Surgical Mask Reading Answers

Feb 21, 2023

Surgical Mask Reading Answers contains 7 questions and it is a topic from the IELTS general reading test. Surgical Mask Reading Answers is an IELTS Reading topic that has been taken from a book called E-Eng-School IELTS Reading Test with Answer Key. In IELTS reading section, the nature of questions is such that candidates have to read a passage and provide answers from therein, it is to be attempted within 20 minutes. Surgical Mask Reading Answers contains the questions that ask the candidates to fill the given blanks using words from the passage. To practise reading papers like that the candidates can refer to IELTS practice test.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the questions that follow

Surgical Mask Reading Answers

A Surgical mask, also known as a medical face mask, is a personal protective equipment worn by health professionals during medical procedures.

It prevents airborne transmission of infections between patients and treating personnel by blocking the movement of pathogens shed in respiratory droplets and aerosols into and from the wearer's mouth and nose. Typically, quite impermeable to moisture, the mask acts as an additional barrier for the airway and are not usually designed to completely prevent the wearer from inhaling smaller airborne pathogens but could be still protective by filtering out and trapping most of the droplets that carry them. There is a predominance of evidence that surgical masks protect both the wearer by filtering the inhaled air and bystanders by blocking down forceful exhalations from the wearer that can spread pathogens afar.

Surgical masks were originally designed to protect medical personnel from accidentally breathing or swallowing in splashes or sprays of bodily fluids, but the effectiveness of surgical masks against infections has not been confirmed by high-quality randomized controlled trials. Commonly seen surgical masks vary greatly by quality and levels of protection. Despite their name, not all surgical masks are appropriate to be used during surgery. Surgical masks may be labeled as surgical, isolation, dental or medical procedure masks. Chinese health officials differentiate between medical (non-surgical) and surgical masks. Surgical masks are made of a nonwoven fabric created using a melt blowing process. They came into use in the 1960s and largely replaced cloth facemasks in developed countries. The dark blue (or green) side of the mask (the fluid-repellent layer) is to be worn outward, with the white (absorbent) layer on the inside. With respect to some infections like influenza surgical masks could be as effective as respirators, Such as N95 or FFP masks; though the latter provide better protection in laboratory experiments due to their material, shape, and tight seal.

The use of surgical masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a subject o debate, as mask shortage is a central issue. Surgical masks are popularly worn by the general public all year round in East Asian countries like China, Japan, and South Korea, especially during allergy and flu seasons, to reduce the chance of spreading airborne diseases to people nearby. Also, to prevent the breathing in of airborne irritants such as pollens or dust particles created by air pollution.

Additionally, surgical masks have become a fashion statement, particularly in contemporary East Asian culture bolstered by its popularity in Japanese and Korean pop culture which have a Dig impact on East Asian youth culture. During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks, such as surgical masks and cloth masks, have been employed as a public and personal health contro measure against the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In both community and healthcare settings, the use is intended as source control to limit transmission of the virus and personal protection to prevent infection. Their function for source control is emphasised in community settings. AS the pandemic raged on, healthcare workers were required to continue wearing surgical masks for two or more hours a day. It caused the ear loops of the masks to chafe the back of their ears. Ea savers, plastic straps and hooks that 90 around wearer's heads, were invented to move the ear loops away from the wearers ears. They could be made on demand by using the 3D printing Process.

Section 2

Questions 15-21

Complete the fill ups below.

Write no more than THREE WORDS or NUMBERS for each answer.

Surgical masks avert aerial spread of contaminations among ……. and medical staff.

Answer: Patients
Supporting Sentence: It prevents airborne transmission of infections between patients and treating personnel by blocking the movement of pathogens shed in respiratory droplets and aerosols into and from the wearer’s mouth and nose.
Keyword : airborne, infections, treating personnel
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, 1st & 2nd line
Explanation: Avert means prevent, aerial spread of contaminations means airborne transmission of infections and treating personnel refers to medical staff. The use of ‘it’ in supporting sentences denotes surgical masks because the passage is about them. So, supporting sentences can be alternatively written as surgical masks avert aerial spread of contamination between patients and medical staff.

The Surgical masks not only shield the person donning the mask but also the …….

Answer: Bystanders
Supporting Sentence: There is a predominance of evidence that surgical masks protect both the wearer by filtering the inhaled air and bystanders by blocking down forceful exhalations from the wearer that can spread pathogens afar.
Keyword : surgical masks, protects, wearer
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, 9th line
Explanation: Person donning the mask is the wearer. The supporting sentence alludes that masks protect the wearer as well as the bystander.

Experiments have been performed that have not yet demonstrated masks’ ability to counter ……….

Answer: Infections
Supporting Sentence: Surgical masks were originally designed to protect medical personnel from accidentally breathing or swallowing in splashes or sprays of bodily fluids, but the effectiveness of surgical masks against
infections has not been confirmed by high quality randomised controlled trials.
Keyword : masks, trials
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 3rd & 5th line
Explanation: Experiments in this context could refer to high quality randomised controlled trials. In supporting sentence, these experiments haven’t proven the effectiveness of surgical masks against infections. So, experiments have been performed but they haven’t been able to demonstrate masks’ ability to counter infections.

Surgical and medical masks have been distinguished by the ………...

Answer: Chinese Health Officials
Supporting Sentence: Chinese Health Officials differentiate between medical (non-surgical) and surgical masks.
Keyword : surgical, medical
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 9th & 10th line
Explanation: In here, distinguished and differentiate would mean the same thing. So, it is Chinese health officials who distinguished between medical and surgical masks as stated in the passage.

………. masks give improved defence established on laboratory tests.

Answer: FPP or N95 or Respirators
Supporting Sentence: With respect to some infections like influenza surgical masks could be as effective as respirators, such as N95 or FFP masks; though the latter provide better protection in laboratory experiments due to their material, shape, and tight seal.
Keyword : laboratory, protection
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, 17th line
Explanation: The passage uses such as for N95 and FFP masks making them examples of respirators, so they are synonymous here. Now, surgical masks are mentioned before respirators so latter in the supporting sentence refers to respirators. The supporting sentence claims that respirators provide better protection or defence in laboratory experiments or tests.

People in some countries put on surgical masks to lower the prospects of circulating ……. illnesses to others.

Answer: Airborne
Supporting Sentence: Surgical masks are popularly worn by the general public all year round in East Asian Countries like China, Japan & South Korea especially during allergy and flu seasons, to reduce the chance of spreading airborne diseases to people nearby.
Keyword : surgical mask, reduce, spreading
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, 2nd & 5th line
Explanation: We can take the usage of the term East Asian Countries to mean some countries because it doesn’t encompass the whole world. Now, ‘lower the prospects of circulating’ can be written as ‘reduce the chance of spreading’ and illnesses would mean diseases. The only thing that the supporting sentence and the question are talking about reducing is airborne illnesses/diseases.

Healthcare workers faced problems when the back of their ears rubbed against the …….

Answer: Ear Loops
Supporting Sentence: As the pandemic raged on, healthcare workers were required to continue wearing surgical masks two or more hours a day. It caused the ear loops of the masks to chafe the back of their ears.
Keyword : healthcare workers, surgical masks, ears
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 11th & 12th line
Explanation: Chafe means make or become sore by rubbing against something. The supporting sentence says ear loops of the masks chafe the back of ears. So, the back of the ears was rubbing against ear loops.