IELTS Reading: Economic Impact of Pandemics – Đề thi mẫu có đáp án chi tiết

Trong bối cảnh toàn cầu hóa ngày càng sâu rộng, các đại dịch không chỉ gây ra khủng hoảng y tế mà còn để lại những tác động kinh tế sâu sắc, trở thành chủ đề nóng trong các kỳ thi IELTS Reading gần đây. Chủ đề Economic Impact Of Pandemics xuất hiện với tần suất ngày càng cao trong các đề thi IELTS chính thức từ năm 2020 đến nay, phản ánh xu hướng hội nhập nội dung thời sự vào bài thi.

Bài viết này cung cấp cho bạn một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh gồm 3 passages với độ khó tăng dần từ Easy đến Hard, bao quát toàn diện các khía cạnh của tác động kinh tế đại dịch. Bạn sẽ được thực hành với 40 câu hỏi đa dạng dạng, hoàn toàn giống với format thi thật, kèm theo đáp án chi tiết và giải thích từng bước. Đặc biệt, mỗi passage được thiết kế với từ vựng và cấu trúc ngữ pháp được làm nổi bật, giúp bạn vừa luyện kỹ năng đọc hiểu vừa tích lũy vốn từ học thuật.

Bộ đề này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, giúp bạn làm quen với các chủ đề kinh tế – xã hội phức tạp và nâng cao khả năng phân tích thông tin học thuật một cách có hệ thống.

Hướng dẫn làm bài IELTS Reading

Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test

IELTS Reading Test là phần thi đánh giá khả năng đọc hiểu tiếng Anh học thuật của bạn trong thời gian 60 phút. Bạn sẽ phải hoàn thành 40 câu hỏi dựa trên 3 passages với độ dài và độ khó tăng dần. Điều quan trọng là bạn cần quản lý thời gian hiệu quả vì không có thời gian bổ sung để chuyển đáp án sang phiếu trả lời.

Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:

• Passage 1 (Easy): 15-17 phút – Nội dung tương đối đơn giản với câu hỏi dễ xác định đáp án
• Passage 2 (Medium): 18-20 phút – Yêu cầu hiểu sâu hơn với nhiều paraphrase
• Passage 3 (Hard): 23-25 phút – Nội dung phức tạp, học thuật với câu hỏi đòi hỏi phân tích cao

Lưu ý quan trọng: Đừng dành quá nhiều thời gian cho một câu hỏi. Nếu không chắc chắn, hãy đánh dấu và quay lại sau khi hoàn thành các câu khác.

Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này

Bộ đề thi này bao gồm 7 dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:

1. Multiple Choice – Câu hỏi trắc nghiệm nhiều lựa chọn
2. True/False/Not Given – Xác định tính đúng/sai của thông tin
3. Yes/No/Not Given – Đánh giá quan điểm của tác giả
4. Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn
5. Summary Completion – Hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt
6. Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu
7. Short-answer Questions – Trả lời ngắn

Mỗi dạng câu hỏi yêu cầu một chiến lược làm bài khác nhau, vì vậy hãy đọc kỹ instructions trước khi bắt đầu.

IELTS Reading Practice Test

PASSAGE 1 – The Historical Economic Consequences of Disease Outbreaks

Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút

Throughout human history, infectious diseases have repeatedly disrupted economic systems and altered the course of civilizations. From the Antonine Plague in ancient Rome to the Spanish Flu of 1918, pandemics have left indelible marks on global commerce, trade routes, and workforce dynamics. Understanding these historical patterns provides valuable insights into how modern economies respond to similar health crises.

The Black Death, which swept through Europe, Asia, and North Africa between 1347 and 1353, serves as perhaps the most devastating example of pandemic-driven economic transformation. This bubonic plague killed an estimated 75 to 200 million people, reducing Europe’s population by approximately one-third. The immediate economic impact was catastrophic: agricultural production plummeted as farms were abandoned, trade networks collapsed as merchants avoided infected cities, and entire industries ground to a halt. However, the long-term consequences proved more complex and, in some ways, economically beneficial for survivors.

With a dramatically reduced workforce, the labour shortage that followed the Black Death fundamentally shifted the balance of economic power. Peasants and workers found themselves in a position to demand higher wages and better working conditions, as landowners competed desperately for scarce labour. This wage inflation helped to erode the feudal system that had dominated European society for centuries. Many historians argue that this demographic crisis accelerated the transition toward more modern economic structures, including the rise of wage labour and early forms of capitalism.

