IELTS Reading Practice: The Impact of Climate Change on Global Health

The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the test, assessing your ability to comprehend complex texts and identify key information. Today, we’ll focus on a topic that has been increasingly prevalent in recent years: “The impact of climate change on global health.” This subject has appeared in various forms in past IELTS exams and, given its ongoing relevance, is likely to feature again in future tests.

Based on our analysis of past IELTS exams and current global trends, we predict a high probability of encountering passages related to climate change and its effects on public health. This topic combines environmental science with healthcare, making it an ideal subject for testing candidates’ ability to understand and interpret academic texts.

Let’s dive into a practice passage and questions to help you prepare for this type of content in your IELTS Reading test.

Practice Passage: The Global Health Implications of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality affecting various aspects of human life. One of the most significant and immediate impacts is on global health. As temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, we are witnessing a cascade of health effects that span continents and generations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified climate change as one of the greatest threats to global health in the 21st century. This is not merely due to the direct effects of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and storms, which can cause injury, death, and displacement. The health implications of climate change are far more pervasive and long-lasting.

One of the primary concerns is the spread of infectious diseases. As temperatures warm, disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks are expanding their geographical range, bringing diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Lyme disease to new regions. Additionally, changes in precipitation patterns can lead to water scarcity in some areas and flooding in others, both of which can contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases.

Food security is another critical issue. Climate change affects crop yields and nutritional quality, potentially leading to malnutrition and related health problems. Extreme weather events can disrupt food production and distribution systems, exacerbating food insecurity in vulnerable populations.

The impact on air quality is equally concerning. Higher temperatures can increase the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of smog, which can exacerbate respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, wildfires, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, release harmful particulate matter into the air, affecting cardiovascular and respiratory health.

Mental health is an often-overlooked aspect of climate change’s impact on health. The stress and trauma associated with extreme weather events, displacement, and the loss of livelihoods can lead to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Addressing these health challenges requires a multifaceted approach. Mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are crucial for slowing the pace of climate change. Simultaneously, adaptation measures are necessary to protect public health in the face of ongoing changes. This includes strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, developing early warning systems for extreme weather events, and ensuring access to clean water and nutritious food.

The health sector itself must also adapt to become more resilient and sustainable. This involves developing climate-smart healthcare facilities that can withstand extreme weather events and reduce their own carbon footprint.

In conclusion, the impact of climate change on global health is complex and far-reaching. It touches every aspect of human well-being, from physical to mental health, and from immediate threats to long-term consequences. As we continue to grapple with this global challenge, it is clear that protecting human health must be at the forefront of climate action strategies.

Global health impact of climate change

Questions

True/False/Not Given

For questions 1-5, read the following statements and decide if they are True, False, or Not Given based on the information in the passage.

1. The World Health Organization considers climate change to be one of the biggest health threats of this century.
2. All regions of the world are equally affected by the spread of infectious diseases due to climate change.
3. Climate change can impact both the quantity and quality of food production.
4. Wildfires caused by climate change only affect respiratory health.
5. The health sector is advised to reduce its carbon footprint as part of adaptation measures.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D for questions 6-10.

6. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a direct effect of extreme weather events?
   A) Injury
   B) Death
   C) Displacement
   D) Economic recession

7. The spread of waterborne diseases is linked to:
   A) Rising temperatures
   B) Changes in precipitation patterns
   C) Increased air pollution
   D) Food insecurity

8. Which of the following is described as a component of smog that can worsen respiratory conditions?
   A) Particulate matter
   B) Carbon dioxide
   C) Ground-level ozone
   D) Methane

9. The passage suggests that mental health issues resulting from climate change can include:
   A) Anxiety and depression only
   B) PTSD only
   C) Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
   D) Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

10. What does the passage suggest about addressing the health challenges of climate change?
    A) Mitigation strategies alone are sufficient
    B) Only adaptation measures are necessary
    C) A combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies is required
    D) The health sector should focus solely on reducing its carbon footprint

Matching Headings

Match the following headings (A-F) to the correct paragraphs (11-14) in the passage.

