Reading Passage 10
You should spend 20 minutes on questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 10.
Malnutrition and children's learning
A
The impact of malnutrition on children's learning is not simply that they are tired and unable to concentrate in class because they have not eaten enough on a given day. Malnutrition in the first 1000 days - from the start of a woman's pregnancy until her child's second birthday - has a devastating impact on children's future potential. It restricts their cognitive development, means they are more likely to be sick and miss out on school, and reduces their ability to learn.
B
This 1000-day window is a critical time for structural brain development. Good maternal nutrition is essential: pregnant or breastfeeding mothers who can't access the right nutrients are more likely to have children with compromised brain development and who suffer from poor cognitive performance. And once the child is born, nutrition continues to play a key role in ensuring the brain develops properly. But the effects of malnutrition on a child's cognitive development and education go beyond the biology of the brain. A child's nutritional status can impact on the experiences and stimulation that children receive. Parents sometimes treat a malnourished boy or girl differently because they are small, and this child is also more likely to miss school and key learning opportunities due to illness.
C
The impact is not just on academic achievement. Malnutrition is associated with children having lower self-esteem, self-confidence and career aspirations. Malnourished children not only face direct damage to their bodies and minds, but are less confident to learn and aspire to change the situation they were born into.
D
In the longer term, malnutrition can have a big impact on earnings when children reach adulthood. The effects of malnutrition on physical stature, the ability to do physical work, and on cognitive development, can lock children into poverty and entrench inequalities.
E
Children who are malnourished go on to earn 20% less as adults than the children who are well nourished. But there is some evidence that the difference could be even larger - one study has estimated this earning deficit for malnourished children at 66%.
F
This in turn means that malnutrition can act as a big barrier to economic growth. Estimates suggest that in low- and middle-income countries, the impact of malnutrition could decrease GDP by between 2% and 11%. This is partly a result of its impacts on educational development - as well as on physical productivity and health.
G
This report presents new estimates of malnutrition's effect on GDP. By extrapolating a 20% reduction in earnings to a global level, this report shows that today's malnutrition could cost the global economy as much as $125 billion when today's children reach working age in 2030.
H
Investments in the potential of future generations are more important than ever before. With mortality rates falling rapidly but fertility rates declining at a lower rate, developing countries will experience an increase in the size of their working-age population in the next few decades. Many countries will have two people of working age for every dependent. This presents them with a critical window of opportunity to boost economic development, known as the 'demographic dividend'.
I
The IMF has predicted that seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the next five years will be in Africa. Meanwhile, economists have identified the 'Next 11' countries - those that have the potential for stellar economic growth in the next decade. A common theme in each of these countries is the potential provided by their demographic structures.
J
But to capitalize on the demographic dividend, developing countries must invest now in the health and skills of their future workforce. Investments made now in proven nutrition interventions could increase opportunities for millions of children to become more healthy and productive members of society. The next generation of children in developing countries could fuel improved innovation, prosperity and job creation.
K
But if we fail to make that investment the consequences could be catastrophic. Not only would that leave a future public health disaster - with a huge burden placed on health systems by a generation of people left more susceptible to disease by malnutrition - but also an economic crisis. If countries are not able to take advantage of the opportunities presented by demographic changes, then in 50 to 60 years' time they will be left with a large cohort of elderly dependents without having generated the resources to care for them.
Part 1
Questions 1-4
Reading Passage 10 has 11 paragraphs, labelled A-K. Which paragraphs contain the following information?
1 the psychological impact of malnutrition
1
2 the effect of parental attitudes on children's educational opportunities
2
3 the cost to the world economy of childhood malnutrition
3
4 the influence of childhood malnutrition on the national economy of individual nations
4
Questions 5-9
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the passage?
Write
| YES | if the statement agrees with the writer's claims. |
| NO | if the statement contradicts the writer's claims. |
| NOT GIVEN | if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this. |
5 In developing nations, birth rates are falling at a slower rate than death rates.
5
6 All the countries with the most promising prospects for expansion in the next 10 years are in Africa.
6
7 Malnutrition has a direct effect on both physical and intellectual development.
7
8 Poor nutrition during pregnancy does not affect the development of the child's brain.
8
9 It is essential for developing nations to devise strategies for taking care of the sick.
9
Questions 10-13
Answer questions 10-13 with words from the text. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
10 How can the cognitive development of babies be assured before birth?
10
11 What is the main cause of absenteeism from school in underfed children?
11
12 What factor most supports the future economic expansion of the 'Next 11' countries?
12
13 Who would benefit most immediately from effective nutritional programmes in developing countries?
13