Measures To Combat Infectious Disease In Tsarist Russia - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 3 Academic Reading Test 3 · 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.
Measures to combat infectious disease in tsarist Russia
A In the second half of the seventeenth century, Russian authorities began implementing controls at the borders of their empire to prevent the importation of plague, a highly infectious and dangerous disease. Information on disease outbreak occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar's court through various means, including commercial channels (travelling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents, the network of Imperial Foreign Office embassies and representations abroad, and the customs offices. For instance, the heads of customs offices were instructed to question foreigners entering Russia about possible epidemics of dangerous diseases in their respective countries.
B If news of an outbreak came from abroad, relations with the affected country were suspended. For instance, foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports if there was credible information about the existence of epidemics in countries from whence they had departed. In addition, all foreigners entering Russia from those countries had to undergo quarantine. In 1665, after receiving news about a plague epidemic in England, Tsar Alexei wrote a letter to King Charles II in which he announced the cessation of Russian trade relations with England and other foreign states. These protective measures appeared to have been effective, as the country did not record any cases of plague during that year and in the next three decades. It was not until 1692 that another plague outbreak was recorded in the Russian province of Astrakhan. This epidemic continued for five months and killed 10,383 people, or about 65 percent of the city's population. By the end of the seventeenth century, preventative measures had been widely introduced in Russia, including the isolation of persons ill with plague, the imposition of quarantines, and the distribution of explanatory public health notices about plague outbreaks.
C During the eighteenth century, although none of the occurrences was of the same scale as in the past, plague appeared in Russia several times. For instance, from 1703 to 1705, a plague outbreak that had ravaged Istanbul spread to the Podolsk and Kiev provinces in Russia, and then to Poland and Hungary. After defeating the Swedes in the battle of Poltava in 1709, Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) dispatched part of his army to Poland, where plague had been raging for two years. Despite preventive measures, the disease spread among the Russian troops. In 1710, the plague reached Riga (then part of Sweden, now the capital of Latvia), where it was active until 1711 and claimed 60,000 lives. During this period, the Russians besieged Riga and, after the Swedes had surrendered the city in 1710, the Russian army lost 9,800 soldiers to the plague. Russian military chronicles of the time note that more soldiers died of the disease after the capture of Riga than from enemy fire during the siege of that city.
D Tsar Peter I imposed strict measures to prevent the spread of plague during these conflicts. Soldiers suspected of being infected were isolated and taken to areas far from military camps. In addition, camps were designed to separate divisions, detachments, and smaller units of soldiers. When plague reached Narva (located in present-day Estonia) and threatened to spread to St. Petersburg, the newly built capital of Russia, Tsar Peter I ordered the army to cordon off the entire boundary along the Luga River, including temporarily halting all activity on the river. In order to prevent the movement of people and goods from Narva to St Petersburg and Novgorod, roadblocks and checkpoints were set up on all roads. The tsar's orders were rigorously enforced, and those who disobeyed were hung.
E However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character: they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague. The advent of such a standard response system came a few years later.
F The first attempts to organise procedures and carry out proactive steps to control plague date to the aftermath of the 1727-1728 epidemic in Astrakhan. In response to this, the Russian imperial authorities issued several decrees aimed at controlling the future spread of plague. Among these decrees, the 'Instructions for Governors and Heads of Townships' required that all governors immediately inform the Senate – a government body created by Tsar Peter I in 1711 to advise the monarch – if plague cases were detected in their respective provinces. Furthermore, the decree required that governors ensure the physical examination of all persons suspected of carrying the disease and their subsequent isolation. In addition, it was ordered that sites where plague victims were found had to be encircled by checkpoints and isolated for the duration of the outbreak. These checkpoints were to remain operational for at least six weeks. The houses of infected persons were to be burned along with all of the personal property they contained, including farm animals and cattle. The governors were instructed to inform the neighbouring provinces and cities about every plague case occurring on their territories. Finally, letters brought by couriers were heated above a fire before being copied.
G The implementation by the authorities of these combined measures demonstrates their intuitive understanding of the importance of the timely isolation of infected people to limit the spread of plague.
Questions
Questions 14–19 Matching Headings
Reading Passage 2 has SEVEN sections, A-G.
Choose the correct heading for sections A-F from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-viii.
i. Outbreaks of plague as a result of military campaigns.
ii. Systematic intelligence-gathering about external cases of plague.
iii. Early forms of treatment for plague victims.
iv. The general limitations of early Russian anti-plague measures.
v. Partly successful bans against foreign states affected by plague.
vi. Hostile reactions from foreign states to Russian anti-plague measures.
vii. Various measures to limit outbreaks of plague associated with war.
viii. The formulation and publication of preventive strategies.
Questions 20–21 Two Choices
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters.
Questions 22–23 Two Choices
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters.
