Environmental Medicine - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Road to IELTS Academic Reading Test 4 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Environmental medicine
A In simple terms, environmental medicine deals with the interaction between human and animal health and the environment. It concerns the adverse reactions that people have on contact with or exposure to an environmental excitant1. Ecological health is its primary concern, especially emerging infectious diseases and pathogens from insects, plants and vertebrate animals.
B Practitioners of environmental medicine work in teams involving many other specialists. As well as doctors, clinicians and medical researchers, there may be marine and climate biologists, toxicologists, veterinarians, geospatial and landscape analysts, even political scientists and economists. This is a very broad approach to the rather simple concept that there are causes for all illnesses, and that what we eat and drink or encounter in our surroundings has a direct impact on our health.
C Central to environmental medicine is the total load theory developed by the clinical ecologist Theron Randolph, who postulated that illness occurs when the body’s ability to detoxify environmental excitants has reached its capacity. His wide-ranging perception of what makes up those stimuli includes chemical, physical, biological and psychosocial factors. If a person with numerous and/or chronic exposures to environmental chemicals suffers a psychological upset, for example, this could overburden his immune system and result in actual physical illness. In other words, disease is the product of multiple factors.
D Another Randolph concept is that of individual susceptibility or the variability in the response of individuals to toxic agents. Individuals may be susceptible to any number of excitants but those exposed to the same risk factors do not necessarily develop the same disease, due in large part to genetic predisposition; however, age, gender, nutrition, emotional or physical stress, as well as the particular infectious agents or chemicals and intensity of exposure, all contribute.
E Adaptation is defined as the ability of an organism to adjust to gradually changing circumstances of its existence, to survive and be successful in a particular environment. Dr Randolph suggested that our bodies, designed for the Stone Age, have not quite caught up with the modern age and consequently, many people suffer diseases from maladaptation, or an inability to deal with some of the new substances that are now part of our environment. He asserted that this could cause exhaustion, irritability, depression, confusion and behavioural problems in children. Numerous traditional medical practitioners, however, are very sceptical of these assertions.
F Looking at the environment and health together is a way of making distant and nebulous notions, such as global warming, more immediate and important. Even a slight rise in temperature, which the world is already experiencing, has immediate effects. Mosquitoes can expand their range and feed on different migratory birds than usual, resulting in these birds transferring a disease into other countries. Suburban sprawl is seen as more than a socioeconomic problem for it brings an immediate imbalance to the rural ecosystem, increasing population density so people come into closer contact with disease-carrying rodents or other animals. Deforestation also displaces feral animals that may then infect domesticated animals, which enter the food chain and transmit the disease to people. These kinds of connections are fundamental to environmental medicine and the threat of zoonotic disease looms larger.
G Zoonoses, diseases of animals transmissible to humans, are a huge concern. Different types of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, cause zoonoses. Every year, millions of people worldwide get sick because of foodborne bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, which cause fever, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Tens of thousands of people die from the rabies virus after being bitten by rabid animals like dogs and bats. Viral zoonoses like avian influenza (bird flu), swine flu (H1N1 virus) and Ebola are on the increase with more frequent, often uncontainable, outbreaks. Some animals (particularly domestic pets) pass on fungal infections to humans. Parasitic infection usually occurs when people come into contact with food or water contaminated by animals that are infected with parasites like cryptosporidium, trichinella, or worms.
H As the human population of the planet increases, encroaching further on animal domains and causing ecological change, inter-professional cooperation is crucial to meet the challenges of dealing with the effects of climate change, emergent cross-species pathogens, rising toxicity in air, water and soil, and uncontrolled development and urbanisation. This can only happen if additional government funds are channelled into the study and practice of environmental medicine.
1an excitant is a substance which causes a physiological or behavioural response in a person
Questions
Questions 14–19 Matching Information
Reading Passage 2 has eight paragraphs, A–H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Questions 20–26 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- According to Dr Randolph, people get sick because of 20 – in other words, a failure to adjust to the modern environment.
- Vague, far-off concepts like global warming are made more urgent when 21 are studied together.
- Rising temperatures result in more widespread distribution of disease because some insects are able to 22 .
- Large-scale removal of trees forces wildlife from their habitat and brings them into contact with 23 .
- Uncontrollable 24 of zoonotic viruses are becoming more numerous.
- Collaboration between many disciplines is needed to confront the problems of urban development, pollution, 25 and new pathogens.
