THE ART OF HEALING - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 1 Academic Reading Test 5 · Part 3 · Questions 28–40
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
THE ART OF HEALING
If no further evidence was available of the sophistication of China in the Tang era, then a look at Chinese medicine would be sufficient. At the Western end of the Eurasian continent the Roman empire had vanished, and there was nowhere new to claim the status of the cultural and political centre of the world. In fact, for a few centuries, this centre happened to be the capital of the Tang empire, and Chinese medicine under the Tang was far ahead of its European counterpart. The organisational context of health and healing was structured to a degree that had no precedence in Chinese history and found no parallel elsewhere.
An Imperial Medical Office had been inherited from previous dynasties: it was immediately restructured and staffed with directors and deputy directors, chief and assistant medical directors, pharmacists and curators of medicinal herb gardens and further personnel. Within the first two decades after consolidating its rule, the Tang administration set up one central and several provincial medical colleges with professors, lecturers, clinical practitioners and pharmacists to train students in one or all of the four departments of medicine, acupuncture, physical therapy and exorcism.
Physicians were given positions in governmental medical service only after passing qualifying examinations. They were remunerated in accordance with the number of cures they had effected during the past year.
In 723 Emperor Xuanzong personally composed a general formulary of prescriptions recommended to him by one of his imperial pharmacists and sent it to all the provincial medical schools. An Arabic traveller, who visited China in 851, noted with surprise that prescriptions from the emperor's formulary were publicised on notice boards at crossroads to enhance the welfare of the population.
The government took care to protect the general populace from potentially harmful medical practice. The Tang legal code was the first in China to include laws concerned with harmful and heterodox medical practices. For example, to treat patients for money without adhering to standard procedures was defined as fraud combined with theft and had to be tried in accordance with the legal statutes on theft. If such therapies resulted in the death of a patient, the healer was to be banished for two and a half years. In case a physician purposely failed to practice according to the standards, he was to be tried in accordance with the statutes on premeditated homicide. Even if no harm resulted, he was to be sentenced to sixty strokes with a heavy cane.
In fact, physicians practising during the Tang era had access to a wealth of pharmaceutical and medical texts, their contents ranging from purely pragmatic advice to highly sophisticated theoretical considerations. Concise descriptions of the position, morphology, and functions of the organs of the human body stood side by side in libraries with books enabling readers to calculate the daily, seasonal and annual climatic conditions of cycles of sixty years and to understand and predict their effects on health.
Several Tang authors wrote large collections of prescriptions, continuing a literary tradition documented since the 2nd century BC. The two most outstanding works to be named here were those by Sun Simiao (581–682?) and Wang Tao (c.670–755). The latter was a librarian who copied more than six thousand formulas, categorised in 1,104 sections, from sixty-five older works and published them under the title Waitai miyao. Twenty-four sections, for example, were devoted to ophthalmology. They reflect the Indian origin of much Chinese knowledge on ailments of the eye and, in particular, of cataract surgery.
Sun Simiao was the most eminent physician and author not only of the Tang dynasty, but of the entire first millennium AD. He was a broadly educated intellectual and physician; his world view integrated notions of all three of the major currents competing at his time – Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. Sun Simiao gained fame during his lifetime as a clinician (he was summoned to the imperial court at least once) and as author of the Prescriptions Worth Thousands in Gold (Qianjinfang) and its sequel. In contrast to developments in the 12th century, physicians relied on prescriptions and single substances to treat their patients' illnesses. The theories of systematic correspondences, characteristic of the acupuncture tradition, had not been extended to cover pharmacology yet. Sun Simiao rose to the pantheon of Chinese popular Buddhism in about the 13th century. He was revered as paramount Medicine God. He gained this extraordinary position in Chinese collective memory not only because he was an outstanding clinician and writer, but also for his ethical concerns. Sun Simiao was the first Chinese author known to compose an elaborate medical ethical code. Even though based on Buddhist and Confucian values, his deontology is comparable to the Hippocratic Oath. It initiated a debate on the task of medicine, its professional obligations, social position and moral justification that continued until the arrival of Western medicine in the 19th century.
Despite or – more likely – because of its long-lasting affluence and political stability, the Tang dynasty did not add any significantly new ideas to the interpretation of illness, health and healing. Medical thought reflects human anxieties; changes in medical thought always occur in the context of new existential fears or of fundamentally changed social circumstances. Nevertheless, medicine was a most fascinating ingredient of Tang civilisation and it left a rich legacy to subsequent centuries.
Questions
Questions 28–30 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the appropriate letters A–D.
Questions 31–37 Yes / No / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
Write
YES if the statement agrees with the information
NO if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage
Questions 38–40 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 3.
Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS for each answer.
- The first known medical writing in China dates back to the 38.
- During the Tang era, doctors depended most on 39 to treat their patients.
