IELTS Reading B1 ⏱️ 15 minutes

Handwashing and Everyday Hygiene

Learn essential health habits through authentic reading practice based on UNICEF and CDC guidelines.

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📌 How to use this lesson

For Teachers:

• Use this 15-minute B1 reading module for warm-up or focused exam technique practice.

• Check student responses automatically and review the detailed evidence lines provided under each item.

For Students:

• Read the short article (paragraphs A to D) carefully before looking at any questions.

• Complete the 8 IELTS-style tasks in order and read the explanation box if you make a mistake.

💡 Sentence Pattern to Notice: "It is easy for children to forget the steps."
Why this works: It says the idea first (it is easy), then who does it (for children), then the action (to forget).

📖 Reading Passage: Handwashing Guidelines

Article

[A] Global Handwashing Day is on 15 October. It began in 2008. UNICEF says that the day tells people that washing hands with soap is a simple and cheap way to stop disease.

[B] UNICEF and the CDC both give five steps. Wet your hands with running water, put on enough soap to cover them, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse well and dry your hands with a clean towel. When you scrub, clean the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.

[C] The CDC says that you should wash your hands before, during and after you prepare food, and after you use the toilet. You should also wash them after you look after someone who is sick, after you cough or sneeze and after you touch animals or garbage.

[D] Germs can move from one person to another and from things to people. The CDC says that one way is when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. To scrub for 20 seconds, the CDC suggests that you hum the Happy Birthday song from start to end twice.

IELTS Practice Questions

Questions 1–2

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 1–2 on your answer sheet, choose: TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

1 Global Handwashing Day was created in 2008 to highlight that using soap to wash hands is a low-cost method to prevent illness.

____ TRUE ____ FALSE ____ NOT GIVEN

2 Most people around the world currently clean their hands with soap more than five times each day.

____ TRUE ____ FALSE ____ NOT GIVEN

Questions 3–4

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

3 According to the CDC, how can germs move into a person's body?

____ A. By using running water to rinse dirty food ____ B. By touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands ____ C. By scrubbing your hands for less than 20 seconds ____ D. By drying your hands with a clean towel after rinsing

4 What is the main purpose of humming the Happy Birthday song while washing hands?

____ A. To teach young children how to wash their hands properly ____ B. To remember all five steps recommended by UNICEF ____ C. To ensure you scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds ____ D. To stop germs from spreading after coughing or sneezing

Questions 5–6

Which paragraph contains the following information?
Choose the correct paragraph letter, A, B, C, or D.

5 Specific everyday occasions and activities when it is important to clean your hands.

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

6 The exact five-step technique recommended to wash your hands correctly.

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

Questions 7–8

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

7 When scrubbing your hands, make sure you clean the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your ____.

8 To help measure the 20-second scrubbing duration, the CDC recommends humming a song from start to end ____.

🎉 Reading Activity Completed

Review your choices above to confirm your answers and check your evidence keys!

Reading: Handwashing and Everyday Hygiene

Handwashing and Everyday Hygiene

📌 How to use this lesson

📖 Reading Passage: Handwashing Guidelines

IELTS Practice Questions

Questions 1–2

Questions 3–4

Questions 5–6

Questions 7–8

🎉 Reading Activity Completed

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