Reading is a critical component of the IELTS examination, often seen as a challenging section. This section assesses your ability to understand gist, detail, logical argumentation, and standpoints of the texts provided. Topics in the Reading section often mirror current world issues, with climate change being a popular theme. Today’s exercise looks at how climate change influences the spread of infectious diseases, which has become a significant concern globally.
In past IELTS exams, multiple texts have centered on the environmental issues and public health concerns, making it a recurrent theme. Given its relevance, it’s likely such a topic may appear in future tests, providing you with a good opportunity to be well-prepared.
Main Content
IELTS Reading Practice: How Climate Change Influences the Spread of Infectious Diseases
Passage
The impactful correlation between climate change and the proliferation of infectious diseases
Climate change has become a defining issue of our era, influencing all areas of life, including health. An increasingly critical concern is how climate change is facilitating the spread of infectious diseases.
Temperature fluctuations are among the most direct consequences of climate change, directly impacting the habitats and lifecycles of infective agents like bacteria, viruses, and their vectors such as mosquitoes. Warmer temperatures can extend the breeding season and geographic range of mosquitoes that carry diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika virus. Similarly, waterborne diseases such as cholera can thrive under warmer conditions.
Erratic weather patterns resulting from climate change also contribute significantly to the spread of infectious diseases. Heavy rains and floods can disrupt sanitation systems, leading to outbreaks of diseases like leptospirosis and hepatitis A. Conversely, drought can reduce the availability of clean water, exacerbating conditions favorable for the spread of pathogens.
The changes in ecosystems also play a pivotal role. Deforestation and urbanization, driven by climatic shifts, force animals to migrate, thereby increasing the chances of zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans—such as Ebola and COVID-19. Human activities that alter landscapes create environments where pathogens can thrive and move into human populations.
Climate Change and Infectious Diseases
Moreover, climate change can weaken human immune systems, making populations less capable of fighting infections. The stress caused by extreme weather events, displacement due to rising sea levels, and food insecurity can lead to weakened health, which in turn lowers resistance to diseases.
The intricate correlation between climate change and the spread of infectious diseases underscores the annual need for robust public health infrastructure. As climate change continues unabated, our priorities must include innovative health solutions and proactive measures aimed at mitigating these expanded health risks.
Questions
Section 1: Multiple Choice Questions
-
According to the text, what is a direct impact of temperature fluctuations due to climate change?
a) Increased antibiotic resistance
b) Extended breeding season of mosquitoes
c) Decreased humidity levels -
Which disease thrives under warmer conditions as mentioned in the text?
a) Tuberculosis
b) Influenza
c) Cholera -
How do erratic weather patterns contribute to the spread of infectious diseases?
a) By increasing UV radiation
b) By disrupting sanitation systems
c) By promoting ozone layer depletion
Section 2: True/False/Not Given
-
Climate change-induced droughts always increase clean water availability.
True / False / Not Given -
Urbanization driven by climate change can contribute to the spread of zoonotic diseases.
True / False / Not Given -
Climate change ensures that all public health issues are addressed efficiently.
True / False / Not Given
Section 3: Matching Headings
Match each paragraph from the passage with the correct heading from the provided list
Headings:
a) Temperature and Infectious diseases
b) Weather patterns and health impacts
c) Ecosystem disruption and zoonotic diseases
d) Human immune system vulnerabilities
Paragraph A: Temperature fluctuations are among the most direct consequences of climate change.
Paragraph B: Erratic weather patterns resulting from climate change contribute significantly to the spread of infectious diseases.
Paragraph C: Changes in ecosystems also play a pivotal role due to deforestation and urbanization.
Paragraph D: Climate change can weaken human immune systems, making populations less capable of fighting infections.
Answer Keys and Explanations
Multiple Choice Answers:
- b) Extended breeding season of mosquitoes
- c) Cholera
- b) By disrupting sanitation systems
Explanation:
- Temperature fluctuations directly impact the lifecycles of infective agents like mosquitoes, extending their breeding season as stated.
- Cholera, a waterborne disease, thrives under warmer conditions.
- Erratic weather patterns can disrupt sanitation systems, leading to disease outbreaks.
True/False/Not Given Answers:
4. False
5. True
6. False
Explanation:
4. The text mentions that drought reduces the availability of clean water, not increases it.
5. Deforestation and urbanization due to climate change force animals to migrate, increasing the chances of zoonotic diseases.
6. There is no suggestion that climate change ensures all public health issues are efficiently addressed—in fact, it underscores the need for robust public health infrastructure.
Matching Headings Answers:
- Paragraph A: a) Temperature and Infectious diseases
- Paragraph B: b) Weather patterns and health impacts
- Paragraph C: c) Ecosystem disruption and zoonotic diseases
- Paragraph D: d) Human immune system vulnerabilities
Common Mistakes in Reading Tasks
- Overlooking Key Details: Carefully read each question and passage to identify the key points.
- Misinterpreting True/False/Not Given Questions: Learn to distinguish between textually supported facts, contradictions, and statements with no textual support.
- Matching Headings: Understand the main idea of each paragraph succinctly; avoid focusing only on keywords.
Vocabulary
- Proliferation (noun): [prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃən] – Rapid increase in numbers.
- Erratic (adjective): [ɪˈrætɪk] – Not even or regular in pattern.
- Vector (noun): [ˈvektə] – An organism that transmits a pathogen.
- Zoonotic (adjective): [zoʊəˈnɒtɪk] – Disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Grammar
Relative Clauses: Used to provide extra information about nouns.
- Example: “Temperature fluctuations, which are among the most direct consequences of climate change, impact…”.
- Structure: relative pronoun (who, which, that) + subject/verb.
Advice for High Reading Scores
- Practice Regularly: Engage with a variety of reading materials, including academic texts, newspapers, and journals.
- Skimming and Scanning: Learn to quickly identify main ideas and specific information.
- Improve Vocabulary: Build a robust vocabulary to better understand diverse texts.
Get more insights on related topics by visiting our detailed guides such as the effects of climate change on infectious diseases and the effects of climate change on public health.
