Holiday blues Reading Answers

Here, the given Holiday blues reading practice test consists of a total of 11 questions, and it contains 3 different question types with appropriate answers with their location and explanation.

Given question types are, Multiple Choice Questions, Short Answer Questions, and Matching headings.

Table of contents:

• Solution for Holiday blues
• Holiday blues IELTS reading practice Test
• Passage
• Questions
• Answers with Explanations

Solution for Holiday blues

Here, Holiday blues reading Answers are given with the right answers. So, you can directly verify the answers, and check your solutions to understand your mistakes. 

Answer Table

1. A	5. Light Therapy	9. IX
2. C	6. Voluntary support services	10. V
3. Melatonin	7. VII	11. II
4. Scandinavia/ Scandinavian countries	8. IV

Holiday blues IELTS Reading Practice Test - Exam Review 

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Holiday blues IELTS reading answers will help you for your IELTS examination. The given practice test will help you to enhance your responding and solving capabilities. 

Holiday blues

1. The holiday season has always been a cause for celebration around the world. The opportunity to take a break from work, be frivolous, go on holiday, meet family and friends - all good reasons to look forward to the holidays with enthusiasm and anticipation. Or at least that is what we are led to believe.
   
   
2. Research carried out in America suggests that these feelings of euphoria may be somewhat misplaced. A study recently carried out by New York University Child Study Centre has concluded that one in three people of varying ages suffer ‘holiday blues’ to varying extents, from a mild feelings of sadness to severe, sometimes even suicidal, depression. The effects can manifest themselves in many ways, such as an inability to sleep or sleeping too much, overeating or undereating, headaches or drinking too much. The report also concluded that not only are there a number of complex causes that can trigger such depression (psychological and biological), there are an equal number of opinions as to the best solution.
   
   
3. According to Dr Frank Pittman, a leading family psychiatrist, the most significant cause for holiday depression actually stems from our concerns about our family. During the holiday season, families meet, often for the first time since the last holiday season, and try to make these reunions ‘perfect’. In fact, says Pittman, we count on the holidays to compensate for the rest of the year. He himself comments that ‘I wanted to make up to the family for not having been a good enough father and uncle all year’. However, such good intentions are often thwarted by old family arguments, feelings of not being appreciated or being used, all of which result in holiday stress. It seems that the idyllic picture of our family we wish to build in our minds cannot be sustained in reality.
   
   
4. Although Pittman holds family to be the source of much of the problem, others point to more general social context. Gift shopping, for example, does not help reduce tensions - crowded shops, long queues, the pressure of choosing just the right present - all of these things contribute to a feeling of stress and anxiety. On the other end of the scale, there are those without family who experience a sense of extreme loneliness and isolation throughout this period, often spending the long holidays alone. Any feelings of inadequacy they may harbour throughout the year can often become unbearable at a time when friends are unavailable and enjoying an apparently cosy break with their loved ones. In fact, such is the extreme nature of this isolation that many organisations have been established to offer some help and support to those who feel most alone over what should be the ‘festive’ season.
   
   
5. Others, however, argue that more scientific explanations carry an equal weight in explaining holiday blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD as it is more commonly known, is also held responsible for winter depression. A natural reaction to falling levels of sunlight, the pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which has the effect of slowing the body down. When days get shorter, more of the hormone is released causing sufferers to become lethargic and miserable. From being industry people with plenty of energy, SAD sufferers find themselves increasingly weary and unable to sustain any prolonged activity, a situation which often leads to depression. In addition, for many people this has a major impact not only on their personal life but also on their professional life, as employers often see this lack of productivity in terms of laziness or unwillingness to work. As a result, SAD has been linked directly to the high rate of suicide in a number of Scandinavian countries during winter months, when there are often a few hours of sunlight a day.
   
   
6. The good news for SAD sufferers is that there is a cure, and as far as many medical cures go this is relatively simple. As the cause is lack of bright light, the treatment is to be in bright light every day. This can obviously be achieved by staying in a brightly lit climate, explaining why skiing holidays are so popular as they allow people to get plenty of sunlight as well as providing a stimulating activity. Another method is by using light therapy, in which patients sit in front of a lamp which acts in the same way as sunlight. To be more specific, the light should be about as bright as early morning sunshine, and the user should allow the light to reach the eyes for anything up to one hour a day in order to alleviate the symptoms. There are a number of companies currently manufacturing these lights as a health aid and they are even being prescribed by some doctors. In addition, they can be bought at considerably less than the cost of a holiday.
   
   
7. Whatever fundamental reason underpins holiday depression, it seems reasonable to argue that the phenomenon does indeed exist. Voluntary support services, offering counselling services to those who need the unbiased and friendly voice of a stranger to help them work through their unhappiness report a significant increased demand for their services during holiday periods such as Christmas and the New Year.

Questions

Questions 1-2

Choose the correct answer A-C.

1. Research has shown that 

1. we become more depressed during the holidays
2. Poor diet can lead to depression
3. simple things can lead us to feel varying degrees of depression.