- 40 is famous for producing a set of medical rules for Chinese physicians.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q28 | C | The organisational context of health and healing was structured to a degree that had no precedence in Chinese history and found no parallel elsewhere | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the way health and medicine were managed in Tang China was very 'structured' or organized. This means it had a clear system, unlike anything seen before in China or anywhere else during that time. Answer Explanation: The answer says that the writer focuses on how medicine was organized in a very clear and orderly way during the Tang era. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the first paragraph, which emphasizes the highly organized nature of medicine at that time. The passage uses key phrases like 'organisational context' and 'structured to a degree' to describe a systematic and ordered approach to health and healing that was unparalleled. |
| Q29 | A | They were remunerated in accordance with the number of cures they had effected during the past year | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that doctors were 'remunerated,' which means they were paid. This payment was 'in accordance with,' meaning it was based on, 'the number of cures they had effected.' This means they were paid based on how many sick people they made well in the last year. Answer Explanation: The answer is A. This means that how much a government doctor earned each year depended on how well their treatments worked for sick people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage states that doctors working for the government were paid based on how many people they successfully treated. The phrase 'remunerated in accordance with the number of cures they had effected' directly links their salary to the effectiveness of their medical care. |
| Q30 | B | The Tang legal code was the first in China to include laws concerned with harmful and heterodox medical practices | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Tang government made rules, called a legal code, to stop doctors from using medical methods that were dangerous or not approved. 'Heterodox' means different from what is normal or accepted, so it refers to unusual or non-standard ways of healing. Answer Explanation: The answer means that using medical methods that were not standard or approved was against the law during the Tang era. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage clearly states that the Tang government created laws against certain medical practices. The fifth paragraph mentions that 'The Tang legal code was the first in China to include laws concerned with harmful and heterodox medical practices.' 'Heterodox' means practices that are not traditional or standard, which is the same as 'unorthodox.' The passage explains that performing therapies 'without adhering to standard procedures' was considered illegal and could lead to punishment, even if no harm was done. |
| Q31 | YES | Within the first two decades after consolidating its rule, the Tang administration set up one central and several provincial medical colleges with professors, lecturers, clinical practitioners and pharmacists to train students in one or all of the four departments of medicine, acupuncture, physical therapy and exorcism | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that during the Tang dynasty, the government created medical schools. These schools had teachers, like professors and lecturers. They taught students about different areas of health, such as general medicine, acupuncture, exercises to help the body, and even religious practices for healing. Students could learn just one or all of these subjects. Answer Explanation: The answer means that teachers at medical schools in the Tang dynasty sometimes taught different kinds of health topics. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage says that the Tang government set up medical schools. These schools had professors and lecturers. They trained students in many subjects like 'medicine, acupuncture, physical therapy and exorcism'. This shows that academic staff, like professors and lecturers, would teach different subjects, confirming that they 'sometimes taught a range of medical subjects'. |
| Q32 | NO | An Arabic traveller, who visited China in 851, noted with surprise that prescriptions from the emperor's formulary were publicised on notice boards at crossroads to enhance the welfare of the population | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that medical recipes from the emperor's book were put on public signs at busy places. This was done to help all the people ('the population') be healthier and live better. This shows that medical help was for everyone, not just for rich people. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'NO'. This means the statement is not true. Medical knowledge in the Tang era did not only help rich people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NO' because the passage clearly states that medical knowledge and practices were made available to everyone, not just the wealthy. For example, specific information from the emperor's medical formulas was put on public 'notice boards' in places like 'crossroads' so that all people, referred to as 'the population', could benefit. The government also worked to 'protect the general populace' from bad medical practices, showing a concern for the health of all citizens, not just a select few. |
| Q33 | NOT GIVEN | An Arabic traveller, who visited China in 851, noted with surprise that prescriptions from the emperor's formulary were publicised on notice boards at crossroads to enhance the welfare of the population | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that medical prescriptions were 'publicised on notice boards... to enhance the welfare of the population.' This means the government made information about medicine available to help people's general well-being. But this part of the passage, and no other part, specifically says that citizens were encouraged to follow a healthy lifestyle, like eating well or exercising, to stay healthy. It focuses on providing medical knowledge and treatments. Answer Explanation: The answer 'NOT GIVEN' means that the passage does not tell us if people in the Tang dynasty were told or advised to live in a healthy way. This information is not in the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage describes many aspects of Tang medicine, such as the organization of medical schools, the training of doctors, the creation and distribution of medical prescriptions, and laws to protect people from bad medical practices. For example, it mentions that Emperor Xuanzong's prescriptions were 'publicised on notice boards at crossroads to enhance the welfare of the population'. This shows the government cared about people's health and made medical information available. However, the passage does not contain any information about whether citizens were actively *encouraged* to adopt a 'healthy lifestyle,' meaning practices like exercise, good diet, or hygiene, to prevent sickness. While the government aimed to improve 'welfare' through accessible medicine, it doesn't explicitly state they promoted specific healthy living habits. |
