The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Verified Jun 2026

The text mentions that antibiotics are used in food-producing animals to promote growth and illness, not just treat it.

Bacteria can pass on survival traits both to their offspring and to entirely different bacterial species.

This low-dose, sub-lethal exposure creates an ideal breeding ground for resistant strains of bacteria. These "superbugs" then enter the human food chain through contaminated meat products, direct contact with agricultural workers, or environmental runoff into local water supplies. Consequently, a localized agricultural practice can rapidly escalate into a global health hazard. Economic and Healthcare Ramifications

Implementing a "One Health" policy has successfully eliminated superbugs in Europe. Verified IELTS Reading Answers and Explanations The text mentions that antibiotics are used in

9. plasmids 10. MRSA 11. disease prevention (note: “disease prevention” – two words; Para D) 12. post-antibiotic era (Para E – requires hyphen but counts as two words) 13. One Health (capitalised in passage – Para F)

Farming industries primarily use antibiotics to treat actively sick livestock.

Explanation: The passage mentions the "indiscriminate usage of antibiotic agents in both clinical [human] and veterinary [animal] settings." These "superbugs" then enter the human food chain

The text highlights that patients often request antibiotics for viral infections like the common cold, even though the drugs are ineffective against them. Key Concepts from the Passage Horizontal Gene Transfer:

Looking for more verified IELTS Reading answers? Check our guides on "Climate Change and Health" and "The History of Vaccine Development."

: Bacteria multiply and exchange genetic material (horizontal gene transfer) so quickly that resistance spreads through a population in a matter of hours. 🔍 IELTS Reading: Verified Answer Key Insights Verified IELTS Reading Answers and Explanations 9

The increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance is an outcome of evolution. Any population of organisms, bacteria included, naturally includes variants with unusual traits – in this case, the ability to withstand an antibiotic's attack on a microbe. When a person takes an antibiotic, the drug kills the defenceless bacteria, leaving behind – or "selecting," in biological terms – those that can resist it. These renegade bacteria then multiply, increasing their numbers a million fold in a day, becoming the predominant microorganism. "Whenever antibiotics are used, there is selective pressure for resistance to occur. More and more organisms develop resistance to more and more drugs," says Joe Cranston, Ph.D., director of the department of drug policy and standards at the American Medical Association in Chicago.

Worldwide, vast quantities of critically important antibiotics are administered to healthy livestock to promote growth and prevent infections in crowded farming environments. These drugs enter the human food chain and local water supplies.

The race against resistance is not just a scientific challenge; it is a battle for the future of modern medicine itself [5]. sample IELTS-style questions based on this text to test your reading comprehension?

Antibiotics are often prescribed for viral infections (like the cold or flu), against which they are completely ineffective.

In matching features questions, quickly scan the passage for the names of experts (e.g., Michael Blum, Joe Cranston, Linda McCaig). Their direct quotes often contain the exact information needed.