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The reading passage "European Transport System" covers rising car use, changes in goods transport due to economic shifts, and transport trends in EU candidate countries. Practising such texts on topics like the European Transport System enhances IELTS reading skills by improving comprehension, vocabulary, and analytical thinking. Exposure to diverse subjects helps in understanding detailed passages, developing strategies, and familiarizing with various content types. This practice builds confidence and readiness for various question types encountered like Match the Paragraph and True/False/Not Given for the given passage.
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Click here to download the answer key of IELTS Academic Cambridge 10, Reading Test 1.
IELTS Prep Tips for European Transport System Reading Passage
Reading Tip | Strategy | How to Apply | Example from the Passage |
---|---|---|---|
Skimming | Reading quickly to get the main idea | Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to understand its purpose. | Skim Paragraph A to see that it discusses the link between economic growth and transport. |
Scanning | Finding specific information quickly | Look for keywords, dates, numbers, or names. | Scan Paragraph E for "28%" to find information about transport emissions. |
Dealing with ‘True/False/Not Given’ Questions | Identifying whether information is stated, contradicted, or missing | Compare the statement with the passage; if it’s directly mentioned, it's TRUE; if it contradicts, it's FALSE; if not mentioned, it's NOT GIVEN. | If a question says "Transport emissions will reduce by 2020," it's FALSE because Paragraph E states they are expected to increase. |
Matching Headings to Paragraphs | Identifying the main idea of each paragraph | Focus on the first few sentences and look for recurring themes. | Paragraph D is about sustainable transport policies, so a heading like "EU's Sustainable Transport Goal" would match. |
Matching Information to Paragraphs | Locating specific details within a passage | Look for synonyms and paraphrased ideas from the question in the passage. | If the question asks about "CO2 emissions increase," match it to Paragraph E, which discusses this. |
Understanding Cause and Effect | Identifying relationships between actions and consequences | Look for signal words like "because," "due to," "leads to," etc. | Paragraph C explains that economic changes caused an increase in transport demand. |
Identifying Comparisons and Contrasts | Finding differences and similarities between ideas | Watch for words like "however," "on the other hand," and "similarly." | Paragraph C contrasts past and present transport trends (rail vs. road). |
Dealing with ‘Matching Sentence Endings’ Questions | Recognizing logical sentence completion | Read both parts carefully and match based on meaning, not just word repetition. | "Transport contributes to emissions..." would logically connect with "...mainly due to road use," as seen in Paragraph E. |
Recognizing Opinions vs. Facts | Differentiating between the author’s viewpoint and factual data | Opinions often contain words like "believe," "suggest," "argue," while facts include statistics and dates. | Paragraph D presents a policy goal (opinion), while Paragraph E provides CO2 data (fact). |
Handling ‘Multiple Choice’ Questions | Identifying the correct answer among options | Read the question carefully, locate relevant text, and eliminate incorrect choices. | If asked what caused the shift from rail to road, Paragraph C provides the answer (economic changes). |
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European Transport System Reading Passage
A
It is difficult to conceive of vigorous economic growth without an efficient transport system. Although modern information technologies can reduce the demand for physical transport by facilitating teleworking and teleservices, the requirement for transport continues to increase. There are two key factors behind this trend. For passenger transport, the determining factor is the spectacular growth in car use. The number of cars on European Union (EU) roads saw an increase of three million cars each year from 1990 to 2010, and in the next decade, the EU will see a further substantial increase in its fleet.
B
As far as goods transport is concerned, growth is due to a large extent to changes in the European economy and its system of production. In the last 20 years, as internal frontiers have been abolished, the EU has moved from a ”stock” economy to a ”flow” economy. This phenomenon has been emphasised by the relocation of some industries, particularly those which are labour-intensive, to reduce production costs, even though the production site is hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away from the final assembly plant or away from users.
