The Nature of Addiction Reading Answers

Aug 12, 2022

The Nature of Addiction Reading Answers contains 12 questions which need to be answered in 20 minutes. The Nature of Addiction Reading Answers consists of three types of questions including- matching heading and sentence completion. Candidates need to skim the passage for keywords, understand the concept and answer based on the given instructions. Candidates should use no more than three words for their answers. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

This passage contains two types of questions:

Matching Heading
Sentence Completion

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Reading Passage Question

Many people would perhaps, at least as an immediate response, not consider themselves to be ‘addicts’, yet a closer look into aspects of lifestyle and mental attitude often reveal a far different picture. The main problem at presents that the traditional definition of the word has become blurred and the lines between addiction and interest are far harder to identify. In the past, the label ‘addict’ was generally applied to those with an insatiable appetite for certain substances that were traditionally known to be harmful, illegal or both: psychoactive drugs, alcohol and nicotine, for example. More recently, however, we find that there is a multitude of potential addictions. Gambling, food, work, shopping – all of which are potential areas where addiction can lurk.
To try to define the subject of addiction (and in many cases the subsequent course of treatment to best combat it), psychologists now commonly referred to three distinct categories. The first is related to those forms of addictions that are perhaps not life-threatening or particularly dangerous, and are often labelled in an almost tongue-in-cheek manner, such as the consumption of chocolate possibly leading to the creation of a ‘chocoholic’. This category is referred to as soft addiction and is generally related only to a potential loss of productivity; in the workplace, an employee who is addicted to social networking sites is likely to be a less useful member of staff.
Substance addiction, however, is a completely different category and focuses ‘ on ingestion of a drug (either natural or synthetic) to temporarily alter the chemical constitution of the brain. It is a combination of physical and psychological dependency on substances that have known health dangers, and the knock-on problem that users in an addicted state will often go to great lengths to acquire these substances, hence leading to the very strong connection between drug abuse and crime.
Finally, there is a behavioural addiction, which is regarded as ‘a compulsion to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences’ and is a relatively recent entrant to the field. This is where the ‘soft’ addictions taken to go beyond a safe limit and can become dangerous. Overeating, especially on sweetened foods, is one of the more common behavioural addictions, potentially leading to morbid obesity and associated health risks. Also included in this grouping are concerns like excessive gambling, and for many, the combination of the availability and anonymity of the internet, as well as a plethora of online gambling sites, has led to a vast increase in this form of addiction.
However, the point at which a soft addiction becomes a behavioural addiction is both hard to define and cause of significant controversy. A child who comes home after school and plays on the internet for three hours is considered by some to be suffering from a behavioural addiction; to others, this is just a modern form of leisure time and just as valid as reading a book or playing outside. Another point of friction among people involved in studying and treating sufferers is that some of the issues covered by the umbrella term ‘addiction’ are actually mislabelled, and they belong more to a different category altogether and should be referred to as ‘Impulse control disorders’.
The correct course of action when attempting to overcome an addiction varies greatly between the type of addiction it is but also varies considerably among the medical community. Take substance addiction, for example. The traditional approach has been to remove the source – that is, remove the availability of the drug – but this is now no longer concerned the best long term approach. The old idea of incarcerating the addict away from any drugs proved faulty as this did not prevent relapses when back in society. There is now an increasing tendency to consider not only the mechanical nature of addiction but the psychological source. Often, extreme addictions – both substance-based and behavioural – stem front a psychological root such as stress, guilt, depression and rejection, and it is for this reason that counselling and open discussion are having more successful long-term results.
For non-professionals with people in their lives who are suffering from some form of addiction, the importance now is in focussing on supporting their recovery, not enabling their dependence. Judgemental attitudes or helping to conceal addiction have been shown not only to perpetuate the problem but in many cases actually exacerbate it.

Solution and Explanation

Question no. 1-6

The passage no. 1 has seven paragraphs which are numbered from A-G.
From the list of headings mentioned below, choose the heading for paragraph numbered B-G.
Write the no. of the correct headings from i-x in boxes 1-6 in your answer sheet.

List of headings:-

A change in methods
The falling level of addiction
Biological changes and associated risks
The long term damage of addiction
Disagreements about definition
Advice for those involved
The changing nature of addiction in children
The lack of clarity in modern interpretations of addiction
Modern label for taking addiction to extremes.
Not all addictions are a cause of concern

For example:- Paragraph A , Answer:- vii

Paragraph B
Paragraph C
Paragraph D
Paragraph E
Paragraph F
Paragraph G

Question: 1

Answer: x
Supporting Sentence: those forms of addictions that are perhaps not life-threatening or particularly dangerous, and are often labelled in an almost tongue-in-cheek manner
Keywords: addiction, cause of concern, life-threatening, dangerous
Keyword Location: Paragraph B
Explanation: For paragraph B, the answer is that not all addictions are a cause of concern. The first sentence of this paragraph states that there are 3 types of addiction. This paragraph mainly talks of the first type of addiction which is not at all dangerous and does not possess a threat to one’s life. This form of addiction has nothing to worry about which clearly shows that not all addictions are a cause of concern.

Question. 2

Answer: iii.
Supporting Sentence: temporarily alter the chemical constitution of the brain. It is a combination of physical and psychological dependency on substances that have known health dangers, and the knock-on problem
Keywords: biological, changes, associated risks, alter, constitution of brain.
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The heading that perfectly suits paragraph C is:- Biological changes and associated risks. We can justify this from the paragraph as it talks about the dangers of substance addiction. The chemical makeover of the brain directly signifies human biology. As the paragraph says “alter the chemical constitution of the brain” is related to a biological change. The health issues related to this point towards the associated risks. Hence, the heading for paragraph C is Biological changes and associated risks.