The economic impact of historical pandemics extended far beyond immediate mortality rates. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919, which infected approximately one-third of the world’s population, demonstrates how disease outbreaks affect economic productivity across multiple sectors simultaneously. Unlike the Black Death, which primarily killed through direct infection, the Spanish Flu’s economic damage stemmed largely from widespread illness that prevented workers from performing their jobs. Factories operated at reduced capacity, shops closed due to staff shortages, and public services were severely disrupted.

Research by economic historians has revealed that regions hit hardest by the Spanish Flu experienced measurable declines in per capita income that persisted for years afterward. The pandemic’s timing, coinciding with the end of World War I, made it particularly difficult to disentangle its economic effects from those of the war itself. Nevertheless, studies show that cities with higher flu mortality rates saw slower economic recovery in the 1920s, suggesting that the health crisis created lasting economic scars.

One crucial lesson from historical pandemics concerns the relationship between public health interventions and economic outcomes. Cities that implemented early and aggressive measures to control disease spread, such as quarantine regulations, school closures, and bans on public gatherings, often fared better economically in the medium term. While these non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) caused immediate economic disruption by limiting commerce and social interaction, they ultimately reduced total mortality and allowed for faster economic recovery.

The economic response to pandemics has also historically involved significant government intervention. During the 1918 Spanish Flu, many governments provided emergency funding for healthcare systems, though the scale was far smaller than modern responses. The lack of coordinated international response meant that countries faced the crisis largely in isolation, leading to widely varying outcomes. This historical precedent highlights the importance of both national preparedness and global cooperation in minimizing the economic damage from infectious disease outbreaks.

Modern economists studying historical pandemics have identified several consistent patterns. First, mortality rates alone do not fully determine economic impact; the age and skill distribution of victims matters considerably. Second, pandemics that cause prolonged illness often have greater economic costs than those with higher mortality but shorter duration. Third, the speed and effectiveness of public health responses significantly influence both health outcomes and economic recovery timelines. Finally, pandemics often accelerate existing economic trends rather than creating entirely new patterns, acting as catalysts for change that might have occurred more gradually otherwise.

Questions 1-5

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?

Write:

• TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. The Black Death killed more people in Europe than in other continents.
2. After the Black Death, workers were able to negotiate better wages due to labour shortages.
3. The Spanish Flu pandemic killed more people than World War I.
4. Cities that imposed strict public health measures during the Spanish Flu recovered economically faster.
5. Modern governments spend more on pandemic responses than governments did in 1918.

Questions 6-9

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

6. The Black Death helped to bring an end to the __ that had controlled European society.
7. The Spanish Flu’s economic damage was mainly caused by __ preventing people from working.
8. Regions severely affected by the Spanish Flu showed lower __ for several years.
9. Historical pandemics typically act as __ for economic changes that were already developing.

Questions 10-13

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

10. According to the passage, the Black Death’s long-term economic effects were:

• A. entirely negative for all social classes
• B. worse than its immediate impact
• C. surprisingly beneficial for some survivors
• D. limited to agricultural sectors

11. The passage suggests that the Spanish Flu’s economic impact was difficult to measure because:

• A. it killed fewer people than expected
• B. it occurred at the same time as World War I
• C. governments did not keep economic records
• D. the flu only affected certain countries

12. What does the passage say about non-pharmaceutical interventions during pandemics?

• A. They always cause more economic harm than benefit
• B. They were not used during the Spanish Flu pandemic
• C. They can help economies recover faster despite short-term costs
• D. They are less effective than modern medical treatments

13. According to the passage, which factor does NOT significantly influence a pandemic’s economic impact?

• A. The mortality rate of the disease
• B. The age of people affected
• C. How long people remain ill
• D. The season when the pandemic occurs

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PASSAGE 2 – Modern Economic Vulnerabilities in a Globalized World

Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)

Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút

The twenty-first century has witnessed an unprecedented level of economic interconnectedness, creating a global marketplace where supply chains stretch across continents and financial systems operate in real-time across time zones. While this globalization has generated enormous wealth and lifted billions out of poverty, it has simultaneously created new vulnerabilities to pandemic-driven economic shocks. The rapidity with which a localized health crisis can cascade into a global economic disruption represents one of the defining challenges of our era.

Contemporary economic structures rely heavily on just-in-time manufacturing and lean inventory systems designed to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. These systems function admirably under normal conditions, allowing companies to reduce warehousing expenses and respond quickly to changing consumer demands. However, they possess minimal redundancy or buffer capacity, making them extraordinarily fragile when faced with supply disruptions. When a pandemic forces factory closures in one country, the effects ripple outward through international supply chains, potentially causing production stoppages in dozens of other nations. This cascading vulnerability became starkly apparent during recent health crises, when shortages of basic components manufactured in affected regions brought entire industries to a standstill.