Questions 24–26 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
- An outbreak of plague in 24 prompted the publication of a coherent preventative strategy.
- Provincial governors were ordered to burn the 25 and possessions of plague victims.
- Correspondence was held over a 26 prior to copying it.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | ii | Information on disease outbreak occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar's court through various means, including commercial channels (travelling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents, the network of Imperial Foreign Office embassies and representations abroad, and the customs offices | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Russian government had many organized ways to get news about sick people in other countries, such as using spies, soldiers, and business travelers to send reports back to the leader. Answer Explanation: The answer 'ii' refers to the heading 'Systematic intelligence-gathering about external cases of plague,' which describes how Russia collected information about disease outbreaks in other countries. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is section 'ii' because Section A explains the many ways the Russian government collected news about diseases starting in other countries. The passage lists several organized groups—like spies (undercover agents), soldiers, and merchants—who were or became part of a system to tell the Tsar about outbreaks. The words 'regularly reported' suggest a 'systematic' or organized process, and 'outbreak occurring abroad' refers to 'external cases.' |
| Q15 | v | In 1665, after receiving news about a plague epidemic in England, Tsar Alexei wrote a letter to King Charles II in which he announced the cessation of Russian trade relations with England and other foreign states. These protective measures appeared to have been effective, as the country did not record any cases of plague during that year and in the next three decades | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when Russia heard about the sickness in England, they stopped doing business with them. This plan seemed to work because Russia did not have any cases of the sickness for thirty years after that. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section B is about time periods when Russia stopped people and ships from other countries from entering because of sickness, and these rules worked well for a short while but did not stop the sickness forever. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'v' because Section B describes how Russia stopped ships from coming into their ports and ended trade with countries like England to prevent the plague from entering. The passage says these rules were 'effective' because Russia had no plague for thirty years after starting them. However, it is only 'partly' successful because a new outbreak eventually happened in 1692, meaning the bans did not keep the country safe forever. |
| Q16 | i | After defeating the Swedes in the battle of Poltava in 1709, Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) dispatched part of his army to Poland, where plague had been raging for two years. Despite preventive measures, the disease spread among the Russian troops. In 1710, the plague reached Riga (then part of Sweden, now the capital of Latvia), where it was active until 1711 and claimed 60,000 lives | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that after a large battle, the ruler sent his soldiers to a place where people were already very sick with the plague. Because the army went there, the soldiers caught the sickness, and the disease then spread to other locations like Riga, where many people died. Answer Explanation: The answer 'i' means that this part of the text talks about how the plague (a sickness) spread because of wars and soldiers moving to different places. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'i' because Section C describes how the plague moved along with the army. It mentions that Tsar Peter I sent his army to Poland while a war was happening. Even though they tried to stop it, the soldiers caught the plague. The section also mentions that in the city of Riga, more soldiers died from the plague than from the actual fighting during the war. Synonyms for 'military campaigns' used in the text include 'battle', 'army', 'troops', and 'siege'. |
| Q17 | vii | Tsar Peter I imposed strict measures to prevent the spread of plague during these conflicts. Soldiers suspected of being infected were isolated and taken to areas far from military camps. In addition, camps were designed to separate divisions, detachments, and smaller units of soldiers | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the leader made tough rules to stop the disease from spreading while people were fighting in wars. It explains that soldiers who might be sick were moved to places far from the army, and the camps were built to keep different groups of soldiers apart from each other. Answer Explanation: The answer 'vii' means that Section D describes several different actions taken to stop the spread of a dangerous sickness during times of war. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'vii' because Section D specifically focuses on the 'strict measures' (tough rules or actions) that Tsar Peter I used during 'conflicts' (war). These actions included keeping sick soldiers away from healthy ones and organizing army camps to keep groups of soldiers separated. This matches the idea of 'various measures' (different actions) to stop the disease when it is 'associated with war' (linked to military fighting). |
| Q18 | iv | However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character: they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that while the Russian government tried to stop the plague from spreading, their rules were temporary and only made for one specific problem at a time. They did not have an organized, standard plan that was ready to be used every time a new outbreak happened. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Section E focuses on the problems or weaknesses in the early ways Russia tried to stop the spread of the plague. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because Section E explains that Russia's early disease-fighting methods were 'provisional,' which means they were only temporary and created for one specific occasion. The passage notes that these actions were not part of a 'coherent' or organized plan that could be used every time the plague appeared. This lack of a standard, organized system shows the general 'limitations' (weaknesses or missing parts) of their early efforts to control the illness. |