| Q34 | YES | For example, to treat patients for money without adhering to standard procedures was defined as fraud combined with theft and had to be tried in accordance with the legal statutes on theft | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that if a doctor took money but did not follow the usual medical rules, it was called cheating and stealing. These doctors had to be judged using the same laws that applied to people who stole things. This means doctors who cheated were treated just like other people who broke the law by stealing. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'YES'. This means that doctors who cheated people were judged and punished just like other people who committed crimes during the Tang dynasty. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage states that dishonest medical practices, such as treating patients for money without following proper rules, were considered 'fraud combined with theft'. The passage explicitly says these actions 'had to be tried in accordance with the legal statutes on theft', meaning doctors found cheating were dealt with using the same laws as common thieves or 'ordinary criminals'. This shows they were not given a special different type of trial or punishment but were subject to the standard legal code for criminal acts like theft. |
| Q35 | YES | In fact, physicians practising during the Tang era had access to a wealth of pharmaceutical and medical texts, their contents ranging from purely pragmatic advice to highly sophisticated theoretical considerations | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that doctors in the Tang time had many medical books. These books contained information that went from simple, practical tips to very complex, scholarly thoughts. This shows that the books covered both hands-on, useful information and deep, academic knowledge. Answer Explanation: The answer means that, yes, the medical books from the Tang dynasty included both useful, everyday advice and complex, scholarly ideas. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage states that medical texts available during the Tang era contained both 'pragmatic advice' and 'theoretical considerations'. This directly supports the idea that the books covered both practical and academic issues, as 'pragmatic advice' refers to practical matters and 'theoretical considerations' refers to academic or scholarly topics. |
| Q36 | NOT GIVEN | The latter was a librarian who copied more than six thousand formulas, categorised in 1,104 sections, from sixty-five older works and published them under the title Waitai miyao | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a person named Wang Tao made a book called 'Waitai miyao'. He copied many medical formulas, or recipes, from 'sixty-five older works' to put into his book. It doesn't say if those older works, and the information in them, were from the Tang time or an even older time. Answer Explanation: The answer 'NOT GIVEN' means that the passage does not tell us if the book 'Waitai miyao' had medical information that came from the Tang time period itself. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage states that the book 'Waitai miyao' was created by Wang Tao, a librarian who 'copied more than six thousand formulas...from sixty-five older works'. While Wang Tao lived during the Tang dynasty and compiled the book then, the passage only specifies that the contents were from 'older works'. It does not provide information about whether these 'older works' contained data or findings that originated *within* the Tang era or were entirely from periods *before* the Tang era. Therefore, we cannot confirm if the medical data *in* the book was 'from the Tang era' based on the text. |
| Q37 | NO | They reflect the Indian origin of much Chinese knowledge on ailments of the eye and, in particular, of cataract surgery | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Chinese knowledge about eye conditions and operations, especially for cataracts, came from India. This means India taught China, not China taught India. Answer Explanation: The answer is NO. This means the statement, 'Chinese medical authors are known to have influenced Indian writing,' is not true based on the passage. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NO because the passage indicates that knowledge flowed from India to China, not the other way around. The passage explicitly states that Chinese knowledge about eye problems, like cataract surgery, came from India. There is no information in the passage to support the idea that Chinese medical authors influenced Indian writing. |
| Q38 | 2nd century BC | Several Tang authors wrote large collections of prescriptions, continuing a literary tradition documented since the 2nd century BC | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that writers during the Tang dynasty kept making many books of medicine. It also says that this way of writing about medicine had been 'documented since the 2nd century BC'. This means people have been writing about medicine since that very old time. Answer Explanation: The answer is '2nd century BC'. This means that the earliest known writings about medicine in China started around the second century before the birth of Christ. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage, which states that a 'literary tradition' of medical texts existed long before the Tang era. This tradition, which included large collections of prescriptions, was 'documented since the 2nd century BC', indicating this as the timeframe for the first known medical writing. |
| Q39 | prescriptions and single substances | In contrast to developments in the 12th century, physicians relied on prescriptions and single substances to treat their patients' illnesses | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that, unlike later times, doctors in the Tang period used written medical guides (prescriptions) and separate healing items (single substances) to make sick people well. Answer Explanation: The answer means that doctors during the Tang period mainly used written medical instructions (prescriptions) and individual healing ingredients (single substances) to help sick people get better. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage, which explicitly states what physicians in the Tang era 'relied on' to 'treat their patients' illnesses.' This sentence directly identifies 'prescriptions and single substances' as the methods doctors depended on. |
| Q40 | Sun Simiao | Sun Simiao was the first Chinese author known to compose an elaborate medical ethical code | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that Sun Simiao was the first Chinese writer who made a detailed set of rules about how doctors should act and work. These rules are for good behavior in medicine. Answer Explanation: The answer, Sun Simiao, is the name of a very famous doctor and writer from ancient China. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Sun Simiao because the passage states that he was the first Chinese author to create a detailed 'medical ethical code'. This 'ethical code' is a set of rules or guidelines for how doctors should behave, which directly answers the question about who is famous for producing 'a set of medical rules' for physicians. |