The service sector, which now dominates most developed economies, faces unique pandemic-related challenges. Unlike manufacturing, many services require direct physical interaction between providers and customers. Restaurants, hotels, airlines, entertainment venues, and personal care businesses cannot easily adapt to social distancing requirements without fundamentally altering their business models. During pandemic conditions, these businesses face a cruel dilemma: either continue operations and risk spreading disease, or close and face financial ruin. The asymmetric impact on different economic sectors means that aggregate economic statistics often mask the devastating toll on specific industries, even when overall economic decline appears moderate.

Labour market dynamics during pandemics reveal another dimension of modern economic vulnerability. The rise of the gig economy and precarious employment arrangements has created a workforce with minimal job security and limited safety nets. When pandemic conditions force business closures, these workers typically lose income immediately, without the unemployment insurance or severance packages that protected workers in previous eras. Additionally, the shift toward urbanization has concentrated populations in dense cities where infectious diseases spread more rapidly, potentially amplifying both health and economic impacts. This represents a significant example of how trends in urban planning intersect with pandemic preparedness, as explored in discussions about challenges of urban planning in growing cities.

The financial sector’s evolution has introduced both opportunities and risks in pandemic scenarios. Modern financial markets can process vast amounts of information instantaneously, allowing for rapid capital reallocation in response to changing conditions. However, this speed also enables panic selling and market volatility that can transform a health crisis into a financial crisis within days or even hours. The interconnected nature of global finance means that economic problems in one region quickly spread worldwide through contagion effects in financial markets, often moving faster than the disease itself.

Developing economies face particularly acute vulnerabilities to pandemic-driven economic shocks. Many rely heavily on commodity exports, tourism revenue, or remittances from workers abroad—all income sources that typically collapse during global health crises. Unlike wealthy nations, these countries often lack the fiscal capacity to implement large-scale economic stimulus programs or provide comprehensive social safety nets. International debt obligations may become unsustainable when revenues plummet, potentially triggering sovereign debt crises that compound the pandemic’s direct effects. The inequality in pandemic resilience between rich and poor nations raises profound questions about global economic justice and international cooperation.

Technological advancement has created both mitigation opportunities and new vulnerabilities. Digital infrastructure enables remote work for some occupations, potentially reducing economic disruption by allowing business continuity during lockdown periods. However, this adaptation remains available primarily to white-collar workers in developed economies, while billions of workers in manual labour, agriculture, and face-to-face services have no such option. The digital divide thus translates directly into economic vulnerability during pandemics, with those lacking digital access facing disproportionate income losses.

The structure of international trade agreements and economic interdependencies creates additional complications during pandemic responses. Public health measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, while potentially necessary for disease control, directly conflict with the free movement principles underlying modern trade systems. Countries face difficult trade-offs between protecting public health and maintaining economic relationships, and these decisions can have lasting consequences for trade partnerships and diplomatic relations. Moreover, the nationalism and protectionism that often emerge during crises can undermine the international coordination necessary for effective pandemic response.

Recent research has highlighted how pandemic vulnerabilities intersect with other global challenges, particularly climate change and environmental degradation. As examined in discussions of sustainable development in urban planning, the same patterns of development that have increased pandemic risks—deforestation, habitat destruction, and urban sprawl—also contribute to climate change. This suggests that building resilience to pandemics requires addressing broader sustainability concerns, creating an integrated approach to economic development that considers health, environmental, and economic factors simultaneously.

Sơ đồ minh họa tác động kinh tế toàn cầu hóa trong đại dịch với chuỗi cung ứng quốc tế

Questions 14-18

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

14. According to the passage, just-in-time manufacturing systems:

• A. are designed specifically for pandemic situations
• B. work well in normal times but are fragile during crises
• C. have large buffer capacities for emergencies
• D. are only used in developing countries

15. The service sector is particularly vulnerable during pandemics because:

• A. it employs fewer people than manufacturing
• B. services are less valuable than manufactured goods
• C. many services require direct physical contact
• D. service workers are paid less than factory workers

16. What does the passage say about financial markets during pandemics?

• A. They are completely immune to health crises
• B. They respond more slowly than in the past
• C. They can spread economic problems faster than disease spreads
• D. They only affect wealthy countries

17. The passage suggests that developing countries during pandemics:

• A. have better healthcare systems than rich nations
• B. suffer less economic damage than developed nations
• C. can implement larger stimulus programs
• D. face worse problems due to limited fiscal capacity

18. According to the passage, the relationship between pandemic vulnerabilities and climate change suggests:

• A. pandemics cause climate change
• B. climate change makes pandemics impossible
• C. addressing both requires integrated approaches
• D. they are completely unrelated issues

Questions 19-23

Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Modern economies have become highly vulnerable to pandemics due to globalization. Manufacturing relies on (19) __ that cross multiple countries, creating fragility when disruptions occur. The growth of the (20) __ has left many workers without job security or safety nets. In financial markets, the speed of modern technology can lead to (21) __ that quickly spreads problems globally. Meanwhile, (22) __ have difficulty responding to crises because they lack resources for large stimulus programs. The rise of (23) __ allows some workers to continue working during lockdowns, but this option is not available to everyone.

