This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 6 Reading Test 4 Reading Passage 1 entitled ‘Doctoring sales’. This is an aimed post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 6 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: Doctoring sales  

Questions 1-7: List of headings:

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Candidates must find out the equivalent heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked with alphabets A, B, C and so forth. Candidates need to write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be two or three more headings than there are paragraphs or sections. So, some of the headings will not be used. It is also likely that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Generally, the first paragraph is an example paragraph that will be done for the candidates for their understanding of the task.

TIPS: Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly and don’t stop until you finish each sentence.]

Question no. 1: Paragraph A

The last lines of the paragraph talk about what doctors expect from drug companies, “ . .. . ‘The last rep offered me a trip to Florida. What do you have?’ the physician asked. He was only half joking.”

Here, The last rep offered me a trip to Florida = the kind of offers the doctors get from drug companies, He was only half joking = He really expects a big offer,

So, the answer is: v (An example of what doctors expect from drug companies)

Question no. 2: Paragraph B

Paragraph B explains the different types of gifts that doctors get from pharmaceutical companies that include financial incentives. Take a look at the phrases and clauses like ‘a pair of tickets for a NY musical’, ‘a car trunk full of promotional gifts and gadgets’, ‘a budget that could buy lunches and dinners for a smell county’, ‘$200’, ‘a few $1000 honoraria to offer’.

Here, $200 and $1000 = financial incentives,

So, the answer is: vi (Gifts include financial incentives)

Question no. 3: Paragraph C

Paragraph C mainly raises the question of who is responsible for the promotions offered to the doctors; we find about the salespeople, the doctors or the industry but the writer is not sure who to blame. So, he/she raises the question, “ .. .. so are doctors to blame for the escalating extravagance of pharmaceutical marketing? Or is it the industry’s responsibility to decide the boundaries?

Here, refutes = the example directly contradicts the previous statement / Higher incomes need not mean more cars,

So, the answer is: iii (Who is responsible for the increase in promotions?)

Question no. 4: Paragraph D

Paragraph D clearly deals with the advantages of drug promotions as we find statements such as  ‘provide much-needed information and education to physicians’ (line 4), ‘primary sources of drug education for healthcare givers’(lines 5-6),  ‘salespeople have essentially become specialists in one drug or group of drugs’(lines7-8).

So, the answer is: ix (The positive side of drugs promotion)

Question no. 5: Paragraph E

Take a close look at the last few lines of paragraph E. The writer includes a comment made by a doctor, “ . .. Money well spent? It’s hard to tell. ‘I’ve been the recipient of golf balls from one company and I use them, but it doesn’t make me prescribe their medicine,’ says one doctor. ‘I tend to think I’m not influenced by what they give me.’”

Here, not influenced = not . . .. .persuaded,

So, the answer is: i (Not all doctors are persuaded)

Question no. 6: Paragraph F

This paragraph cites research done by the University of Washington and the author provides the result at the end of the paragraph, “ .. .. – the conclusion was that the availability of samples led them to dispense and prescribe drugs that differed from their preferred drug choice.”

Here, availability of samples led them to dispense and prescribe drugs = promotion works,

So, the answer is: vii (Research shows that promotion works)

Question no. 7: Paragraph G

The second and third lines of paragraph G give us the answer, “ . .. ..  And patients are the ones who pay – in the form of sky-rocketing prescription prices – for every pen that’s handed out, every free theatre ticket, and every steak dinner eaten.”

Here, patients are the ones who pay = patients are the real payers,

So, the answer is: x (Who really pays for doctors’ free gifts?)

Question 8-13: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question no. 8: Sales representatives like Kim Schaefer work to a very limited budget.

Keywords for the question: Sales representatives, Kim Schaefer, work, very limited budget,   

In paragraph B, as we’ve already read for the previous question type, the writer gives a detailed explanation of the types of promotions sales representatives like Kim Schaefer offer to the doctors, “. .. . . a car trunk full of promotional gifts and gadgets, a budget that could buy lunches and dinners for a small country, hundreds of free drug samples and the freedom to give a physician $200 to prescribe her new product to the next six patients who fit the drug’s profile. And she also has a few $ 1,000 honoraria .. .. .. .. .”

These lines clearly indicate that sales representatives have a very big budget.

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 9: Kim Schaefer’s marketing technique may be open to criticism on moral grounds. 

Keywords for the question: Kim Schaefer’s marketing technique, open to criticism, moral grounds,   

The answer can be found in paragraph C where the author mentions in the very beginning, “ .. .. Selling pharmaceuticals is a daily exercise in ethical judgement. .. …”

Here, daily exercise = may be open to, ethical judgement = criticism on moral judgement,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 10: The information provided by drug companies is of little use to doctors.

Keywords for the question: information, provided by, drug companies, of little use, doctors,   

The answer to this question can be found in paragraph D, in lines 3-4 “ … . . Salespeople provide much-needed information and education to physicians. .. .. . .” 

Here, much-needed information and education = information and education is of great use, physicians = doctors,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 11: Evidence of drug promotion is clearly visible in the healthcare environment.

Keywords for the question: evidence, drug promotion, clearly visible, healthcare environment,  

Take a look at these lines paragraph E, “. . .. Rarely do patients watch a doctor write with a pen that isn’t emblazoned with a drug’s name, or see a nurse use a tablet not bearing a pharmaceutical company’s logo.  . .. …”

The lines mean that patients watch a doctor to write a pen that is emblazoned (marked) with a drug’s name most of the time or see a nurse use a tablet that bears the pharmaceutical company’s logo most of the time. So, the evidence of drug promotion is clearly visible.

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 12: The drug companies may give free drug samples to patients without doctors’ prescriptions.  

Keywords for the question: drug companies, may give, free drug samples, patients, without doctors’ prescriptions,   

In paragraph F we find about ‘free drug samples’ in the beginning. However, it is not mentioned whether the drug companies may give them to patients without doctors’ prescriptions or not.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 13:  It is legitimate for drug companies to make money.

Keywords for the question: legitimate, drug companies, make money,  

In paragraph G the writer says in lines 4-5, “ . .. . In the end the fact remains that pharmaceutical companies have every right to make a profit . .. .. .”

Here, have every right = it is legitimate, make a profit = make money,

So, the answer is: YES

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 6 AC Test 4 Reading Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 6 AC Test 4 Reading Passage 3