The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers File

Antibiotic resistance is a classic example of evolution in action. When a patient takes antibiotics, the drug kills the vast majority of susceptible bacteria. However, due to random genetic mutations, a tiny fraction of bacteria may possess inherent traits that allow them to survive. These survivors multiply, passing on their resistant genes to subsequent generations. More alarmingly, bacteria can share genetic material horizontally – even between different species – through processes like conjugation and transformation. This means that resistance to one antibiotic can rapidly spread across entire bacterial populations and even jump from harmless bacteria to dangerous pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Escherichia coli .

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D. Antibiotic resistance is a classic example of evolution

How bacteria replicate and spread through "horizontal gene transfer". These survivors multiply, passing on their resistant genes