This IELTS Reading post focuses on all the solutions for IELTS Cambridge 14 Reading Test 3 Passage 2 which is entitled ‘Saving bugs to find new drugs’. This is an aimed post for candidates who have major problems in finding Reading Answers. This post can guide you the best to comprehend every Reading answer without much difficulty. Tracing IELTS Reading answers is a slow process and I hope this post can help you in your IELTS Reading preparation.

IELTS Cambridge 14 Test 3: AC Reading Module
Reading Passage 2:

The headline of the passage: Saving bugs to find new drugs

Questions 14-20 (Identifying information):

[This question asks you to find information from the passage and write the number of the paragraph (A, B, C or D … .. ) in the answer sheet. Now, if the question is given in the very first part of the question set, I’d request you not to answer them. It’s mainly because this question will not follow any sequence, and so it will surely kill your time. Rather, you should answer all the other questions first. And just like List of Headings, only read the first two lines or last two lines of the expected paragraph initially. If you find the answers, you need not read the middle part. If you don’t find answers yet, you can skim the middle part of the paragraph. Keywords will be a useful matter here.]

Question 14: mention of factors driving a renewed interest in natural medicinal compounds

Keywords for this question: factors, renewed interest, natural medicinal compounds   

The answer is found in the last lines of paragraph C. The writer mentions, “This realization, together with several looming health crises, such as antibiotic resistance, has put bioprospecting – the research for useful compounds in nature – firmly back on the map.

Here, firmly back on the map = renewed interest

Also, look at the phrase used in lines 2-3, “the development of new approaches focusing once again on natural products”.

So, the answer is: C

Question 15: how recent technological advances have made insect research easier

Keywords for this question: recent technological advances, insect research, easier,    

The answer for this question is in paragraph H, lines 2-4. The author writes, “ . .. . Fortunately, it is now possible to snip out the stretches of the insect’s DNA that carry the codes for the interesting compounds and insert them into cell lines that allow larger quantities to be produced.”

The lines indicate that the research has become easier fortunately due to technological advancements in DNA research.

Here, “Fortunately, it is now possible” = recent technological advances

So, the answer is: H

Question 16: examples of animals which use medicinal substances from nature

Keywords for this question: animals, use, medicinal substances, nature,  

The answer can be found at the very beginning of the passage in paragraph A. Take a close look and you will find the mention of primates like “capuchin monkeys who use toxin-oozing millipedes to deter mosquitoes” and “chimpanzees who use noxious forest plants to rid themselves of intestinal parasites”.

So, the answer is: A

Question 17: reasons why it is challenging to use insects in drug research

Keywords for this question: reasons, challenging, use insects, drug research,  

Paragraph F talks about three prime reasons of the challenges associated with using insects in drug research (Look at the connectors used here like Firstly, Secondly and Thirdly). Also, the paragraph opens with a question about the little interest in bioprospecting, “Why is it that insects have received relatively little attention in bioprospecting?”

So, the answer is: F

Question 18: reference to how interest in drug research may benefit wildlife

Keywords for this question: reasons, interest in drug research, benefit, wildlife,   

Paragraph I is mainly a message from Zoologist Ross Piper who is optimistic about drug research which can be advantageous for wildlife and its conservation. Take a look at lines 4-7, “. .. I sincerely believe that all species, however small and seemingly insignificant, have a right to exist for their own sake. If we can shine a light on the darker recesses of nature’s medicine cabinet, exploring the useful chemistry of the most diverse animals on the planet, I believe we can make people think differently about the value of nature.”

These lines clearly shows the fact that higher research on drug research can benefit all species (wildlife).

So, the answer is: I

Question 19: a reason why nature-based medicines fell out of favour for a period

Keywords for this question: reason, nature-based medicines, fell out of favour,

In lines 3-6 of paragraph B give us the answer. The writer states here, “ . .. Then, for a while, modern pharmaceutical science moved its focus away from nature and into the laboratory, deigning chemical compounds from scratch. The main cause of this shift is that although there are plenty of promising chemical compounds in nature, finding them is far from easy.”

