Whatever happened to the measles outbreak that shocked Bangladesh this year

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does NPR’s figure include?

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   1. Only laboratory-confirmed infections
   2. Confirmed and suspected infections
   3. Only infections among children
   4. Cases from several neighboring countries
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Confirmed and suspected infections

   The narration explicitly includes both confirmed and suspected infections in the reported total.

   The country has seen more than 50,000 cases this year, according to NPR, although that figure includes both confirmed and suspected infections.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does surpassing 1,000 establish?

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   1. A definitive final mortality count
   2. A threshold above which the total lies
   3. The number of surviving children
   4. A forecast of future deaths
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A threshold above which the total lies

   The narration characterizes it as a threshold, not a precise endpoint.

   The death toll in that group has now surpassed 1,000, establishing a threshold rather than an exact final count.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What do the two figures collectively demonstrate?

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   1. The outbreak is geographically restricted
   2. The outbreak is extensive and especially deadly
   3. The figures are mutually inconsistent
   4. Children account for every reported case
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The outbreak is extensive and especially deadly

   The speaker pairs extensive reach with exceptional deadliness among young people.

   Taken together, the two figures describe an outbreak that is both extensive and exceptionally deadly for young people.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What remains unknown about the cases?

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   1. Whether measles exists in Bangladesh
   2. How cases are distributed and deaths occurred
   3. Whether children have been affected
   4. Whether officials are monitoring the situation
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   How cases are distributed and deaths occurred

   The narration specifically withholds their distribution and the circumstances of deaths.

   The supplied facts do not, however, explain how the cases are distributed or identify the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What does the NPR report identify as a focus?

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   1. The historical origin of measles
   2. The official response to the outbreak
   3. The distribution of childhood vaccinations
   4. The accuracy of every individual diagnosis
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The official response to the outbreak

   Its coverage focuses on officials’ efforts to bring the outbreak under control.

   The NPR report identifies that response as a focus of its coverage, but the verified source summary does not specify the measures officials are pursuing.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the recording reject attributing specific policies?

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   1. Officials deny having any response
   2. The source material does not specify those measures
   3. The outbreak has already been contained
   4. The figures exclude suspected infections
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The source material does not specify those measures

   The verified summary lacks sufficient information to support such attribution responsibly.

   It would therefore be premature to attribute particular policies, campaigns, or operational decisions to the response on the basis of the supplied information alone.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What effect does the crisis have on public attention?

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   1. It has attracted national attention
   2. It has reduced scrutiny of officials
   3. It has prompted international sanctions
   4. It has ended discussion of mortality
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It has attracted national attention

   The scale and consequences explain the outbreak’s national prominence and scrutiny.

   It also explains why the outbreak has attracted national attention and why the effectiveness of the official response will be closely watched.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What will determine the story’s next phase?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. A revised historical account
   2. Official actions and containment success
   3. A new definition of suspected cases
   4. The publication of unrelated health statistics
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Official actions and containment success

   Future developments depend on official actions and their success in containing the outbreak.

   The next phase of the story will depend on the actions officials take and on whether those efforts can contain an outbreak that has already exacted a grave toll.

What to review next

Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.

Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?

The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.