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BEST IELTS General Reading Test 465
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 465 – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 465
READING PASSAGE – 2
Vietnam vets may have cancer-causing parasites
A. Hundreds of Vietnam War veterans may be infected with parasites called liver flukes, which can sometimes lead to cancer, recent research suggests. A recent study from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) found that, out of 50 blood samples submitted from Vietnam veterans, more than 20 percent tested positive for antibodies against liver flukes, according to the Associated Press. The findings could mean that many Vietnam veterans have “silent” infections with the parasite, meaning they don’t have any symptoms. However, the results are preliminary, and it’s possible that not all of the veterans who tested positive actually have the parasite, the researchers said. Still, the results were “surprising.
B. Liver flukes are small, flat parasitic worms that can infect the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. People become infected when they eat raw or undercooked freshwater fish that have the parasites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although liver-fluke infections are rare in the United States, it’s estimated that 35 million people worldwide are infected with the parasites at any one time, mostly in Asia and Eastern Europe.
IELTS General Reading Test
C. There are three main types of liver flukes that cause human infection: Clonorchis sinensis, which is common in rural parts of China and Korea; Opisthorchiasis viverrini, which is found in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia; and Opisthorchis felineus, which is found in a wide geographical area, including Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Siberia.
D. Most people who become infected with liver flukes have no symptoms, but some may experience indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. However, over long periods, infection with liver flukes can cause chronic inflammation in the bile ducts, resulting in scarring of the ducts and destruction of nearby liver cells. What’s more, the inflammation and scarring of the bile duct can lead to cancer of the bile ducts, which is called cholangiocarcinoma. This type of cancer is rare in Western countries, with only about 7 cases per 1 million people. In the United States, an estimated 8,000 people are diagnosed with bile duct cancer each year.
IELTS General Reading Test
E. Symptoms of the cancer can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin), pain in the abdomen, dark urine, fever, itchy skin, vomiting and unexplained weight loss. For people with early-stage bile-duct cancer, about 15 to 30 percent survive at least five years following their diagnosis. However, if the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the five-year survival rate is 2 percent.
Questions 15-19
The text has six paragraphs, A-E
Choose the correct heading for the paragraphs from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-viii.
List of Headings:
i. Vietnam war leads to parasitic infection in war veterans
ii. Geographical distribution of different liver flukes
iii. Liver flukes show no symptoms
iv. Vietnam war veterans might be infected with a deadly parasite
v. Symptoms and harmful effects of liver flukes
vi. What are liver flukes?
vii. What causes bile- duct cancer
viii. Symptoms and survival rate of bile-duct cancer
IELTS General Reading Test
15. Paragraph A.
16. Paragraph B
17. Paragraph C
18. Paragraph D
19. Paragraph E.
IELTS General Reading Test
Read the text below and answer Questions 20-26.
The importance of Vitamins
As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D in excess is not flushed from your body through urine. Although your body can become toxic from excessive supplemental intake, the toxicity does not derive from vitamin D-rich foods or sun exposure. The maximum amount of vitamin D that adults can safely obtain from supplements is 4,000 international units (IU) per day.
If you exceed this limit, the excess vitamin D stays in your blood, causing adverse effects such as unintentional weight loss, anorexia and abnormal heart rhythms. Excess vitamin D can raise your blood levels of calcium, causing heart, blood vessel and kidney damage. Consuming smaller amounts- for example, 1,000 IU per day – along with calcium in supplement form increases your risk for kidney stones. Sufficient intake of vitamin D for most adults is 600 IU daily from food or supplements.
IELTS General Reading Test
Vitamin D is present in your body tissues and blood. Although you obtain vitamin D from foods, your body also produces it in response to sun exposure. Vitamin D in your bloodstream appears in blood tests and has a relatively long circulating life of about 30 days. In other words, if you consume vitamin D-rich foods or supplements today. a portion will likely stay present in your body for one month. The length of time vitamin D remains in your body tissues remains unclear, however.
Foods, dietary supplements and sun exposure provide vitamin D. Getting sufficient amounts is vital for overall health. Your skeletal system requires vitamin D because the vitamin facilitates calcium absorption, a key for healthy bones and development. Your liver, not your bones, produces vitamin D in response to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Valuable food sources of this vitamin include cod liver oil, seafood such as salmon and tuna, and fortified juices and dairy products. Eggs, margarine and fortified cereals contain moderate amounts.
IELTS General Reading Test
Like the rest of your body, your digestive system requires all essential vitamins and minerals. B vitamins and vitamin C, however, play particularly valuable roles in digestive health, says Dr. Chris Iliades, a physician and contributing health writer for EveryDayHealth.com. The B vitamin folate, or folic acid, is linked with a reduced risk for colon cancer. Vitamin B1, also called thiamine, helps your body convert carbohydrates into energy during digestion. Vitamin B3, or niacin, allows for normal breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and alcohol.
Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, promotes protein digestion. Vitamin B12 greatly benefits your central nervous system. The antioxidant- vitamin C enhances iron absorption and gum and tooth health. To meet your B vitamin needs, Illiades suggests eating a diet rich in whole grains, beans, seafood, dairy products and leafy green vegetables. To obtain vitamin C, you should consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Top vitamin C sources include citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, bell peppers and sweet potatoes.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 20-26
Look at the following statements and the list of vitamins below.
Match each statement with the correct vitamin, A-G.
Write the correct letter, A-G.
20. Gum and tooth health
21. Reducing colon cancer risk
22. Allow for normal breakdown of carbohydrates and fats.
23. Convert carbohydrates into energy
24. Assist the central nervous system
25. Develop healthy bones
26. Aid in digesting proteins.
IELTS General Reading Test
List of Vitamins
A. Vitamin B folate
B. Vitamin B1
C. Vitamin B3
D. Vitamin B6
E. Vitamin B12
F. Vitamin C
G. Vitamin D
IELTS General Reading Test
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
15. IV
16. VI
17. II
18. V
19. VIII
20. F
21. A
22. C
23. B
24. E
25. G
26. D
IELTS General Reading Test