2. Dr. Pittman believes holiday depression comes from

1. Feelings of inadequacy
2. Being alone
3. Overcompensation

Questions 3-6

Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text.

3. What is the chemical that can cause lethargy in SAD sufferers?
4. Which area is identified as having a problem with the connection between suicide and reduced sunlight?
5. What daily treatment can SAD sufferers benefit from?
6. For whom are the holiday periods the busiest time?

Questions 7-11

Choose the most suitable headings (I-IX) for sections B-F from the list below.
Use each heading once only.

List of Headings

1. Family cures
2. Addressing the problem
3. Impact of personality
4. Psychological factors
5. Biological factors
6. Avoiding stress
7. Manifestations of depression
8. Depression in children
9. Pressure of the holiday period

7. Section B
8. Section C
9. Section D
10. Section E
11. Section F

Answers For Holiday blues With Explanations

Holiday blues reading answers with explanations provided here. Prefer this to identify your responses and to recognize your mistakes as well because the answers are given with the proper explanation.

(Note: The text in the italics mentions the location and referring lines written in the reading passage.)

1. Answer: A
Explanation: In Paragraph B, the writers mentioned that, ‘one in three people, of varying ages, experience "holiday blues" ranging from mild sadness to severe depression. The effects of holiday depression can manifest in different ways such as sleeping problems, changes in appetite, headaches, and excessive drinking. This suggests that simple things related to the holiday season can indeed contribute to feelings of depression. 

2. Answer: C
Explanation: In Paragraph C, the writers mentioned that, ‘According to Dr Frank Pittman, a leading family psychiatrist, the most significant cause for holiday depression actually stems from our concerns about our family. During the holiday season, families meet, often for the first time since the last holiday season, and try to make these reunions ‘perfect’. In fact, says Pittman, we count on the holidays to compensate for the rest of the year.’ According to Pittman, overcompensation is the primary cause for depression.

3. Answer: Melatonin
Explanation: In Paragraph E, the writers mentioned that, ‘A natural reaction to falling levels of sunlight, the pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which has the effect of slowing the body down. When days get shorter, more of the hormone is released causing sufferers to become lethargic and miserable.’ 

4. Answer: Scandinavia/ Scandinavian countries
Explanation: In Paragraph E, the writers mentioned that, ‘As a result, SAD has been linked directly to the high rate of suicide in a number of Scandinavian countries during winter months, when there are often a few hours of sunlight a day.’ 

5. Answer: Light Therapy
Explanation: In Paragraph F, the writers mentioned that, ‘Another method is by using light therapy, in which patients sit in front of a lamp which acts in the same way as sunlight. To be more specific, the light should be about as bright as early morning sunshine, and the user should allow the light to reach the eyes for anything up to one hour a day in order to alleviate the symptoms.’

6. Answer: Voluntary support services
Explanation: In Paragraph G, the writers mentioned that, ‘Voluntary support services, offering counselling services to those who need the unbiased and friendly voice of a stranger to help them work through their unhappiness report a significant increased demand for their services during holiday periods such as Christmas and the New Year.’

7. Answer: VII
Explanation: In Paragraph B, the writers mentioned that, ‘The effects can manifest themselves in many ways, such as an inability to sleep or sleeping too much, overeating or undereating, headaches or drinking too much. The report also concluded that not only are there a number of complex causes that can trigger such depression (psychological and biological), there are an equal number of opinions as to the best solution.’ In passage, they manifest different ways of depression.

8. Answer: IV
Explanation: In Paragraph C, the writers mentioned that, ‘However, such good intentions are often thwarted by old family arguments, feelings of not being appreciated or being used, all of which result in holiday stress. It seems that the idyllic picture of our family we wish to build in our minds cannot be sustained in reality.’ In this paragraph, these psychological factors are presented as significant causes of holiday stress and contribute to feelings of depression. Thus, the answer is Psychological factors.

9. Answer: IX
Explanation: In Paragraph D, the writers mentioned that, ‘Although Pittman holds family to be the source of much of the problem, others point to more general social context. Gift shopping, for example, does not help reduce tensions - crowded shops, long queues, the pressure of choosing just the right present - all of these things contribute to a feeling of stress and anxiety.’ These lines indicate that the writer talked about the pressure of holidays.

10. Answer: V
Explanation: In Paragraph E, the writers mentioned that, ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD as it is more commonly known, is also held responsible for winter depression. A natural reaction to falling levels of sunlight, the pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which has the effect of slowing the body down. When days get shorter, more of the hormone is released causing sufferers to become lethargic and miserable.’ The paragraph specifically mentions the role of the pineal gland and the release of melatonin in SAD sufferers. Thus, the answer is a biological factor.

11. Answer: II
Explanation: In Paragraph F, the writers mentioned that, ‘This can obviously be achieved by staying in a brightly lit climate, explaining why skiing holidays are so popular as they allow people to get plenty of sunlight as well as providing a stimulating activity. Another method is by using light therapy, in which patients sit in front of a lamp which acts in the same way as sunlight.’ The paragraph emphasises the need for addressing and finding solutions to the problem of holiday depression. Therefore, the answer is Addressing the problem.

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