Question: 3

Answer:ix
Supporting Sentence: This is where the ‘soft’ addictions taken go beyond a safe limit and can become dangerous
Keywords: modern, label, taking, addiction, to extremes.
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: The heading that can be given to paragraph D is the Modern label for taking addiction to extremes. The reason for this is that the paragraph talks about the last type of addiction which is a recent form. According to this, when soft addictions reach extreme levels, it becomes a behavioral addiction. This can act as a modern label for taking addiction to extremes.

Question: 4

Answer: v
Supporting Sentence: the point at which a soft addiction becomes a behavioural addiction is both hard to define and cause for significant controversy.
Keywords: Controversy, disagreement, definition
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: It is quite evident from the question itself as all similar types of words is used. Two cases of controversy (disagreement) are given and also behavioral addiction or addiction or impulse control are given. So, the answer to this question is Disagreements about the definition (option v).

Question: 5

Answer: i
Supporting Sentence: There is now an increasing tendency to consider not only the mechanical nature of addiction, but the psychological source
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Keywords: change, method, approach, Changing tendencies
Explanation: The first line of paragraph F talks of the changing methods according to which one should not just consider the traditional ways of approaching addiction as it is not very helpful in the long term. Infact, one should consider both psychological nature and the mechanical nature of the addiction, which justifies that Change of methods is the correct heading for this paragraph.

Question: 6

Answer: vi
Supporting Sentence: For non-professionals with people in their lives who are suffering from some form of addiction, the importance now is in focussing on supporting their recovery, not enabling their dependence.
Keyword: non-professionals
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: Paragraph G acts as a type of advice for non-professionals to deal with addiction. So, the heading that suits Paragraph G is advice for those involved.

Questions 7-12

Answer the questions below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 7-12 on your answer sheet.

Q7. It is increasingly difficult to differentiate between what- Addiction and ____ ?

Answer: Interest.
Supporting Sentence: The main problem at presents that the traditional definition of the word has become blurred and the lines between addiction and interest are far harder to identify.
Keywords: difficult, increasingly, addiction, differentiate
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: The answer to this question is supposed to be a noun or a noun phrase containing not more than 3 words. The sentence- lines between addiction and interest are harder to identify has words similar to that of the question as ‘identify the line between' is same as differentiate.

Q8. What soft addiction can lead to the decline of ?

Answer: Productivity
Supporting Sentence: This category is referred to as soft addiction and is generally related only to a potential loss of productivity; in the workplace, an employee who is addicted to social networking sites is likely to be a less useful member of staff.
Keywords: decline, soft addiction, loss
Keyword Location: Paragraph B
Explanation: The line “is referred to as soft addiction and is generally related only to a potential loss of productivity” has soft addiction as a keyword and also has words that imply the same as loss is similar to decline. So, the answer to this question is Productivity.

Q9. What clear connection do the addictions that involve consumption of a drug have ?

Answer: Crime
Supporting Sentence: It is a combination of physical and psychological dependency on substances that have known health dangers, and the knock-on problem that users in an addicted state will often go to great lengths to acquire these substances, hence leading to the very strong connection between drug abuse and crime.
Keywords: connection, drug abuse, consumption of drugs
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The sentence “the very strong connection between drug abuse and crime” has words like connection that is also there in the question. Also drug abuse is same as consumption of drugs. So, the answer to this question is Crime.

Q10. What specific type of addiction has been increased in considerable amount ?

Answer: Gambling.
Supporting Sentence: Also included in this grouping are concerns like excessive gambling, and for many the combination of the availability and anonymity of the internet, as well as a plethora of online gambling sites, has led to a vast increase in this form of addiction.
Keywords: increased, considerable, vast increase
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: The sentence “ Also included in this grouping are concerns like excessive gambling ” and the availability and anonymity of the internet, as well as plethora of gambling sites, has led to vast increase” has keyword like vast increase which is similar to a considerable amount. As this paragraph points towards gambling, the answer to this question is Gambling.

Q11. In some particular cases, what should addiction be labeled as ?

Answer: Impulse Control Disorder
Supporting Sentence: Another point of friction among people involved in studying and treating sufferers is that some of the issues covered by the umbrella term ‘addiction’ are actually mislabelled, and they belong more to a different category altogether and should be referred to as ‘Impulse control disorders’.
Keywords: labeled, issues, addiction
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: The sentence:- “some of the issues covered by the umbrella term addiction are actually mislabeled, and they belong to a more different category altogether and should be referred to as ‘Impulse control disorders’” has words that are very much similar to the keywords like mislabeled i.e. opposite to labeled and also addiction is seen as the loss of control. So, the answer is Impulse Control Disorder.

Q12. What acts as the root cause of extreme addiction ?

Answer: Psychological
Supporting Sentence: Often, extreme addictions – both substance based and behavioural – stem front a psychological root such as stress, guilt, depression and rejection, and it is for this reason that counselling and open discussion are having more successful long-term results.
Keywords: extreme addiction, root cause, stem
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: the sentence “often addictions, both substance-based and behavioral stem for a psychological root”, has all the words similar to that of the question like extreme addiction, root. Moreover, the stem acts as the starting point which is the psychology of a person. So, the answer is Psychological.

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