- Environmental medicine should receive more 26 to help it meet future demands.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | F | Suburban sprawl is seen as more than a socioeconomic problem for it brings an immediate imbalance to the rural ecosystem, increasing population density so people come into closer contact with disease-carrying rodents or other animals. Deforestation also displaces feral animals that may then infect domesticated animals, which enter the food chain and transmit the disease to people | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that building many new houses in the countryside (suburban sprawl) and cutting down forests (deforestation) forces animals and people to live closer together. This closeness allows diseases from wild or farm animals to reach and infect humans. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph F, which describes how human development and moving into nature makes it easier for people to get sick. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because this paragraph specifically discusses how human expansion, such as "suburban sprawl" and "deforestation," changes the environment. It explains that when people move into rural areas or destroy forests, they become closer to wild or farm animals that carry germs, which then pass to humans. This is a direct explanation of how growing populations and spreading into new land expose people to disease. |
| Q15 | D | Another Randolph concept is that of individual susceptibility or the variability in the response of individuals to toxic agents. Individuals may be susceptible to any number of excitants but those exposed to the same risk factors do not necessarily develop the same disease, due in large part to genetic predisposition; however, age, gender, nutrition, emotional or physical stress, as well as the particular infectious agents or chemicals and intensity of exposure, all contribute | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that people have different reactions to poisons. It notes that even if people are in the same environment and face the same health risks, they might not get the same disease because of their personal history and habits. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies Paragraph D as the section explaining that every person's body reacts in its own unique way to the same harmful things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Paragraph D because it introduces the concept of individual susceptibility. This idea suggests that because everyone is different, people 'exposed to the same risk factors'—meaning they face the same dangers—will not always get the same sickness. This variability happens because each person has different genes, ages, and levels of stress. |
| Q16 | G | Zoonoses, diseases of animals transmissible to humans, are a huge concern. Different types of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, cause zoonoses | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that some illnesses come from animals and move to people. It lists different types of germs, like bacteria and viruses, that cause these animal-to-human sicknesses. Answer Explanation: The answer means that paragraph G is the part of the text that describes the different kinds of germs or things that cause sickness which can travel from animals to humans. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph G because it focuses specifically on zoonoses, which are defined as diseases that move from animals to humans. It identifies the 'types' of things that cause these diseases, naming several categories of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The term 'transmissible' used in the paragraph is a synonym for moving between species. |
| Q17 | B | Practitioners of environmental medicine work in teams involving many other specialists. As well as doctors, clinicians and medical researchers, there may be marine and climate biologists, toxicologists, veterinarians, geospatial and landscape analysts, even political scientists and economists | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that these teams include many different experts. It lists specific jobs like doctors, scientists who study the sea or weather, animal doctors, and people who study maps or money. Answer Explanation: The answer is Paragraph B because this section lists the many types of jobs and experts who work together in the field of environmental medicine. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Paragraph B because it provides a list of 'practitioners' (people who do a specific job) and 'specialists' (experts in a certain area) who collaborate as a team. It gives several examples of professionals, ranging from medical doctors and researchers to biologists and even economists. |
| Q18 | A | In simple terms, environmental medicine deals with the interaction between human and animal health and the environment | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that environmental medicine is essentially about how the health of humans, animals, and the world around them all work together or affect each other. Answer Explanation: The answer 'A' means that the first paragraph of the text provides an explanation of what the term 'environmental medicine' means. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph A because it begins by clearly stating what environmental medicine is. It explains that this field of medicine looks at the connection between people, animals, and their surroundings (the environment). By using the phrase 'In simple terms,' the author is providing a basic definition for the reader to understand the topic of the article. |
| Q19 | C | Central to environmental medicine is the total load theory developed by the clinical ecologist Theron Randolph, who postulated that illness occurs when the body’s ability to detoxify environmental excitants has reached its capacity. His wide-ranging perception of what makes up those stimuli includes chemical, physical, biological and psychosocial factors. If a person with numerous and/or chronic exposures to environmental chemicals suffers a psychological upset, for example, this could overburden his immune system and result in actual physical illness. In other words, disease is the product of multiple factors | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that illness happens when the body's natural ability to clean itself is full and cannot take any more. It says that many different things—like chemicals, physical issues, and stress—can work together to make a person sick because their body cannot handle the group of problems all at once. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph C, which explains that getting sick happens when too many harmful things from the environment build up in your body at the same time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Paragraph C because it introduces the "total load theory." This theory explains that illness starts when the body can no longer clean out or handle the amount of harmful environmental factors it has been exposed to. The passage notes that disease comes from "multiple factors," meaning many small environmental stressors (like chemicals combined with stress) add up until the body becomes physically ill. This matches the idea of an "accumulation of environmental stressors." |
