Fish Oil – IELTS Reading Answers

The Reading passage on ‘Fish Oil’ would include factual information, scientific references, and well-structured arguments that need to be read carefully. To score a band 8+, you need to get familiar with different question types, learn how to tackle the questions quickly and check the answers with explanations. Such IELTS Reading passages would help to identify the areas of improvement which might involve spotting where you need to practice skimming, scanning or identifying keywords. By consistently practising on different passages, you will build confidence to attempt the questions with ease.

Types of Questions in ‘Fish Oil’

Being aware of the question types would help you to predict if you need to skim for main ideas, scan for details, or recognize the paraphrased information. This strategic understanding will widen your analytical skills and help you to read faster. The question types for the passage on ‘Fish Oil’ are given below.

• IELTS Reading Matching Information [Q.11-Q.15]
• IELTS Reading Yes, No, Not Given [Q.16-Q.22]

How to Manage Time for the Passage on ‘Fish Oil’?

Answering the questions given in the passage on ‘Fish Oil’ can become a time-consuming process. However, you can finish answering on time if you incorporate a few strategies. Such IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ would guide you and elevate your preparation for the exam. With the following tips, you can answer accurately throughout the exam within the time limit.

Curious to learn how to improve your reading skills to get a band 9? Check out the video below!

IELTS Reading Passage on ‘Fish Oil’

Fish Oil

Much has been made of the benefits of oil derived from fish. It is claimed that people with a diet rich in fish oil have a greatly reduced chance of heart disease and arteriosclerosis. In addition, it has been shown conclusively that people suffering from elevated blood lipids react positively to treatment using fish oils.

The advantages of fish oil became apparent after studies some two decades ago of the diet of the Inuit, Eskimos or populations of Greenland. It was found that the Inuit, with their traditional diet of seal, whale and arctic fish- a diet very high in fat-suffered practically no heart disease, had near zero incidence of diabetes and enjoyed a comparatively low rate of rheumatoid arthritis. Interestingly, incidence of cancer, equal to that found in most other parts of the world, appeared unaffected by the traditional Inuit diet.

Until the work of Dyberg and Bang in the 1970s, little attention was paid to the implications of a fish-rich diet, despite a centuries-old knowledge of Inuit customs. The two researchers noted that in one community of 1800 people there were only three heart attack deaths between 1950 and 1974. To understand why, they examined the Inuit’s blood lipids and diet. Omega-3 fatty acids featured strongly in the bloodstream of the research subjects, directly attributed to diet.

In order to rule out generic or racial factors from their findings, Dyberg and Bang went on to compare the Greenland Inuit communities with those Inuit residing in Denmark who consumed a diet almost identical to that of the Danes. The Inuit in Denmark, particularly those who had been there for longer periods were shown to have higher blood cholesterol levels and significantly higher serum triglyceride levels than their Greenland Inuit counterparts. In fact, the consumption levels of the Westernized Intuits matched those of the Danes themselves, who consume mainly meat, milk products and eggs. As would be expected, levels of heart disease and arteriosclerosis of the Inuit well-established in Denmark were far closer to those of the Danes than those of the Greenland Inuit. The findings, according to the researchers, indicated an omega-3 deficiency in the Danish diet compared to the Greenland diet.

Similar findings come from Japan. A comparison of the diets of farmers and fishermen, together with an examination of health records and deaths rates of the two groups, has shown a link between the health of the human heart and fish oil. Whereas the average Japanese farmers have 90 grams of fish a day, the average fisherman has 250 grams. In all other respects, their diets are similar. Correspondingly, fishermen have lower blood pressure and smaller rates of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

This compares to the 20 grams eaten daily by the average person in the USA where rates of heart disease and arteriosclerosis are five to seven times higher than in Japan. Its high omega-3 content and easy digestibility make fish oil particularly useful in the treatment of

hyperlipidaemic patients. Studies have shown an inverse relation between dosage of salmon oil and plasma triglyceride concentrations. Specifically, it has been found that the consumption of three grams of salmon fish oil per day by such patients reduces their plasma triglyceride levels by some 32 percent. For patients given six grams, the levels fall by 41 percent, and for those taking nine grams, concentrations dropped an average of 52 percent.

Table 1. below gives the Omega — 3 contents of several fish varieties as compared to aselection of vegetable-based oils and butterfat.

Table 1: Omega-3 fatty acid content of selected fish and vegetable oils and butterfat

Questions 11-15

Questions 16-22

16 Diabetes is rare among the Greenland Inuit.

17 The Greenland Inuits’ rheumatoid arthritis levels are the lowest in the world.

18 Little was known about Inuit life in Greenland before the work of Dyberg and Bang.

19 Blood cholesterol levels of the Denmark Inuit were lower than those of the Danes.

20 Research in Japan generally supports the findings of Dyberg and Bang with regard to the effects of fish oil.

21 Greenland Inuit and Japanese fishermen consume similar amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids.

22 Anchovy oil contains about ten times the proportion of Omega-3 fatty acids contained in an equal measure of soybean oil.

Answer with Explanation for ‘Fish Oil’

Now is the time to make a comparison between your answers and the correct ones. Each answer has the explanation mentioned next to it where the keywords are highlighted and their location is pointed out. With this technique of practice, you would gain the skill that is required to tackle similar question types and achieve a higher IELTS Band Score.

Through daily practice and proper time management skills, you will be able to get closer to your desired band scores. As you continue your preparation, focus on the areas where you need to improve. In this way, you can enhance your ability to manage time and answer the questions with ease. Continue the practice and acquire the skill to find the answers under the given time frame.

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