Although Epidemics are Often Triggered by Bacteria and Viruses GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question

Although epidemics are often triggered by bacteria and viruses that have undergone genetic mutations, as was the case with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which mutated into a harmful virus when it was transmitted from monkeys to humans, outbreaks of other diseases are caused by bacteria and viruses whose genetic make-ups have not undergone significant changes. In many cases, such diseases spread as a result of social factors.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to infect thousands of Americans each year. The widespread global utilization of the BCG vaccine and antibiotics, in addition to generally improved public health, led to a dramatic reduction in both the number of deaths attributed to tuberculosis globally and in the economic burden of the disease between 1940 and 1980. But the short-term success of these tools led to complacency and a decreased interest on the part of governments and pharmaceutical companies in TB research and development. What resulted in the late 1980s in the United States, spurred by the spread of HIV and by the increase in homelessness, incarceration, and intravenous drug use, was a 20 percent increase in TB rates. These TB outbreaks were difficult to control and extremely costly, given that the health infrastructure for dealing with the infection had been allowed to deteriorate due to a lack of funding. In New York City alone, more than $1 billion was needed to regain control of TB.

Today, the United States faces three significant challenges to the elimination of TB. First, our progress in reducing the TB case rate in the United States has stalled. Between 1993 and 2000, the nation's TB rate fell by 7.3 percent, but from 2000 to 2006, the rate of decline slowed to 3.8 percent. This is occuring at a time when domestic TB control categorical funding has been stagnant for a decade. As the history of TB in the United States has demonstrated, complacency and neglect of TB control programs can lead to costly resurgences of the disease.

“Although Epidemics are Often Triggered by Bacteria and Viruses” is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 3 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solutions and Explanation

1. According to the passage, the rise in tuberculosis cases in the late 1980s occurred for which of the following reasons?

1. The bacteria that causes tuberculosis mutated.
2. There was an increase in various risky behaviors.
3. It became costly to control TB outbreaks.
4. The infrastructure for dealing with TB had deteriorated.
5. There was a sudden downturn in the economy.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that HIV affected monkeys in which of the following ways?

1. it kills them
2. it alters their genetic makeups
3. it does not negatively impact them
4. it is transmitted from one monkey to another
5. it spreads as a result of social factors

3. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

1. A phenonemon is discussed, problems associated with this phenomenon are laid out, and a warning is issued about the extent of the problems
2. A phenomenon is discussed, an example of this phenomenon is given, and statistical evidence about the phenomenon is offered
3. A phenomenon is discussed, a warning is issued about this phenomenon, and statistics are offered to support this warning
4. A phenomenon is discussed and an example of this phenomenon is given, followed by a counterexample
5. A phenomenon is discussed, an example of this phenomenon is given, and a warning is issued on the basis of statistics about this example

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