The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers

The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers is from an academic reading passage that consists of 13 questions which have to be answered in 20 minutes. The Reading section of the IELTS exam can be your highest-scoring section, but only if you practise diligently. To get the best results, you need to understand how to approach and answer the different types of questions.

To prepare for the IELTS reading test, it is helpful to solve and review sample reading questions from past IELTS papers. This will help you become familiar with the different question formats and test your reading skills.

Let’s try to see how easy you find the academic passage “The Disease Multiple Sclerosis” and if you can complete it in 20 minutes. If not, you can try more IELTS reading practice tests from IELTSMaterial.com.

The question types found in The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS reading answers passage are as follows:

• Matching Information (Q. 1-5)
• Table Completion (Q. 6 – 13)

Reading Passage

The Disease Multiple Sclerosis 

A Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which the patient’s immune system attacks the central nervous system. This can lead to numerous physical and mental symptoms, as the disease affects the transmission of electrical signals between the body and the brain. However, the human body, being a flexible, adaptable system, can compensate for some level of damage, so a person with MS can look and feel fine even though the disease is present.

B MS patients can have one of two main varieties of the disease: the relapsing form and the primary progressive form. In the relapsing form, the disease progresses in a series of jumps; at times it is in remission, which means that a person’s normal functions return for a period of time before the system goes into relapse and the disease again becomes more active. This is the most common form of MS; 80-90% of people have this form of the disease when they are first diagnosed. The relapse-remission cycle can continue for many years. Eventually, however, loss of physical and cognitive function starts to take place, and the remissions become less frequent.

C In the primary progressive form of MS, there are no remissions, and a continual but steady loss of physical and cognitive functions takes place. This condition affects about 10-15% of sufferers at diagnosis.

D The expected course of the disease, or prognosis, depends on many variables: the subtype of the disease, the patient’s individual characteristics and the initial symptoms. Life expectancy of patients, however, is often nearly the same as that of an unaffected person-provided that a reasonable standard of care is received. In some cases, a near-normal life span is possible.

E The cause of the disease is unclear; it seems that some people have a genetic susceptibility, which is triggered by some unknown environmental factor. Onset of the disease usually occurs in young adults between the ages of 20 and 40. It is more common in women than men; however, it has also been diagnosed in young children and elderly people.

F Hereditary factors have been seen to have some relevance. Studies of identical twins have shown that if one twin has the disease, then it is likely that the other twin will develop it. In addition, it is important to realise that close relatives of patients have a higher chance of developing the disease than people without a relative who has MS.

G Where people live can be seen to have a clear effect, as MS does not occur as frequently in every country. It commonly affects Caucasian people, particularly in North America, Europe and Australia. It has been recognised that MS is more common the further the country is away from the equator, and the incidence of MS is generally much higher in northern countries with temperate climates than in warmer southern countries.

H Three things, which do not normally occur in healthy people, happen to people who have MS. First, tiny patches of inflammation occur in the brain or spinal cord. Second, the protective coating around the axons, or nerve fibres, in the body start to deteriorate. Third, the axons themselves become damaged or destroyed. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms in the patient, depending on where the affected axons are located.

I A common symptom of MS is blurred vision caused by inflammation of the optic nerve. Another sign is loss of muscle tone in arms and legs; this is when control of muscle movement, or strength in the arms or legs, can be lost. Sense of touch can be lost so that the body is unable to feel the heat or cold or the sufferer experiences temperature inappropriately; that is, feeling heat when it is cold and vice versa. Balance can also be affected; some people may eventually have to resort to a wheelchair, either on a permanent or temporary basis. The course of the disease varies from person to person.

J A diagnosis of MS is often confirmed by the use of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, which can show defects in the brain and spinal cord. Once diagnosed, MS is a lifelong disease; no cure exists, although a number of medical treatments have been shown to reduce relapses and slow the progression of the disease. It is important that patients with the disease are diagnosed early so that treatment, which can slow the disease, can be started early.

