly diagnosed allergic conditions: asthma, eczema and hay fever.
Keywords: allergic, asthma, eczema, hay fever
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, lines 3-4
Explanation: This study focuses mainly on three common allergic conditions: asthma, eczema, and hay fever.

Questions 9-13

Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in the Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet, write

(9) John Turton infected himself with hookworms by mistake.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: In the middle of 1970s, whilst working at the UK’s Medical Research Council Laboratories in Surrey, he intentionally infected himself with hookworms in an attempt to alleviate his chronic hay fever.
Keywords: 1970s, UK’s Medical Research Council Laboratories, intentionally, hookworms
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, lines 2-4
Explanation: It has been explained in the above supporting sentence that John Turton infected himself intentionally with hookworms. Thus, the answer is false.

(10) Dr Herrick has found a different feature between worms and allergies.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: In 1913 W. Herrick, a doctor from Columbia University in New York found a very different link between parasitic worms, or helminths, and allergies.
Keywords: 1913, W. Herrick, parasitic worms, helminths, allergies
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, lines 2-3
Explanation: As mentioned in the above-mentioend supportin gse3ntence that Herrick had discovered a better feature in worms and allergies.

(11) Researchers have not known the healing potential of parasites since the 1970s.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: After all, helminths are responsible for some truly horrible diseases and cause great suffering around the world. However, as the effects of helminths on the human body become clearer, it looks like their healing powers may have potential benefits.
Keywords: helminths, healing powers
Keyword Location: paragraph C, lines 3-6
Explanation: Helminths are known to cause severe illnesses and result in significant suffering globally. However, as scientists gain a better understanding of their impact on the human body, it appears that they may also have therapeutic benefits.

(12) Allergies have the same appearance as parasites.

Answer: Not given
Explanation: No relevant information has been provided in the reading passage associated with the question.

(13) People with allergies may have higher than ordinary levels of interleukin-10.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: One of the main molecules responsible for keeping reactions in check is interleukin-10, which inhibits the release of certain cytokines. People with allergies tend to have lower than normal levels of interleukin-10, so their immune responses frequently get out of hand.
Keywords: interleukin-10, cytokines, immune responses
Keyword Location: Paragraph H, lines 4-7
Explanation: Interleukin-10 is a key molecule that helps to regulate immune responses. It suppresses the release of certain cytokines. Individuals with allergies typically have reduced levels of interleukin-10, resulting in an overactive immune response.

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