The Growing Global Threat - Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers

– The passage explicitly calls for this in the final paragraph.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to survive and thrive despite the presence of antibiotics. This happens when bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, and those that are susceptible to the medication die off, leaving behind resistant bacteria. Over time, these resistant bacteria multiply and spread, making infections harder to treat.

Nevertheless, significant challenges remain. Many pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic research because of low profit margins compared to drugs for chronic illnesses. Moreover, political momentum around the AMR crisis has dissipated in some regions, even as new infections continue to outpace the development of new drugs. To slow the inevitable spread of resistance, experts advocate for a multi-pronged strategy: reducing inappropriate antibiotic use in both humans and animals, improving infection prevention and control, investing in rapid diagnostic tests, and fostering global cooperation on surveillance and data sharing. – The passage explicitly calls for this in

While demand for new antibiotics is urgent, the pharmaceutical pipeline is dry. Since 1987, very few truly novel classes of antibiotics have been discovered. This is a market failure from an economic perspective. A new antibiotic is a ‘reserve’ drug – doctors will only use it in the most extreme cases to prevent resistance from developing. Consequently, the potential revenue for a new antibiotic is minuscule compared to a lucrative drug for chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. Many major pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic research altogether. To solve this, innovative funding models are being tested, such as the ‘Netflix model’ or subscription-style payments, where governments pay a fixed annual fee for access to antibiotics regardless of how many are used, decoupling profit from volume sold.

| Question | Correct Heading | Explanation | |----------|----------------|-------------| | 1 (Para A) | | Paragraph A describes the discovery of penicillin and then notes that just four years after mass production began, resistant microbes appeared. | | 2 (Para B) | viii. Evolutionary selection: survival of the fittest bacteria | This paragraph explains how antibiotics kill defenseless bacteria but “select” resistant ones, which then multiply and become predominant. | | 3 (Para C) | vii. Horizontal gene transfer: the most potent resistance mechanism | The paragraph details three genetic mechanisms, highlighting plasmids that can “flit” between bacteria, carrying multiple resistance genes. | | 4 (Para D) | iv. The link between modern medicine and increased vulnerability | Paragraph D discusses overuse of antibiotics and how advanced medical procedures create more immunocompromised patients needing routine antibiotics. | | 5 (Para E) | x. Agricultural practices as amplifiers of resistance | This paragraph focuses on livestock antibiotic use, the food chain, and manure spreading resistant bacteria to crops. | | 6 (Para F) | vi. Accelerating resistance: global prevalence and death toll | The paragraph cites WHO data, showing one in six infections resistant, rising rates of 5–15% annually, and ~5 million AMR-associated deaths. | | 7 (Para G) | ix. International strategies to combat the crisis | This paragraph describes the Global Action Plan, GLASS surveillance, and GARDP for new antibiotics. | Over time, these resistant bacteria multiply and spread,

"Resistance is built up over a long period, but bacteria replicate extraordinarily quickly Matching Features (People and Opinions):

The rise of drug-resistant bacteria is one of the greatest challenges to modern medicine. This topic frequently appears in the IELTS Academic Reading subtest because it features complex vocabulary, scientific arguments, and historical context. Moreover, political momentum around the AMR crisis has

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? Write:

Choose the correct heading for Sections A-E from the list of headings below.

Emphasizes that prescribing the correct antibiotic for particular infections is vital to prevent diverse bacteria from being exposed to broad-spectrum agents. ET (Emma Thompson):

While researchers are exploring alternatives, such as phage therapy—using viruses that prey on bacteria—the pipeline for new antibiotics is largely dry. The rapid development of resistance means that new drugs often become obsolete within a few years, offering little return on investment for pharmaceutical companies.