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

| Term | Definition | |------|------------| | | A medication used to treat bacterial infections by either killing bacteria or stopping their growth | | Resistance | The ability of bacteria or other microbes to resist the effects of a drug | | Superbug | A type of bacteria able to fight off antibiotic treatment with ease | | Horizontal gene transfer | Process whereby one bacterium passes resistance genes to another without being its parent | | Selective pressure | Environmental force that favours the survival of resistant bacteria over susceptible ones | | Plasmid | A small circle of DNA that can transfer resistance genes between different types of bacteria | | Bacteraemia | A life-threatening infection where bacteria circulate in the blood | | Post-antibiotic era | A future time when antibiotics may no longer effectively treat common infections | | Stewardship | Responsible management of antibiotic use to preserve their effectiveness | | Surveillance | Systematic tracking of antibiotic resistance patterns and antibiotic use |

Developing public-private partnerships and market entry rewards to encourage biotechnology firms to invest in the research and development of next-generation antimicrobials.

Explanation: Paragraph C outlines how human actions, such as patients demanding unnecessary drugs, doctors overprescribing, and individuals self-medicating, drive the crisis. | Term | Definition | |------|------------| | |

Strategy: Locate the section discussing horizontal gene transfer. The text notes that this process occurs "across species boundaries," contradicting the assertion that it is limited to identical species.

based on the latest 2026 developments in antibiotic research. The text notes that this process occurs "across

International bodies like the UN and G20 have pledged action, but funding remains inadequate. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the cost of being unprepared for a global health crisis – AMR is a slower, quieter pandemic already underway.

Economically, the burden is staggering. The World Bank has estimated that by 2050, drug-resistant infections could cause global economic damage comparable to the 2008 financial crisis. The productivity loss due to illness and the cost of intensive care threatens to undermine health systems and push millions into poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the cost of being

Explanation: Paragraph C explains natural selection: when antibiotics kill defenseless bacteria, resistant ones survive and multiply. This is exactly the biological concept of "survival of the fittest."

This passage explores the cyclical nature of resistance transmission, the role of livestock, and potential solutions at policy and individual levels. The text addresses how resistant bacteria spread from infected individuals to hospitals to local communities, as well as through the food chain via livestock and manure-fertilised crops.