Questions 24-26

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?

Write:

• YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
• NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
• NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

24. Aggregate economic statistics always accurately reflect the true impact of pandemics on all sectors.
25. Border closures during pandemics can damage long-term trade relationships between countries.
26. Wealthy nations should provide more financial assistance to developing countries during pandemics.

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PASSAGE 3 – Macroeconomic Policy Responses and Long-term Structural Transformation

Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)

Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút

The macroeconomic policy architecture deployed in response to pandemic-induced economic crises represents a fundamental departure from historical precedents, characterized by the unprecedented scale of fiscal intervention, unconventional monetary policy, and direct government income support mechanisms. These extraordinary measures, necessitated by the simultaneous collapse of both supply and demand across multiple sectors, have generated intense debate among economists regarding their efficacy, sustainability, and long-term implications for economic governance and market structures. The question of whether pandemic responses represent temporary crisis management or signal a permanent shift in the state’s role in economic affairs remains highly contested.

Central banks worldwide have implemented policies of extraordinary monetary accommodation, extending and amplifying the quantitative easing frameworks initially developed during the 2008 financial crisis. By purchasing government bonds, corporate debt, and even equity securities on a massive scale, monetary authorities have effectively underwritten large portions of their nations’ debt markets, preventing the liquidity crises that would otherwise have accompanied collapsing economic activity. Interest rates have been reduced to near-zero or negative levels in many advanced economies, ostensibly to stimulate borrowing and investment. However, the transmission mechanisms through which monetary policy affects real economic activity appear increasingly attenuated when businesses face demand shocks stemming from public health restrictions rather than credit constraints.

The distributional consequences of these monetary interventions warrant careful scrutiny. Asset price inflation, driven by liquidity injections and low interest rates, has disproportionately benefited wealthy households holding substantial financial portfolios, while doing little to alleviate the immediate hardship faced by displaced workers and struggling small businesses. This regressive impact contradicts the stated aim of supporting broad-based economic recovery and raises troubling questions about the exacerbation of wealth inequality through ostensibly neutral technocratic policy interventions. Critics argue that reliance on monetary policy as the primary macroeconomic stabilization tool reflects a political economy in which central banks enjoy greater institutional autonomy than fiscal authorities, despite the latter’s superior capacity for targeted intervention.

Fiscal policy responses have been characterized by their remarkable scale and their departure from the austerity orthodoxy that dominated policy discourse following the 2008 crisis. Governments have implemented direct cash transfers, wage subsidy programs, expanded unemployment benefits, business loan guarantees, and sector-specific support measures representing, in many cases, double-digit percentages of GDP. The theoretical justification for these interventions draws on Keynesian principles regarding the necessity of sustaining aggregate demand during severe economic contractions. However, the peculiar nature of pandemic-driven recessions, in which supply constraints and public health requirements limit the economy’s productive capacity, complicates the standard demand management framework.

The financing mechanisms for these fiscal interventions raise profound questions about sovereign debt sustainability and the boundaries of fiscal space. Government debt-to-GDP ratios have surged to levels unprecedented outside wartime, prompting concerns about future debt servicing costs and potential sovereign debt crises. Proponents of aggressive fiscal intervention invoke Modern Monetary Theory and related frameworks suggesting that countries issuing debt in their own currencies face minimal solvency constraints, particularly in low-inflation environments. However, skeptics warn that this sanguine view may prove catastrophically wrong if inflation expectations become unanchored or if foreign creditors lose confidence in fiscal prudence.

The intersection of pandemic economics with labour market structures illuminates fundamental tensions in contemporary capitalism. Many developed economies have witnessed remarkable divergences between equity market performance and labour market conditions, with stock indices reaching record highs even as unemployment remains elevated. This disconnect reflects, in part, the capital-intensive, technologically-advanced nature of companies dominating market capitalization, which have often benefited from pandemic-induced changes in consumer behaviour. Conversely, labour-intensive service industries employing millions of workers continue to struggle. This sectoral asymmetry suggests that aggregate recovery metrics may obscure persistent distress among vulnerable populations, raising questions about the distributional adequacy of current policy frameworks.

