Radiation And Human Health Reading Answers

Oct 17, 2023

Radiation And Human Health Reading Answers is an academic reading topic. Radiation And Human Health Reading Answers consist of 16 IELTS questions. The specified topic generates a type of question: Matching Headings, Matching Features, and Summary Completion. 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 Radiation And Human Health Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Radiation And Human Health Reading Answers

A Radioactivity occurs naturally. The main source comes from natural sources in space, rocks, soil, water and even the human body itself. This is called background radiation and levels vary from place to place, though the average dose is fairly constant. The radiation which is of most concern is artificial radiation which results from human activities. Sources of this include the medical use of radioactive materials, fallout, and contamination from nuclear bomb tests. discharges from the nuclear industry, and the storage and dumping of radioactive waste.

B While artificial radiation accounts for a small proportion of the total, its effects can be disproportionate. Some of the radioactive materials discharged by human activity are not found in nature, such as plutonium, while others which are found naturally may be discharged in different physical and chemical forms, allowing them to spread more readily into the environment, or perhaps accumulate in the food-chain.

For all these reasons simple comparisons of background and artificial radioactivity may not reflect the relative hazards. Equally important, it has never been shown that there is such a thing as a safe dose of radiation and so the fact that we are progressively raising global levels should be of as much concern to us as the possibility of another major nuclear disaster like Chernobyl. Every nuclear test, nuclear reactor or shipment of plutonium means an additional and unnecessary health risk.

C In general, the effects of radiation can be divided into those which affect the individuals exposed and those which affect their descendants. Somatic effects are those which appear in the irradiated or exposed individual. These include cancer and leukemia. Hereditary or genetic effects are those which arise in subsequent generations.

Many of the elements which our bodies need are produced by the nuclear industry as radioactive isotopes or variants. Some of these are released into the environment, for example, iodine and carbon, two common elements used by our bodies. Our bodies do not know the difference between an element that is radioactive and one which is not. So, radioactive elements can be absorbed into living tissues, bones or the blood, where they continue to give off radiation. Radioactive strontium behaves like the calcium-an essential ingredient in our bones — in our bodies. Strontium deposits in the bones send radioactivity into the bone marrow, where the blood cells are formed, causing leukemia.

D There are three principal effects which radiation can have on cells: firstly the cell may be killed; secondly the way the cell multiply may be affected, resulting in cancer; and thirdly damage may occur in the cells of the ovaries or testes, leading to the development of a child with an inherited abnormality.

In most cases, cell death only becomes significant when large numbers of cells are killed, and the effects of cell death therefore only become apparent at comparatively high dose levels. If a damaged cell is able to survive a radiation dose, the situation is different. In many cases, the effect of cell damage may never become apparent. A few malfunctioning cells will not significantly affect an organ where the large majority are still behaving normally.

However, if the affected cell is a germ cell within the ovaries or testes, the situation is different. Ionizing radiation can damage DNA, the molecule which acts as the cell’s ‘instruction book’. If that germ cell later forms a child, all of the child’s cells will carry the same defect. The localized chemical alteration of DNA in a single cell may be expressed as an inherited abnormality in one or many future generations.

In the same way that a somatic cell in body tissue is changed in such a way that it or its descendants escape the control processes which normally control cell replication, the group of cells formed may continue to have a selective advantage in growth over surrounding tissue. It may ultimately increase sufficiently in size to form detectable cancer and in some cases cause death by spreading locally or to other parts of the body.

E While there is now broad agreement about the effects of high-level radiation, there is controversy over the long-term effect of low-level doses. This is complicated by the length of time it takes for effects to show up, the fact that the populations being studied (bomb survivors, people exposed to nuclear tests or workers in the nuclear industry ) are small and exact doses are hard to calculate.

All that can be said is that predictions made about the effects of a given dose vary. A growing number of scientists point to evidence that there is a disproportionately high risk from low doses of radiation. Others assume a directly proportionate link between the received dose and the risk of cancer for all levels of dose, while there are some who claim that at low doses there is a disproportionately low level of risk.

Questions 1-4

Reading Passage has 5 sections A-E.
From the list of headings below choose the most suitable heading for sections B to E.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-viii) in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

Note: There are more headings than sections, so you will not use all of them. You may use any of the headings more than once.