| Q19 | viii | The first attempts to organise procedures and carry out proactive steps to control plague date to the aftermath of the 1727-1728 epidemic in Astrakhan. In response to this, the Russian imperial authorities issued several decrees aimed at controlling the future spread of plague | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that after a specific sickness outbreak, the leaders of Russia began to create organized plans and issued several official orders (decrees) to try and stop the sickness from spreading in the future. Answer Explanation: The answer, which is the heading 'viii. The formulation and publication of preventive strategies', means that this section of the text describes how the government created and shared official rules and plans to try to stop the disease from spreading in the future. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is viii because Section F focuses on the creation of organized, proactive measures after an epidemic in the late 1720s. It mentions that the government released 'decrees' (official orders) and 'Instructions' to local leaders. These documents explained specific actions to take, such as reporting cases to the Senate, checking people for the illness, using 'checkpoints' for isolation, and informing nearby towns. This process of making official rules and sharing them corresponds to the 'formulation' (making) and 'publication' (releasing) of 'preventive' (meant to stop something) 'strategies' (plans). |
| Q20 | — | — | |
| Q21 | B / D | Information on disease outbreak occurring abroad was regularly reported to the tsar's court through various means, including commercial channels (travelling merchants), military personnel deployed abroad, undercover agents, the network of Imperial Foreign Office embassies and representations abroad, and the customs offices foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports if there was credible information about the existence of epidemics in countries from whence they had departed |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Russia gathered health news from secret workers (agents) in other countries. It also notes that ships from countries with the disease were stopped from entering and parking at Russian trade areas (ports). Answer Explanation: The answer identifies two ways Russia tried to stop the plague: by using secret agents (spying) to get news and by preventing foreign ships from entering their harbors (ports). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the sections about the 17th century (the 1600s). In paragraph A, the text mentions that news about disease was brought to the leaders by 'undercover agents,' which is a synonym for spying. In paragraph B, the text explains that if there was news of sickness in other countries, 'foreign vessels were not allowed to dock in Russian ports,' which matches the idea of putting restrictions on access to ports. |
| Q22 | — | — | |
| Q23 | A / E | During the eighteenth century, although none of the occurrences was of the same scale as in the past, plague appeared in Russia several times However, although the Russian authorities applied such methods to contain the spread of the disease and limit the number of victims, all of the measures had a provisional character: they were intended to respond to a specific outbreak, and were not designed as a coherent set of measures to be implemented systematically at the first sign of plague |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains two main points about the 1700s: first, it confirms that while the plague still happened, the outbreaks were smaller than in earlier times. Second, it notes that the government's rules for stopping the disease were temporary reactions to specific events, rather than a single, organized system that worked the same way every time. Answer Explanation: The answer states that during the 1700s, the groups of people getting sick with the plague in Russia were not as large as they had been in the past, and the actions taken to stop the sickness were mostly unplanned and only happened as a reaction to a problem. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the text in two ways. First, for Statement A, the passage clearly says that the outbreaks in the 1700s (the eighteenth century) were never as big as those that happened before then. Second, for Statement E, the passage explains that the rules used to stop the sickness were only 'provisional'—meaning they were temporary and meant to fix one problem at a time—rather than being a 'coherent' or organized long-term plan used every time. |
| Q24 | Astrakhan | The first attempts to organise procedures and carry out proactive steps to control plague date to the aftermath of the 1727-1728 epidemic in Astrakhan | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the first time officials tried to create a formal, organized system to control the plague was after the sickness that occurred in Astrakhan during 1727 and 1728. Answer Explanation: The answer is the name of a Russian city. A major sickness happened there, which caused the government to finally create a clear and organized plan to stop the disease from spreading in the future. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Astrakhan because the passage states that the first organized and 'proactive' (planned in advance) steps to manage the plague happened after the outbreak in this specific city between 1717 and 1728. Before this, the government's actions were only temporary and not a 'coherent' or well-connected 'strategy'. The sickness in Astrakhan led to the creation of formal rules, or 'decrees', that served as a standard plan for fighting the disease. |
| Q25 | houses | The houses of infected persons were to be burned along with all of the personal property they contained, including farm animals and cattle | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the homes of people with the disease had to be burned, and all the things they owned inside the homes had to be burned as well. Answer Explanation: The answer "houses" refers to the buildings where people lived who had the plague (a very dangerous sickness). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "houses" because Paragraph F describes the rules that governors (local leaders) had to follow. One of these rules was to use fire to destroy the buildings where sick people lived to stop the disease from spreading. In the text, the word "houses" is used to describe what was being burned, alongside "personal property," which the question calls "possessions." |
| Q26 | fire | Finally, letters brought by couriers were heated above a fire before being copied | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when messengers brought letters, people would hold those letters over a flame to heat them up before they were copied by hand. Answer Explanation: The answer "fire" refers to the hot, burning flames used to heat letters in an attempt to kill germs or stop the spread of the disease. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final section of paragraph F, which describes the specific rules for handling mail. The question asks what "correspondence" (which means letters or messages) was held over before being copied. The passage states that letters brought by couriers were "heated above a fire" before they were rewritten or copied. Therefore, "fire" is the correct one-word answer. |