Free IELTS Reading Practice Test 1- Section 2 (16-28 questions)

SECTION 2

Read and answer the questions Q.16-28

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 16–28, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

HEALTHCARE

A National boundaries are slowly eroding with advances in technology and the ease with which we travel. But while we can laud the progress we have made, technology has its downfalls, especially where healthcare is concerned. Infectious and life-threatening maladies that are common in developing countries where a major part of the population lives below the poverty line can now turn into a global nightmare. While developing nations struggle to provide healthcare to the teeming populations, rich nations have their own problems concerning basic medical care. Globally, 6% of the people do not have access to basic healthcare services.
B Associate Dean for Global Health Programs at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Neal Nathanson believes that there are three main issues to be considered when we talk about the challenges of global healthcare. The first is basic problems such as pollution, strained resources and overpopulation. Lack of basic necessities such as food, water and fresh air creates health issues, he says. The second issue, he opines, is economies. Poverty, according to the World Bank, is a ruling factor in global health. With over 1.4 billion people living below the poverty line, healthcare is not at its optimal with miniscule health budgets. Social development is the third issue to be considered, says Neal. Concerns that are non-economic in nature, such as women’s rights and literacy can become the foundation for health care systems even if funds are limited. With social development, a lot can be achieved. Factors that help people lead a healthy life include safe drinking water, sanitation, healthy food, adequate nutrition, decent housing, environmentally sound working conditions and information on health-related subjects.
C For a patient, the first point of contact with a health professional is a primary health-care centre. Family doctors, practitioners, pharmacists, dentists and midwives fall under this category. Primary care addresses preventive measures, and early diagnosis is possible at this stage, thus bypassing the need for expensive hospitals that may not be within the patient’s reach. In primary care, the relationship develops into a personal connection with the patient. Not only that, it has an outreach to the community at large for the promotion of good health and preventive strategies. It is also very cost-effective. With better utilization of existing preventive measures, the global burden of disease can be reduced by around 70%, says the World Health Organization.
D Development and progress have led to unhealthy lifestyles. Add to that an ageing population and rapid urbanization that is by and large unplanned, and you find ailments such as diabetes, cancer, asthma and heart disease is rising at an alarming rate. With primary health care, these issues can be addressed at the root level.
E It is no longer feasible to relate healthcare with a particular country in isolation. With globalization and shrinking boundaries, international travel and commerce have increased which aid in the spread of deadly viruses and infectious diseases across the borders. Developed nations ought to address this alarming rise in diseases by promoting health in developing countries and preventing the international spread of disease. Serious public health threats have to be recognized and addressed in a timely fashion.
F Death rates from noncommunicable medical conditions are growing. At the same time, as compared to the past, the death rate due to infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases is decreasing. Developing countries have a dual role to play. While they should continue preventive measures against infectious diseases, they must also address issues of noncommunicable diseases and environmental damage that pose health risks. With improving socio-economic conditions in developing countries, the need to take a closer look at substance abuse and mental health is also of utmost importance.
G Healthcare is a human right. For a better and healthier future, governments and businesses must devise measures to promote innovative breakthrough remedies not only to cure diseases but also to improve infrastructure for better healthcare delivery.

Questions 16 - 21

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs (A - G). Which paragraph contains the following information?

You may use any letter more than once.

Questions 22 - 27

Choose YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer of the passage, choose NO  if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer, or choose NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.

22 Health care issues are not restricted to economically weak nations. 
23 Few people have access to basic healthcare facilities worldwide. 
24 Poverty is the second important factor that affects healthcare. 
25 Expensive hospitals are needed if primary care is not available. 
26 Proper primary care can help to eradicate several diseases such as diabetes, cancer and asthma. 
27  It is inappropriate to consider health care solely as a national issue. 

Question 28

Choose the correct answer.

28 The author’s purpose in writing this article is to

•  eradicate non-communicable diseases in order to maintain general health care.
• criticize current health care facilities provided by the government.
• inform about factors relevant to health care.
• spread the message of health as a basic human right.

Also check:

IELTS reading practice test 1 section 3