So, the answer is: B

Question 20: an example of an insect-derived medicine in use at the moment

Keywords for this question: insect-derived medicine, in use, at the moment,    

The answer can be found in lines 2-4 of paragraph E. “. .. For example, alloferon, an antimicrobial compound produced by blow fly larvae, is used as an antiviral and antitumor agent in South Korea and Russia.”

So, the answer is: E

Questions 21 and 22: (Choosing the TWO best answers)

 [In this type of question, candidates are asked TWO best possible answers for one question. Candidates need to write the correct LETTERS for the answers.  Here, the techniques for Multiple Choice Questions are applicable.]

Question 21 & 22: Which TWO of the following make insects interesting for drug research?

Keywords for these questions: TWO, make insects interesting, drug research,

The answers are found in paragraph G and H.

In paragraph G, the author writes in lines 3-4, “… . .. . The creatures that particularly interest us are the many insects that secrete powerful poison for subduing prey and keeping it fresh for future consumption.”

So, the lines match with option B.

In paragraph H, the author writes in lines 2-4, “. . .. Fortunately, it is now possible to snip out the stretches of the insect’s DNA that carry the codes for the interesting compounds and insert them into cell lines that allow larger quantities to be produced.”

So, the lines match with option C.

So, the answers are:

21. B            (the variety of substances insects have developed to protect themselves)

22. C           (the potential to extract and make use of insect’s genetic codes)

Question 23-26: (Completing summary with ONE WORD ONLY):

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to ONE WORD ONLY to complete a summary on the given topic. For this type of question, first, skim the passage to find the keywords in the paragraph concerned with the answer, and then scan to find the exact word/words.]

Title of the summary: Research at Aberystwyth University

As the title of the summary is Aberystwyth University, we will find the answers in paragraph G.

Question 23: Ross Piper and fellow zoologists at Aberystwyth University are using their expertise in ___________ when undertaking bioprospecting with insects.

Keywords for this answer: Ross Piper and fellow zoologists, using their expertise, bioprospecting, insects,  

In paragraph G, look at the first lines, “My colleagues and I at Aberystwyth University in the UK have developed an approach in which we use our knowledge of ecology as a guide to target our efforts.”.

Here, My colleagues and I = Ross Piper and fellow zoologists, our knowledge of = their expertise in,

So, the answer is: ecology  

Question 24: They are especially interested in the compounds that insects produce to overpower and preserve their ___________.

Keywords for this answer: compounds, insects produce, to overpower and preserve,   

The answer is in lines 3-4 of paragraph G, “The creatures that particularly interest us are the many insects that secrete powerful poison for subduing prey and keeping it fresh for future consumption.”

Here, secrete powerful poison = compounds that insects produce, subduing = overpower, keeping it fresh = preserve,

So, the answer is: prey  

Question 25: They are also interested in compounds which insects use to protect themselves from pathogenic bacteria and fungi found in their ___________.

Keywords for this answer: compounds, insects use, to protect themselves, pathogenic bacteria and fungi,   

In lines 3-8 of paragraph G, the writer says, “ . ..  There are even more insects that are masters of exploiting filthy habitats, such as faeces and carcasses, where they are regularly challenged by thousands of micro-organisms. These insects have many antimicrobial compounds for dealing with pathogenic bacteria and fungi,  . ..”

Here, for dealing with = to protect themselves from,

The pathogenic bacteria and fungi are found in filthy habitats.

So, the answer is: habitats

Question 26: Piper hopes that these substances will be useful in the development of drugs such as _________.

Keywords for this answer: these substances, useful, development of drugs such as,

The last lines of paragraph G say, “. .. .suggesting that there is certainly potential to find many compounds that can serve as or inspire new antibiotics.”

Here, substances = compounds, in the development of = can serve or inspire,

So, the answer is: antibiotics  

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 14 Test 3 Reading Passage 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 14 Test 3 Reading passage 3