The pandemic has accelerated several structural transformations that were already underway, functioning as a catalyst for changes in consumption patterns, production organization, and technological adoption. The rapid expansion of e-commerce, remote work, digital payments, and telemedicine represents not merely temporary adaptations but potentially permanent shifts in economic activity. These transformations carry significant implications for urban development, commercial real estate, transportation infrastructure, and retail employment. The role of education in facilitating adaptation to these technological changes has become increasingly critical, as discussed in analyses of the role of education in fostering global cultural exchange, particularly regarding digital literacy and remote learning capabilities.

The political economy of pandemic response reveals deep tensions between market efficiency paradigms and demands for government intervention to ensure economic security and social stability. The crisis has prompted reconsideration of previously marginalized policy proposals, including universal basic income, job guarantees, and substantial expansions of public healthcare and social insurance systems. Advocates argue these measures would enhance resilience to future shocks while reducing chronic insecurity that characterizes modern labour markets. Opponents counter that permanent expansions of the welfare state would impose excessive tax burdens, distort labour market incentives, and reduce economic dynamism.

The international dimensions of pandemic economics underscore persistent tensions between national sovereignty and global interdependence. While the crisis has demonstrated the necessity of international cooperation in areas such as vaccine distribution and macroeconomic coordination, actual policy responses have been marked by nationalistic impulses, vaccine hoarding, and competitive policy measures that impose negative externalities on other countries. The inadequacy of existing international institutions to coordinate pandemic responses or to channel resources to the most affected populations has prompted calls for fundamental reform of global governance structures. However, geopolitical rivalries and domestic political constraints impede the multilateral cooperation that would optimize global outcomes.

Hysteresis effects—the permanent scarring of economic potential following temporary shocks—represent a crucial concern for long-term economic trajectories. Extended unemployment periods degrade workers’ skills and labour force attachment, potentially creating persistent unemployment even after aggregate demand recovers. Business closures destroy organizational capital and industry-specific knowledge that cannot be easily reconstituted. Delayed or forgone education and training investments reduce future productivity. The magnitude of these hysteresis effects depends critically on the duration and severity of economic disruption, underscoring the importance of rapid and effective policy intervention.

The epistemological challenges inherent in evaluating pandemic policy responses should not be understated. The counterfactual scenarios against which policies must be assessed remain deeply uncertain; we cannot know with precision what would have occurred under alternative policy regimes. Moreover, the appropriate time horizon for evaluation remains contested—policies that appear successful in stabilizing immediate conditions may generate longer-term costs, while measures with substantial short-term economic costs might prove justified by superior long-term outcomes. These analytical difficulties complicate the development of evidence-based policy frameworks for future crises.

Biểu đồ phân tích chính sách kinh tế vĩ mô đáp ứng với khủng hoảng đại dịch toàn cầu

Questions 27-31

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

27. Central banks have purchased various financial assets to prevent __ during the economic collapse.
28. Asset price inflation has mainly helped wealthy people with large __.
29. The __ that dominated after 2008 has been abandoned in pandemic fiscal responses.
30. Some economists use __ to argue that countries can issue unlimited debt in their own currency.
31. The difference between stock market success and employment problems shows __ in the economy.

Questions 32-36

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?

Write:

• TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
• FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
• NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

32. Quantitative easing was first developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
33. Monetary policy is more effective than fiscal policy at targeting specific groups in need.
34. Government debt levels have reached unprecedented peacetime levels in many countries.
35. All economists agree that Modern Monetary Theory provides the correct framework for understanding public debt.
36. The pandemic has permanently changed patterns of consumption and work organization.

Questions 33-40

Choose FIVE letters, A-H.

Which FIVE of the following points does the writer make about pandemic economic responses?

A. Central bank policies have reduced wealth inequality
B. Monetary policy may not work well when businesses face demand rather than credit problems
C. The scale of fiscal responses represents a major departure from recent policy approaches
D. Stock markets accurately reflect the overall health of the economy
E. International cooperation has been inadequate despite its demonstrated necessity
F. Temporary economic disruptions can cause permanent damage to economic potential
G. Universal basic income has been successfully implemented in all developed countries
H. It is difficult to definitively evaluate pandemic policies due to uncertain counterfactuals

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Answer Keys – Đáp Án

PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13

1. NOT GIVEN
2. TRUE
3. NOT GIVEN
4. TRUE
5. TRUE
6. feudal system
7. widespread illness
8. per capita income
9. catalysts for change
10. C
11. B
12. C
13. D

PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26

14. B
15. C
16. C
17. D
18. C
19. supply chains
20. gig economy
21. panic selling
22. Developing economies / Developing countries
23. digital infrastructure / remote work
24. NO
25. YES
26. NOT GIVEN

PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40

27. liquidity crises
28. financial portfolios
29. austerity orthodoxy
30. Modern Monetary Theory
31. sectoral asymmetry
32. FALSE
33. FALSE
34. TRUE
35. FALSE
36. TRUE
    37-40. B, C, E, F, H (any order)

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Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết

Passage 1 – Giải Thích

Câu 1: NOT GIVEN

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Black Death, killed more people, Europe, other continents
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: Bài đọc chỉ nói “killed an estimated 75 to 200 million people” và “reducing Europe’s population by approximately one-third” nhưng không so sánh số người chết ở châu Âu với các châu lục khác. Không có đủ thông tin để xác định đúng hay sai.