| Q20 | maladaptation | Dr Randolph suggested that our bodies, designed for the Stone Age, have not quite caught up with the modern age and consequently, many people suffer diseases from maladaptation, or an inability to deal with some of the new substances that are now part of our environment | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that human bodies have not evolved fast enough for the modern world, which leads to sickness because people cannot properly handle new things in their surroundings. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the state of being unable to change or fit into a new environment successfully. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in paragraph E, which describes Dr. Randolph's theory. He believed that because human bodies are still adapted to ancient times (the Stone Age), they often fail to handle the conditions of the modern world. The passage specifically uses the word 'maladaptation' and defines it as an 'inability to deal with' new substances, which corresponds to the phrase 'failure to adjust' used in the question. |
| Q21 | environment and health / health and environment | Looking at the environment and health together is a way of making distant and nebulous notions, such as global warming, more immediate and important | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that when people study the world around them and human health at the same time, ideas like global warming become easier to understand and feel more like problems that need to be solved right now. Answer Explanation: The answer means that we should look at the surroundings we live in and the well-being of our bodies at the same time to understand big problems better. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "environment and health" because Paragraph F explains that connecting these two areas makes big, hard-to-understand ideas like global warming feel more "immediate and important" (urgent). In the text, words like "distant" and "nebulous" are used to describe things that feel vague or far away, and studying the environment and health together changes that perspective. |
| Q22 | expand their range | Mosquitoes can expand their range and feed on different migratory birds than usual, resulting in these birds transferring a disease into other countries | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that mosquitoes can move into new territories as temperatures rise, which leads to the spread of diseases across different regions. Answer Explanation: The answer means that insects like mosquitoes can move into and live in new areas where it was previously too cold for them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in paragraph F, which discusses the effects of global warming. It explains that when temperatures rise even slightly, mosquitoes (which are insects) are able to increase the size of the area where they live. This movement allows them to interact with different animals, causing diseases to spread to new locations and countries. |
| Q23 | domesticated animals | Deforestation also displaces feral animals that may then infect domesticated animals, which enter the food chain and transmit the disease to people | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that cutting down large areas of forests makes wild animals leave their homes. Because they have to move, they pass illnesses to animals that live near people, like farm animals. Answer Explanation: The answer means animals that are kept by humans for work, food, or as pets, such as cows, pigs, or dogs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in Paragraph F, which discusses how changes in the environment lead to health problems. The passage explains that when forests are cut down (deforestation), wild animals (feral animals) are forced to move. This movement causes these wild animals to meet and spread sickness to farm or house animals (domesticated animals). Therefore, the removal of trees brings wildlife into contact with these domesticated animals. |
| Q24 | outbreaks | Viral zoonoses like avian influenza (bird flu), swine flu (H1N1 virus) and Ebola are on the increase with more frequent, often uncontainable, outbreaks | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that virus-based animal diseases are happening more and more as events that are difficult to stop. Answer Explanation: The answer means times when a disease suddenly starts to spread in a lot of people or animals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in Section G, which discusses animal diseases that can spread to humans. The passage states that virus-based diseases like bird flu or Ebola are happening more often (on the increase). It describes these events as "uncontainable," which is a synonym for the word "uncontrollable" used in the question, followed by the word "outbreaks." |
| Q25 | climate change | inter-professional cooperation is crucial to meet the challenges of dealing with the effects of climate change, emergent cross-species pathogens, rising toxicity in air, water and soil, and uncontrolled development and urbanisation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says it is very important for many different kinds of workers to work as a team. They need to do this to solve big problems like climate change, new germs, pollution in the ground and air, and the fast growth of cities. Answer Explanation: The answer "climate change" refers to the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns on Earth. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "climate change" because paragraph H lists the specific problems that require different experts to work together (inter-professional cooperation). This list includes "climate change" alongside other issues mentioned in the question, such as "emergent cross-species pathogens" (new pathogens), "rising toxicity in air, water and soil" (pollution), and "uncontrolled development and urbanisation" (urban development). |
| Q26 | government funds / funds | This can only happen if additional government funds are channelled into the study and practice of environmental medicine | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that solving big ecological and health problems is only possible if more government money is given to researchers and doctors in the field of environmental medicine. Answer Explanation: The answer means money from the government used to pay for a specific activity or project. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final paragraph of the text. It states that to handle the future dangers of climate change and new diseases, environmental medicine needs more money. The word 'additional' in the text matches 'more' in the question, and 'channelled into' means the same as 'receive'. |