A Weighty Issue Ielts Reading Answers Instant
To master this passage, you need to know these high-frequency words:
| Word | Definition | Synonym used in passage | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Prototype | The first/original model | Standard, archetype | | Drift | Slow change over time | Variation, instability | | Invariant | Never changes | Constant, fixed, immutable | | Discrepancy | A difference between two things | Mismatch, divergence | | Disseminate | To spread widely | Distribute, circulate | | Quantum | A discrete quantity of energy | Atomic, subatomic |
| Question | Answer | | :--- | :--- | | 1. The increase in obesity is solely due to genetic factors. | False (The passage states genetics play a role but emphasizes environmental and behavioral changes.) | | 2. Fast food consumption has risen in parallel with obesity rates. | True (The text provides correlational data linking the rise of fast food outlets to growing waistlines.) | | 3. The author proposes a single solution to solve the obesity crisis. | Not Given (The author reviews many solutions—taxes, education, urban planning—but never claims one is the only solution.) | | 4. Low-income families spend a higher percentage of their income on sugar-sweetened beverages. | True (Look for a sentence comparing expenditure patterns across income brackets.) |
The passage might say "a marked increase in adiposity" while the question says "significant weight gain." They are the same. Learn to recognize: A Weighty Issue Ielts Reading Answers
Try this 5-minute mini-test using a real excerpt from "A Weighty Issue."
Text Extract (Paragraph D):
"For more than a century, the IPK had been treated as the perfect standard. However, when the IPK was compared with its official copies in 2007, a disturbing fact emerged. The IPK was found to be 50 micrograms lighter than the average of the copies. No one knows why. It could be due to surface contamination, loss of gas from the alloy, or a mysterious quantum effect." To master this passage, you need to know
Questions:
Answers:
Note: The exact answers depend on the specific version of the test (e.g., Cambridge IELTS 12, Test 4; or an online mock). Below is a representative set of answers based on the most common version circulating in 2024-2025 preparation forums. Always match these to your specific text. | Question | Answer | | :--- | :--- | | 1
| Word | Meaning | Example from passage | |-------|---------|----------------------| | Set point | Biologically defended weight range | “The set point can drift upward but resists downward change.” | | Ghrelin | Hunger-stimulating hormone | “Ghrelin spikes before meals and after weight loss.” | | Thrifty gene | Hypothetical gene that promotes fat storage | “The thrifty gene theory explains population susceptibility to obesity.” | | Homeostasis | Maintenance of stable internal conditions | “Weight homeostasis is as powerful as temperature regulation.” | | Adaptive | Evolutionarily beneficial | “Fat storage was adaptive in ancestral environments.” |
Questions 1–5 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? Write:
1. Obesity is currently responsible for more deaths worldwide than malnutrition. 2. The region of Sub-Saharan Africa has seen a decrease in obesity rates. 3. High blood pressure is currently the second highest risk factor for early death. 4. Professor Lopez believes that willpower is sufficient for most people to lose weight. 5. The economic cost of treating smoking-related illnesses is currently higher than that of obesity.
Questions 6–10 Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
The Global Burden of Disease study shows that obesity is a growing problem globally. While it was once associated mainly with 6 ______________, developing countries are now seeing rapid increases. Professor Lopez suggests that governments need to change their approach and begin 7 ______________ the food industry, specifically regarding food marketing to 8 ______________. Developing nations are facing a "double burden" because they are dealing with traditional infectious diseases while simultaneously facing 9 ______________ due to a shift toward western diets and 10 ______________ lifestyles.