A) The overlooked psychological impact
B) Alterations in disease patterns
C) WHO’s stance on climate change
D) Challenges to food production and nutrition
E) Air pollution and respiratory health
F) Strategies for health protection

11. Paragraph 3
12. Paragraph 4
13. Paragraph 5
14. Paragraph 6

Answer Key and Explanations

True/False/Not Given

1. True – The passage states, “The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified climate change as one of the greatest threats to global health in the 21st century.”

2. Not Given – The passage mentions that disease-carrying insects are expanding their range, but it doesn’t specify whether all regions are equally affected.

3. True – The passage mentions that “Climate change affects crop yields and nutritional quality.”

4. False – The passage states that wildfires affect both cardiovascular and respiratory health.

5. True – The passage mentions that the health sector should “reduce their own carbon footprint” as part of adaptation measures.

Multiple Choice

6. D – Economic recession is not mentioned as a direct effect of extreme weather events in the passage.

7. B – The passage states, “changes in precipitation patterns can lead to water scarcity in some areas and flooding in others, both of which can contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases.”

8. C – The passage mentions that “Higher temperatures can increase the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of smog, which can exacerbate respiratory conditions.”

9. C – The passage states that climate change can lead to “increased rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”

10. C – The passage suggests that both mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures are necessary to address health challenges.

Matching Headings

11. B – This paragraph discusses how climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases.

12. D – This paragraph focuses on how climate change impacts food security and nutrition.

13. E – This paragraph discusses the effects of climate change on air quality and respiratory health.

14. A – This paragraph highlights the mental health impacts of climate change, which are often overlooked.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overlooking key words: Pay attention to qualifiers like “all,” “only,” or “most” in True/False/Not Given questions.
2. Making assumptions: Stick to the information provided in the passage and avoid bringing in outside knowledge.
3. Misinterpreting “Not Given”: Remember, this means the information is neither confirmed nor denied in the passage.
4. Rushing through Multiple Choice questions: Read all options carefully before selecting an answer.
5. Matching headings based on a single word: Consider the main idea of the entire paragraph, not just a familiar word or phrase.

Key Vocabulary

• Pervasive (adjective): spreading widely throughout an area or group of people
• Exacerbate (verb): to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse
• Malnutrition (noun): lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough to eat or not eating enough of the right things
• Vulnerability (noun): the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally
• Mitigation (noun): the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something
• Adaptation (noun): the process of changing to suit different conditions

Grammar Focus

Pay attention to the use of conditional sentences in the passage, particularly the zero conditional and the first conditional. For example:

• Zero conditional: “As temperatures warm, disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks are expanding their geographical range.” This describes a general truth or scientific fact.
• First conditional: “If we continue to grapple with this global challenge, it is clear that protecting human health must be at the forefront of climate action strategies.” This describes a likely future scenario and its result.

Understanding these conditional structures can help you grasp the relationships between climate change events and their consequences as described in the passage.

Tips for Success in IELTS Reading

1. Practice time management: Allocate your time wisely across all sections of the Reading test.
2. Skim and scan effectively: Quickly identify key information without reading every word.
3. Develop your vocabulary: Regularly learn new words related to common IELTS topics like climate change and health.
4. Practice various question types: Familiarize yourself with all the different formats you might encounter.
5. Read actively: Engage with the text by underlining key points and making brief notes.
6. Use contextual clues: If you encounter unfamiliar words, try to understand their meaning from the surrounding text.
7. Check your answers: If time allows, review your answers for any obvious mistakes.

Remember, success in IELTS Reading comes with consistent practice and familiarity with various topics and question types. Keep practicing with diverse materials and you’ll see improvement in your skills and confidence.

For more practice on IELTS Reading and other components of the test, check out our other resources:

• Climate Change’s Impact on Global Public Health
• How Does Climate Change Impact Global Public Health?
• What Are the Impacts of Climate Change on Global Health Outcomes?

Good luck with your IELTS preparation!