Questions 1-5

1 The main types of the disease

2 Loss of the sense of feeling

3 The progress of the disease

4 Treatments for the disease

5 The effects of geography

Questions 6-13

Check Out – Best IELTS Reading Books 2023

The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanations 

1 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer Explanation: Paragraph B states, “MS patients can have one of two main varieties of the disease: the relapsing form and the primary progressive form.”Paragraph B contains a discussion about the primary variations of the condition. The passage notes that individuals with MS can present with either the relapsing form or the primary progressive form of the disease. Therefore, the answer can be found in B.

2 Answer: I

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph I, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of Paragraph I reveals, “Sense of touch can be lost so that the body is unable to feel the heat or cold or the sufferer experiences temperature inappropriately; that is, feeling heat when it is cold and vice versa.” Based on this information, the text indicates that individuals with MS might experience a loss of sensation, leading to an inability to perceive temperature changes or a feeling of discomfort with the surrounding temperature. These lines highlight the impairment of the sense of touch. Therefore, the answer is I.

3 Answer: H

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph H

Answer explanation: Paragraph 9 states, “Three things, which do not normally occur in healthy people, happen to people who have MS . First, tiny patches of inflammation occur in the brain or spinal cord. Second , the protective coating around the axons, or nerve fibers, in the body starts to deteriorate. Third, the axons themselves become damaged or destroyed.” It can be deduced from these lines that individuals with MS encounter three anomalies that are typically not observed in healthy individuals. Initially, small areas of inflammation manifest in the brain or spinal cord. Secondly, the protective sheath encasing the nerve fibers, known as axons, starts to degrade. Thirdly, the axons themselves undergo impairment or destruction. Therefore, the answer corresponds to H.

4 Answer: J

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph J

Answer explanation: We can find the answer in paragraph J where the writer states, “Once diagnosed, MS is a lifelong disease; no cure exists, although a number of medical treatments have been shown to reduce relapses and slow the progression of the disease ” Based on this information, after diagnosis, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) becomes a lifelong condition with no known cure, although certain medical treatments have been demonstrated to minimize relapses and decelerate the advancement of the disease. Therefore, the answer can be deduced as J.

5 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: Paragraph G states, “Where people live can be seen to have a clear effect , as MS does not occur as often in every country.” Based on this information, the geographical location of individuals is observed to have a significant impact, as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is not commonly found in every country. Thus, the answer can be identified as G.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in the The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers 

Now that you know the ‘The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers with its explanation, let us check out some quick tips to answer the 2 question types in the  The Disease Multiple Sclerosis – IELTS Reading Answers.

Matching Information

Matching Information is one of the four types of IELTS Reading questions. In this type of question, you are given a set of statements and asked to match them to paragraphs in the reading passage. The statements can be facts, opinions, definitions, or explanations. Here are some of the tips to ace matching information:

• Make sure you know what you need to do by reading the instructions carefully.
• Before reading the passage, read the questions first. Think of synonyms and paraphrases for the statements, as this will help you find the answers. You can do this by saying each statement in your own words.
• Quickly skim the passage to understand its main idea.
• Read the questions again and try to guess which paragraph contains the answer to each one.
• Scan the paragraphs you think might contain the answers for synonyms. If you find a possible answer, underline it.
• Check the question statement again and mark the answer if it is correct. If not, move on to other paragraphs.

Table Completion

Table completion is a type of IELTS Reading question where you are given a table with some of the information missing. Your job is to fill in the missing information using words and phrases from the reading passage.

• Follow a step-by-step strategy to answer table completion questions quickly and easily.
• If you see something unfamiliar on the exam, don’t panic. Instead, try to solve the question using a step-by-step strategy.
• The order of the questions may not be the same as the order of the information in the reading passage.
• Don’t use synonyms. Fill in the blanks with the exact words from the passage, or your answer will be marked incorrect.
• Try to figure out what type of word is missing (adjective, adverb, verb, or noun). This will make it easier to find the correct word.
• Instead of looking for the exact word, look for the same meaning.
• First, find where the answer is in the passage. Then, read the passage carefully to find the answer itself.
• The completed sentence must be grammatically correct. If it’s not, then your answer is incorrect.

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