BEST IELTS General Reading Test 475

BEST IELTS General Reading Test 475

IELTS General Reading Test

I Can’t See the Blackboard

The eye condition known as myopia is called, in lay terms, near sightedness or short sightedness. It is the condition where the eyes cannot focus on objects at a distance because the eye has changed shape, becoming more oval and long. This results in long distance focus not falling on the retina at the back of the eye, but in front of it, causing distant objects to be out of focus. It is an idiopathic disease, meaning that the cause is unknown.

The term myopia comes from the Ancient Greek meaning ‘a man shutting his eyes’, probably in reference to the regular squinting that occurs when a short sighted person is trying to focus on a distant object. People usually begin to suffer from myopia between the ages of 9 and 15 and it is often picked up at school as children squint at the blackboard. Vision is measured by how strong a lens needs to be to correct refractive disorders.

IELTS General Reading Test

The standard unit is a dioptre and for myopia the measurements are in negative figures, while for hyperopia and presbyopia (the inability to focus on near objects), the measurements are positive. Of sufferers, around 95 per cent have common myopia which is less than -5 dioptres, around 4 per cent have high myopia which is between -5 and -10 dioptres and less than one per cent have more than -10, which is called pathologic myopia. Someone with high myopia cannot focus on objects more than 30 cm away from their eyes.

The percentage of the population with myopia differs between populations around the world, with East Asian populations at the highest level. Between 70-90 per cent of young East Asians are myopic, and over 50 per cent of young Europeans and Americans. India’s level of myopia in young people measured 5.7 per cent in the 1970s but has now more than doubled to over 13 per cent and is rising.

IELTS General Reading Test

The most affected world group is teenage boys in South Korea with an astounding 96 per cent being myopic. African populations are less affected with a less than 10 per cent instance of myopia. Scientists estimate that currently about 30 per cent of the total all-ages population has common myopia and around 4 per cent of that figure with high level. This is a massive jump from 22 per cent and 2 per cent only twenty years ago, and if current trends continue, more than half the world population will be myopic by the year 2050.

Historically, myopia was a relatively rare condition. Before 1700, though it can only be estimated, it is thought that near sighted people made up less than 5 per cent of the population. One effect of myopia is that it increases the ability to see extremely small objects close up, and medieval monks with myopia were prized for their abilities to create fine, intricate detail on illuminated manuscripts. After 1700, interestingly around the time more people began reading, numbers rose significantly to literate populations having an estimated incidence of around 17 per cent.

IELTS General Reading Test

People with a high myopic parent are more likely to be myopic, and many genetic variations have been found to have some effect, with about 200 influential genes so far discovered. However, such a huge increase in the prevalence in near sightedness over such a short period of time has led scientists to believe that there is more at play

than mere genetics. Environmental and lifestyle factors seem to have a much more important role. There is a clear correlation between both spending time indoors and spending time with eyes focused on close objects when reading, working on is currently being done to discover why this is computers and using hand held devices. Research affecting people’s eyes so much. Generally, higher urban rather than rural living is also a factor.

IELTS General Reading Test

This socio economic groups have a higher incidence and makes sense in terms of the indoor/outdoor effect, and cultures which place a higher importance on study and academic achievement tend to have the fastest growing incidences. Studies have found a correlation between IQ and myopia, but it is unknown whether it is a causal relationship. Do people with high IQs naturally become myopic, or is it caused by their behaviour? Perhaps people with a higher IQ tend to be more involved in academic pursuits, which due to their indoor nature, increases the chances of developing myopia. In any case, general population IQs have not risen to the same extent as the incidence of myopia.

There is much discussion and research around the epidemic of obesity in modern populations, but there is comparatively little research into myopia, which is an epidemic of even greater proportions. As it is becoming clear that it is probably environmentally driven due to our changing lifestyles, there may be some way to mitigate it. Perhaps this epidemic has been ignored because it is quite easily corrected, but myopia is not as harmless as it may seem, as it leads to greater incidences of cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration in later life and uncorrected myopia is the second greatest cause of blindness.

IELTS General Reading Test

There are most likely a billion people in the developing world with myopia who do not have access to optical correction, which can lead to problems with completing their education, be the cause of accidents and prevent people from working. The alarming increase in the onset of myopia needs to be addressed so that ways can be found to control and even possibly eliminate it.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Myopia

Myopia is condition where people are unable to focus on distant objects because a change in the shape of the eye has resulted in the focus no longer falling on the 28………………….. . The cause is unknown. The word myopia comes from Ancient Greek and means ‘a man shutting his eyes’.

This is probably because myopics are often seen 29…………………..  in an attempt to focus. The onset of myopia is usually between the ages of 9 and 15. People with vision measured between -5 and -10 30………………….. are classified as having high myopia. Most people with myopia have the 31………………….. form, with only 5 per cent being high or pathologic myopics. High myopics have problems focusing on objects more than 30 cm away.

IELTS General Reading Test

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.

Prevalence of short sightedness

Youth population:

– East Asia has the 32………………….. of myopia; 70-90% of young people

– Europeans and Americans: 50%

– India 13%

– Africa less than 10%

Total population in different recent time periods:

Now:

– 30% have common myopia

– 4% of that 30% with high myopia

33………………….. ago:

– 22% had common myopia

– 2% with high level myopia

IELTS General Reading Test

2050:

– predicted that more than 50% of the 34………………….. trends) will be nearsighted (according to current

Historically:

Before 1700

– Estimates are that only 5% of the population had myopia. In some situations it was seen as a valuable condition because myopics can see fine detail on very tiny 35…………………..

After 1700

– the level rose to around 17% in populations that were 36…………………..

IELTS General Reading Test

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

37. A genetic basis for myopia

A. has not been found.

B. cannot account for current levels.

C. is the most important factor.

D. has not been researched.

38. A person is more likely to have myopia if they

A. live in the countryside.

B. do not have a mobile phone.

C. spend a lot of time outside.

D. have a high IQ.

IELTS General Reading Test

39. Why is obesity seen as more of a threat?

A. It is more prevalent than myopia.

B. Myopia can be solved with eyeglasses.

C. Myopia does not cause illness.

D. There is little research done on it.

40. What does the number ‘a billion’ in the final paragraph refer to?

A. People in the world with myopia.

B. Accidents caused by myopia.

C. People with untreated myopia.

D. The annual increase in myopia.

IELTS General Reading Test

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BEST IELTS General Reading Test 475

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IELTS General Reading Test

28. RETINA

29. SQUINTING

30. DIOPTRES

31. COMMON

32. HIGHEST LEVEL

33. TWENTY YEARS

34. WORLD POPULATION

35. OBJECTS

36. LITERATE

37. B

38. D

39. B

40. C

IELTS General Reading Test

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