HEADINGS

Cells affected by radiation
Effects of low-dose radiation
Effects on cell multiplication
Effects of radiation on cells
Sources of radiation
Radiation in the food chain
Dissemination of radiation
Health effects of radiation

Example Section A Answer v

1 Section B

2 Section C

3 Section D

4 Section E

Questions 5-10

Classify the following as linked in the passage to:

BR Background Radiation

AR Artificial Radiation

N Neither

B Both

Write the appropriate letters in boxes 5-10 on your answer sheet.

5 produced by the human body

6 involves only safe amounts of radiation

7 is used for medical purposes

8 includes plutonium

9 produces a constant level of radiation

10 can enter the food chain

Questions 11-16

Complete the summary of Section D of Reading Passage below.

Choose your answers from the box below the summary and write them in boxes 11—16 on your answer sheet.

Note: There are more words/phrases that you will need to fill the gaps. You may use a word or phrase more than once if you wish.

SUMMARY

Radiation can affect an organism by damaging 11……… which may then die or malfunction. If the 12……. affected in this way is small, the effect will not be too drastic and may not be noticeable. Alternatively, the 13……. may grow uncontrollably and form cancers, in which case the organism is likely to die.

If the DNA in a germ cell in the ovaries or testes is affected, and 14…….. originating from that 15….. may display 16…., which can, in turn, be passed on to further offspring.

offspring	damaged cells	further offspring
individual cells	organisms number of cells	cancers
germ cell	abnormalities	DNA

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Question: 1

Answer: VII
Supporting sentence: Some of the radioactive materials discharged by human activity are not found in nature, such as plutonium.
Keywords: plutonium, discharged, physical and chemical forms
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation: The answer is vii (Dissemination of radiation), given that the second paragraph addresses the release and spread of radiation in nature.

Question: 2

Answer: VII
Supporting sentence: In general, the effects of radiation can be divided into those which affect the individuals exposed and those which affect their descendants.
Keywords: individuals exposed, descendants.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line 1
Explanation: It should be noted that the third paragraph discusses radiation impacts, which are separated into two categories: effects on the individuals who are exposed and effects on their offspring. Thus, viii (Health consequences of radiation) is the correct response.

Question: 3

Answer: IV
Supporting sentence: There are three principal effects which radiation can have on cells: firstly the cell may be killed; secondly the Way the Cell multiply may be affected, resulting in cancer
Keywords: cells, cancer
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 1
Explanation: The fourth paragraph covers the three main impacts of radiation on cells, it can be concluded. Thus, iv (Effects of radiation on cells) is the correct response.

Question: 4

Answer: II
Supporting sentence: While there is now broad agreement about the effects of high-level radiation, there is controversy over the long-term effect of low-level doses.
Keywords: broad agreement, long-term effects
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 1
Explanation: Based on this reference, it may be inferred that the last paragraph discusses the consequences of low radiation exposure levels. Thus, ii (Effects of low-dose radiation) is the correct response.

Question: 5

Answer: BR
Supporting sentence: The main source comes from natural sources in space, rocks, soil, water and even the human body itself. This is called background radiation…
Keywords: space, rocks, soil, water and human body
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 2 – line 3
Explanation: The human body naturally produces background radiation, according to paragraph A. The response is therefore BR.

Question: 6

Answer: N
Supporting sentence: Equally important, it has never been shown that there is such a thing as a safe dose of radiation.
Keywords: safe dose
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 4
Explanation: The statement "Equally important, it has never been shown that there is such a thing as a safe dose of radiation" demonstrates that there are safe radiation levels associated with both manmade and natural radiation sources. Thus, the response is N.

Question: 7

Answer: AR
Supporting sentence: The radiation which is of most concern is artificial radiation which results from human activities. Sources of this include the medical use of radioactive materials
Keywords: human activities, radioactive materials
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 4 – line 5
Explanation: The statement "Artificial radiation resulting from human activities is the radiation which is of most concern" appears in Paragraph A. The use of radioactive materials in medicine is one of the sources of this. It is clear from this citation that artificial radiation is employed in medicine. Thus, AR is the response.

Question: 8

Answer: AR
Supporting sentence: While artificial radiation accounts for a small proportion of the total, its effects can be disproportionate
Keywords: artificial radiation, disproportionate
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 1 – line 2
Explanation: The statement "While artificial radiation accounts for a small portion of the total, its effects can be disproportionate" appears in Paragraph B. Certain radioactive elements released by human activities, like plutonium, are not present in the natural world. These claims suggest that plutonium is a component of artificial radiation. Thus, AR is the response.

Question: 9

Answer: N
Supporting sentence: While artificial radiation accounts for a small proportion of the total, its effects can be disproportionate.
Keywords: artificial radiation, disproportionate
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 2 & Paragraph B, line 1
Explanation: The lines that follow quote "This is known as background radiation, and localised variations exist in its quantities.Artificial radiation may have disproportionate effects even if it makes only a small fraction of the total. Given that the two types of radiation differ, it is evident that neither has a constant radiation level. Thus, the response is N.

Question: 10

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: … allowing them to spread more readily into the environment, or perhaps accumulate in the food-chain
Keywords: accumulate, food-chain
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation: As stated in the given line of Paragraph B, "While some of the radioactive materials discharged by human activity are found in nature…potential accumulation in the food chain." It is obvious that radiations, both artificial and natural, build up in the food chain. The response is therefore B.

Question: 11

Answer: INDIVIDUAL CELLS
Supporting sentence: damage may occur in the cells of the ovaries or testes, leading to the development of a child with an inherited abnormality.
Keywords: child, iinherited abnormality
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 1
Explanation: "There are three principal effects which radiation can have on cells: firstly the cell may be killed," as stated in paragraph D.Thirdly, harm to the cells of the testes or ovaries may occur, which could result in the formation of a child with an inherited defect. The answer is "individual cells" because radiation can damage an organism by harming individual cells, which may then die (killed) or malfunction (inherited abnormalities).

Question: 12

Answer: NUMBER OF CELLS
Supporting sentence: A few malfunctioning cells will not significantly affect an organ where the large majority are still behaving normally.
Keywords: malfunctioning cells, behaving normally.
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 5
Explanation: "A few malfunctioning cells w…still behaving normally," according to a report in paragraph D. This suggests that the effects of radiation may not be as severe or obvious if fewer cells are impacted. Thus, "number of cells" is the correct response.

Question: 13

Answer: DAMAGED CELLS
Supporting sentence: It may ultimately increase sufficiently in size to form detectable cancer and in some cases cause death by spreading locally or to other parts of the body.
Keywords: death, detectable cancer
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 11
Explanation: According to the line, it might eventually grow to a size that makes cancer visible and, in certain situations, result in death by spreading locally or to other body parts.- It is clear that the damaged or impacted cells may proliferate out of control and develop into malignancies, in which instance the creature will probably perish. Thus, "damaged cells" is the correct response.

Question: 14

Answer: OFFSPRING
Supporting sentence: Ionizing radiation can damage DNA, the molecule which acts as the cell’s ‘instruction book’.
Keywords: instruction book
Keyword Location: Passage D, line 6 – line 8
Explanation: "However, if the… within the ovaries or testes, the situation is different," as mentioned in the highlighted sentence. Ionizing radiation has the ability to harm DNA, the molecule that serves as the "instruction book" for cells. Should the germ cell go on to become a child... Put another way, the baby or progeny that is created will likewise be impacted if the DNA in a germ cell in the ovaries or testes is impacted. Therefore, "offspring" is the response.

Question: 15

Answer: GERM CELL
Supporting sentence: If that germ cell later forms a child, all of the child’s cells will carry the same defect.
Keywords: germ cell
Keyword Location: Passage D, line 8
Explanation: According to the reference, every cell in the offspring will have the same problem if that germ cell goes on to generate a child. We can deduce that if a germ cell creates an offspring, the defects will be passed on to subsequent generations. Thus, "germ cell" is the response.

Question: 16

Answer: ABNORMALITIES
Supporting sentence: If that germ cell later forms a child, all of the child’s cells will carry the same defect.
Keywords: germ cell, same defect
Keyword Location: Passage D, line 8
Explanation: According to the reference, every cell in the offspring will have the same problem if that germ cell goes on to generate a child. We can deduce that if a germ cell creates an offspring, the defects will be passed on to subsequent generations. Thus, "abnormalities" is the correct response.