Câu 2: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: workers, negotiate better wages, labour shortages
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 2-4
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ “Peasants and workers found themselves in a position to demand higher wages and better working conditions, as landowners competed desperately for scarce labour.” Câu hỏi paraphrase “negotiate” thành “demand” và khớp hoàn toàn với thông tin.

Câu 4: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: strict public health measures, recovered economically faster
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng 2-5
• Giải thích: “Cities that implemented early and aggressive measures… often fared better economically in the medium term” và “allowed for faster economic recovery” khớp với câu hỏi.

Câu 6: feudal system

• Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
• Từ khóa: Black Death, brought an end to
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 4-5
• Giải thích: “This wage inflation helped to erode the feudal system that had dominated European society for centuries.”

Câu 10: C

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: Black Death, long-term economic effects
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, câu cuối
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói “the long-term consequences proved more complex and, in some ways, economically beneficial for survivors”, đúng với đáp án C. Các đáp án khác không được đề cập hoặc mâu thuẫn với thông tin.

Câu 11: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: Spanish Flu, difficult to measure
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: “The pandemic’s timing, coinciding with the end of World War I, made it particularly difficult to disentangle its economic effects from those of the war itself.”

Passage 2 – Giải Thích

Câu 14: B

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: just-in-time manufacturing
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, toàn đoạn
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói “These systems function admirably under normal conditions” nhưng “extraordinarily fragile when faced with supply disruptions”, khớp hoàn toàn với đáp án B.

Câu 16: C

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
• Từ khóa: financial markets, pandemics
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 4-6
• Giải thích: “The interconnected nature of global finance means that economic problems in one region quickly spread worldwide… often moving faster than the disease itself.”

Câu 19: supply chains

• Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
• Từ khóa: manufacturing, cross multiple countries
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 1
• Giải thích: “supply chains stretch across continents”

Câu 24: NO

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: aggregate economic statistics, accurately reflect
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 7-9
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói “aggregate economic statistics often mask the devastating toll on specific industries”, nghĩa là thống kê tổng thể che giấu tác động thực sự, mâu thuẫn với câu hỏi nói “accurately reflect”.

Câu 25: YES

• Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
• Từ khóa: border closures, damage trade relationships
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 3-5
• Giải thích: “these decisions can have lasting consequences for trade partnerships and diplomatic relations” – tác giả đồng ý rằng đóng cửa biên giới có thể gây hại lâu dài.

Passage 3 – Giải Thích

Câu 27: liquidity crises

• Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
• Từ khóa: Central banks, purchased, prevent
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 2-4
• Giải thích: “preventing the liquidity crises that would otherwise have accompanied collapsing economic activity”

Câu 32: FALSE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: Quantitative easing, first developed, COVID-19
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 1-2
• Giải thích: Bài viết nói QE được “initially developed during the 2008 financial crisis”, không phải trong COVID-19, nên câu này SAI.

Câu 34: TRUE

• Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
• Từ khóa: debt levels, unprecedented peacetime levels
• Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, dòng 2-3
• Giải thích: “Government debt-to-GDP ratios have surged to levels unprecedented outside wartime” – “outside wartime” nghĩa là trong thời bình, khớp với “peacetime”.

Câu 37-40: B, C, E, F, H

• Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple choice (chọn 5 trong 8)
• Giải thích:
  • B (TRUE): Đoạn 2 nói về transmission mechanisms being attenuated khi businesses face demand shocks
  • C (TRUE): Đoạn 4 nói fiscal responses “departure from the austerity orthodoxy”
  • E (TRUE): Đoạn 9 nói “actual policy responses have been marked by nationalistic impulses” và “inadequacy of existing international institutions”
  • F (TRUE): Đoạn 10 về hysteresis effects
  • H (TRUE): Đoạn 11 về epistemological challenges và counterfactual scenarios

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Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage

Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
infectious disease	n	/ɪnˈfekʃəs dɪˈziːz/	bệnh truyền nhiễm	infectious diseases have repeatedly disrupted economic systems	spread infectious diseases
disrupt	v	/dɪsˈrʌpt/	phá vỡ, gián đoạn	have disrupted economic systems	disrupt trade, disrupt production
indelible	adj	/ɪnˈdeləbl/	không thể xóa nhòa, lâu dài	left indelible marks on global commerce	indelible mark, indelible impact
devastating	adj	/ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/	tàn phá, hủy diệt	the most devastating example	devastating effect, devastating consequences
plummet	v	/ˈplʌmɪt/	giảm mạnh, lao dốc	agricultural production plummeted	prices plummet, sales plummet
feudal system	n	/ˈfjuːdl ˈsɪstəm/	chế độ phong kiến	helped to erode the feudal system	abolish feudal system
wage inflation	n	/weɪdʒ ɪnˈfleɪʃn/	lạm phát tiền lương	This wage inflation helped	cause wage inflation
per capita income	n	/pɜː ˈkæpɪtə ˈɪnkʌm/	thu nhập bình quân đầu người	measurable declines in per capita income	increase per capita income
disentangle	v	/ˌdɪsɪnˈtæŋɡl/	tách rời, phân biệt	difficult to disentangle its economic effects	disentangle factors, disentangle causes
quarantine	n/v	/ˈkwɒrəntiːn/	cách ly	quarantine regulations	impose quarantine, under quarantine
non-pharmaceutical interventions	n	/nɒn-ˌfɑːməˈsjuːtɪkl ˌɪntəˈvenʃnz/	biện pháp phi dược phẩm	these non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)	implement NPIs
catalyst	n	/ˈkætəlɪst/	chất xúc tác, động lực	acting as catalysts for change	act as catalyst, serve as catalyst

Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
interconnectedness	n	/ˌɪntəkəˈnektɪdnəs/	sự kết nối lẫn nhau	unprecedented level of interconnectedness	global interconnectedness
supply chain	n	/səˈplaɪ tʃeɪn/	chuỗi cung ứng	supply chains stretch across continents	disrupt supply chain, global supply chain
vulnerability	n	/ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/	tính dễ bị tổn thương	created new vulnerabilities	expose vulnerability, economic vulnerability
just-in-time manufacturing	n	/dʒʌst-ɪn-taɪm ˌmænjuˈfæktʃərɪŋ/	sản xuất đúng lúc	rely heavily on just-in-time manufacturing	adopt just-in-time manufacturing
redundancy	n	/rɪˈdʌndənsi/	sự dự phòng, dự trữ	possess minimal redundancy	build redundancy, lack redundancy
ripple outward	v	/ˈrɪpl ˈaʊtwəd/	lan tỏa ra ngoài	the effects ripple outward	ripple through economy
cascading vulnerability	n	/kæˈskeɪdɪŋ ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/	tính dễ tổn thương lan truyền	This cascading vulnerability became apparent	create cascading effects
asymmetric impact	n	/ˌeɪsɪˈmetrɪk ˈɪmpækt/	tác động bất đối xứng	The asymmetric impact on different sectors	have asymmetric impact
gig economy	n	/ɡɪɡ ɪˈkɒnəmi/	kinh tế việc làm tự do	The rise of the gig economy	work in gig economy
precarious employment	n	/prɪˈkeəriəs ɪmˈplɔɪmənt/	việc làm bấp bênh	precarious employment arrangements	face precarious employment
contagion effect	n	/kənˈteɪdʒən ɪˈfekt/	hiệu ứng lây lan	contagion effects in financial markets	financial contagion effect
fiscal capacity	n	/ˈfɪskl kəˈpæsəti/	năng lực tài khóa	often lack the fiscal capacity	limited fiscal capacity
sovereign debt crisis	n	/ˈsɒvrɪn det ˈkraɪsɪs/	khủng hoảng nợ quốc gia	potentially triggering sovereign debt crises	face sovereign debt crisis
digital divide	n	/ˈdɪdʒɪtl dɪˈvaɪd/	khoảng cách kỹ thuật số	The digital divide thus translates	bridge digital divide
protectionism	n	/prəˈtekʃənɪzəm/	chủ nghĩa bảo hộ	nationalism and protectionism	rise of protectionism

Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary

Từ vựng	Loại từ	Phiên âm	Nghĩa tiếng Việt	Ví dụ từ bài	Collocation
macroeconomic policy	n	/ˌmækrəʊˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈpɒləsi/	chính sách kinh tế vĩ mô	macroeconomic policy architecture	implement macroeconomic policy
fiscal intervention	n	/ˈfɪskl ˌɪntəˈvenʃn/	can thiệp tài khóa	unprecedented scale of fiscal intervention	require fiscal intervention
unconventional monetary policy	n	/ˌʌnkənˈvenʃənl ˈmʌnɪtri ˈpɒləsi/	chính sách tiền tệ phi truyền thống	unconventional monetary policy	adopt unconventional policy
quantitative easing	n	/ˈkwɒntɪtətɪv ˈiːzɪŋ/	nới lỏng định lượng	extending quantitative easing frameworks	implement quantitative easing
liquidity crisis	n	/lɪˈkwɪdəti ˈkraɪsɪs/	khủng hoảng thanh khoản	preventing the liquidity crises	face liquidity crisis
transmission mechanism	n	/trænzˈmɪʃn ˈmekənɪzəm/	cơ chế truyền dẫn	the transmission mechanisms appear attenuated	monetary transmission mechanism
distributional consequence	n	/ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃənl ˈkɒnsɪkwəns/	hậu quả phân phối	The distributional consequences warrant scrutiny	have distributional consequences
asset price inflation	n	/ˈæset praɪs ɪnˈfleɪʃn/	lạm phát giá tài sản	Asset price inflation driven by liquidity	cause asset price inflation
regressive impact	n	/rɪˈɡresɪv ˈɪmpækt/	tác động lũy thoái	This regressive impact contradicts	have regressive impact
austerity orthodoxy	n	/ɒˈsterəti ˈɔːθədɒksi/	chính thống thắt lưng buộc bụng	departure from the austerity orthodoxy	abandon austerity orthodoxy
aggregate demand	n	/ˈæɡrɪɡət dɪˈmɑːnd/	tổng cầu	sustaining aggregate demand	stimulate aggregate demand
sovereign debt sustainability	n	/ˈsɒvrɪn det səˌsteɪnəˈbɪləti/	tính bền vững nợ quốc gia	questions about sovereign debt sustainability	ensure debt sustainability
Modern Monetary Theory	n	/ˈmɒdn ˈmʌnɪtri ˈθɪəri/	Lý thuyết Tiền tệ Hiện đại	Proponents invoke Modern Monetary Theory	apply Modern Monetary Theory
sectoral asymmetry	n	/ˈsektərəl ˌeɪsɪˈmetri/	sự bất đối xứng ngành	This sectoral asymmetry suggests	observe sectoral asymmetry
structural transformation	n	/ˈstrʌktʃərəl ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃn/	chuyển đổi cơ cấu	accelerated several structural transformations	undergo structural transformation
hysteresis effect	n	/ˌhɪstəˈriːsɪs ɪˈfekt/	hiệu ứng trễ (tác động lâu dài)	Hysteresis effects represent a crucial concern	suffer hysteresis effects
counterfactual scenario	n	/ˌkaʊntəˈfæktʃuəl səˈnɑːriəʊ/	kịch bản phản thực tế	The counterfactual scenarios remain uncertain	construct counterfactual scenario
epistemological challenge	n	/ɪˌpɪstɪməˈlɒdʒɪkl ˈtʃælɪndʒ/	thách thức nhận thức luận	The epistemological challenges should not be understated	face epistemological challenges

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Kết bài

Chủ đề economic impact of pandemics không chỉ phản ánh thực tế toàn cầu mà còn là một trong những chủ đề xuất hiện thường xuyên trong IELTS Reading những năm gần đây. Qua bộ đề thi này, bạn đã được thực hành với ba passages có độ khó tăng dần, từ những tác động lịch sử đơn giản đến các phân tích chính sách kinh tế vĩ mô phức tạp.

Ba passages đã cung cấp đầy đủ 40 câu hỏi với 7 dạng khác nhau, giúp bạn làm quen với mọi format câu hỏi có thể xuất hiện trong kỳ thi thật. Phần đáp án chi tiết không chỉ cho bạn biết đáp án đúng mà còn giải thích rõ ràng lý do, vị trí thông tin và cách paraphrase – đây chính là chìa khóa để nâng cao band điểm Reading.

Hơn 40 từ vựng quan trọng được trình bày trong các bảng thuật ngữ sẽ giúp bạn xây dựng vốn từ học thuật vững chắc, đặc biệt là trong lĩnh vực kinh tế – một chủ đề phổ biến trong IELTS. Hãy dành thời gian học thuộc những từ vựng này và thực hành sử dụng chúng trong các ngữ cảnh khác nhau.

Để đạt kết quả tốt nhất, bạn nên làm bài trong điều kiện thi thật với giới hạn thời gian 60 phút, sau đó đối chiếu đáp án và đọc kỹ phần giải thích. Đừng quên xem lại những câu trả lời sai để hiểu rõ sai lầm và tránh lặp lại trong tương lai. Chúc bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt band điểm cao trong kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới!