In this question you must match the correct heading to the correct section of the passage. Matching headings questions are common in IELTS reading and are one of the longest to complete. This is a practice exercise for students, not an IELTS test.
Take time to read through the headings given. Spot which ones are similar or contain similar language – they are often traps. Also check the number of headings given, usually there are more headings available than are needed.
The heading usually relates to the general aim of a section.
Antimicrobial Resistance
A) While antibiotic resistance refers specifically to the resistance to antibiotics that occurs in common bacteria that cause infections, antimicrobial resistance is a broader term, encompassing resistance to drugs to treat infections caused by other microbes. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by it. Resistant microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites) are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (e.g., antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to others. The evolution of resistant strains is a natural phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms replicate themselves erroneously or when resistant traits are exchanged between them. The use and misuse of antimicrobial drugs accelerates the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Poor infection control practices, inadequate sanitary conditions and inappropriate food-handling encourages the further spread of AMR.
B) New resistance mechanisms emerge and spread worldwide threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in death and disability of individuals who until recently could continue a normal course of life. Without effective anti-infective treatment, many standard medical treatments will fail or turn into very high risk procedures. This would be a financially draining situation for wealthy countries but for the poorer ones, it could have catastrophic effects.
C) Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to the standard treatment, resulting in prolonged illness, higher health care expenditures, and a greater risk of death. As an example, the death rate for patients with serious infections caused by common bacteria treated in hospitals can be about twice that of patients with infections caused by the same non-resistant bacteria. For example, people with MRSA (another common source of severe infections in the community and in hospitals) are estimated to be 64% more likely to die than people with a non-resistant form of the infection.
D) WHO’s report on global surveillance of antimicrobial resistance reveals that antibiotic resistance is no longer a prediction for the future; it is happening right now, across the world, and is putting at risk the ability to treat common infections in the community and hospitals. Without urgent, coordinated action, the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries, which have been treatable for decades, can once again kill.
Questions 1-4
Choose the correct heading from the list below (i-x)
Choose the correct heading for sections A-D from the list of headings below.
i. A fatal threat
ii. A global concern.
iii. The evolution of resistance
iv. MRSA in hospitals
v. The present situation
vi. What is antimicrobial resistance?
vii. Protecting future generations
- Section A =
- Section B =
- Section C =
- Section D =
- vi
- ii
- i
- v
(passage adapted from WHO)
All reading exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.
Liz
- broader term = a more general term
- encompassing = including
- persist = continue
- phenomenon = occurrence
- replicate = copy / reproduce
- erroneously = mistakenly
- sanitary = hygienic / clean
- catastrophic = disastrous / terrible / devastating
- prolonged = lengthy (prolonged illness = chronic illness)
Recommended
Matching Heading Practice: Medium Level
Hi Liz,
I appreciate your efforts. I’ve a bit confusion. How can i come to khow that the answer contains mone than one option or not?
Matching headings questions never have more than one answer option. There is only ever one correct heading for one paragraph.
I got all correct but still i am so confused ..i opt the strategy to choose that heading which is the main idea not the one which inly tells a bit information in that paragraph…It is correct way to find answers?
That sounds right. Your aim is not to locate information. It is not to identify a small amount of information in a paragraph. It is to choose a heading which summarises the main aim of the whole paragraph.
I got 4/4 for this after checking back and forth for a while.
I found my weaknesses; first reading so fast and not getting enough knowledge and re-reading again to get the answer, and secondly especially for No.1 , as I presumed that it contains info about evolution of resistance( but actually about the resistance of microorganisms ).
Good for you. Well done!
Hello Liz and thanks again for your valuable lessons.
I chose evolution of resistance as a heading for paragraph 2 as it starts with new resistance mechanisms emerge.
The right answer referred to the general aim of the section. It didn’t work to use paraphrase here.
Matching headings questions is not about the first sentence of the paragraph or the last sentence or phrases inside the paragraph. It is about the whole content and aim of the paragraph. Sounds like you understand this now.
The skill of paraphrasing is essential for IELTS. It doesn’t necessarily give you the answer, but it does help you locate essential information that you need to find the answer. For matching headings, you always need to look out for at least two possible headings for each paragraph. So, you locate paraphrases in one paragraph and then see if there is any other key information given that might indicate a different answer.
Thanks liz
When I’m doing practice exercises of reading on ur website. I found most of my answers accurate. but whenever I practice from Cambridge books i face problems. I don’t know why this happens?
MY lessons are not tests. My lessons are for you to develop technique, strategy, awareness etc. You need to analyse why you get questions right or wrong. You need to train yourself. If you only do exercise after exercise and test after test without any analysis, you will struggle to improve.
I have been struggling a bit with Matching Heading exercise. The tips given in this page helped me a lot in understanding how to approach this section. Thanks Liz. You’re doing a great service to the IELTS students.
I’m glad it was helpful 🙂
I got it all correct
Thank you dear Liz
Good work!
I got only 1.
Oh well 🤣
Thank you so much for the lesson ma.
I don’t know how to thank you enough but God bless you ma’am 🙏
Yaaah! 💃💃 Thank you Liz. This type of question has always been a challenge to me, but I aced it (4/4)
Great 🙂
thank you so much liz you are indeed a blessing
You’re welcome 🙂
Thanks Liz – This was really helpful.
Got 1/4.
After analysing my mistakes, I couldn’t stop myself from thanking you for formulating such a brilliant exercise.
Thanks Liz 🙂
Thank you for the tips shared Liz. I did try my best using them. This type of question is a mighty challenge for me. Still got the majority of the answers wrong as was unable to distinguish between the options given as paragraphs 2-4 appeared to have all fatal threat/global concern/present situation as the answers.
4/4 on this and thanks for the lesson
Thanks alot for your efforts, i got it all, God bless and grant you quick recovery.
Well done 🙂 Thanks for your kind words 🙂
i got 3 correct .
I got it all correct
wow great work
good luck in your exam
I got only 2😞
EXCELLENT