C
The strong economic growth expected in countries that are candidates for entry into the EU will also increase transport flows, particularly road haulage traffic. In 1998, some of these countries already exported more than twice their 1990 volumes and imported more than five times their 1990 volumes. Although many candidate countries inherited a transport system which encourages rail, the distribution between modes has tipped sharply in favour of road transport since the 1990s. Between 1990 and 1998, road haulage increased by 19.4%, while during the same period, rail haulage decreased by 43.5%, although – and this could benefit the enlarged EU – it is still, on average, at a much higher level than in existing member states.
D
However, a new imperative-sustainable development – offers an opportunity for adopting the EU's common transport policy. This objective, agreed by the Gothenburg European Council, has to be achieved by integrating environmental considerations into community policies and shifting the balance between modes of transport, which lies at the heart of its strategy. The ambitious objective can only be fully achieved by 2020, but proposed measures are nonetheless the first essential step towards a sustainable transport system, which will ideally be in place in 30 years‟ time, that is, by 2040.
E
In 1998, energy consumption in the transport sector was to blame for 28% of emissions of CO2, the leading greenhouse gas. According to the latest estimates, if nothing is done to reverse the traffic growth trend, CO2 emissions from transport can be expected to increase by around 50% to 1,113 billion tonnes by 2020, compared with the 739 billion tonnes recorded in 1990. Once again, road transport is the main culprit since it alone accounts for 84% of the CO2 emissions attributable to transport. Using alternative fuels and improving energy efficiency is thus both an ecological necessity and a technological challenge.
F
At the same time, greater efforts must be made to achieve a modal shift. Such a change cannot be achieved overnight, all the less so after over half a century of constant deterioration in favour of roads. This has reached such a pitch that today rail freight services are facing marginalisation, with just 8% of the market share, and with international goods trains struggling along at an average speed of 18km/h. Three possible options have emerged.
G
The first approach would consist of focusing solely on road transport through pricing. This option would not be accompanied by complementary measures in the other modes of transport. In the short term, it might curb the growth in road transport through the better loading ratio of goods vehicles and occupancy rates of passenger vehicles, which is expected as a result of the increase in the price of transport. However, the lack of measures available to revitalise other modes of transport would make it impossible for more sustainable modes of transport to take up the baton.
H
The second approach also concentrates on road transport pricing but is accompanied by measures to increase the efficiency of the other modes (better quality of services, logistics, technology). However, this approach does not include investment in new infrastructure, nor does it guarantee better regional cohesion. It could help to achieve greater uncoupling than the first approach, but road transport would keep the lion's share of the market and continue to concentrate on saturated arteries despite being the most polluting of the modes. It is, therefore, not enough to guarantee the necessary shift of the balance.
I
The third approach, which is not new, comprises a series of measures ranging from pricing to revitalising alternative modes of transport and targeting investment in the trans-European network. This integrated approach would allow the market shares of the other modes to return to their 1998 levels and thus make a shift of balance. It is far more ambitious than it looks, bearing in mind the historical imbalance in favour of roads for the last fifty years, but would achieve a marked break in the link between road transport growth and economic growth without placing restrictions on the mobility of people and goods.
European Transport System Reading Mock Test
European Transport System Reading Questions & Answers
Questions 1-7
The Reading Passage has sections A-I.
Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-I in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
1. Transport trends in countries awaiting EU admission.
Answer: C
Answer Location: Paragraph C, Line 2
Explanation: "In 1998, some of these countries already exported more than twice their 1990 volumes and imported more than five times their 1990 volumes." This line discusses the significant increase in export and import volumes in candidate countries, highlighting transport trends in these nations.
2. Taking all the steps necessary to change transport patterns.
Answer: I
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "The third approach, which is not new, comprises a series of measures ranging from pricing to revitalising alternative modes of transport and targeting investment in the trans-European network." This line describes an integrated approach that includes all necessary measures to change transport patterns effectively.
3. Restricting road use through charging policies alone.
Answer: G
Answer Location: Paragraph G, Line 1
Explanation: "This option would not be accompanied by complementary measures in the other modes of transport." This line explains that focusing solely on road pricing without additional measures for other transport modes would restrict road use alone.
4. The environmental costs of road transport.
Answer: E
Answer Location: Paragraph E, Line 1
Explanation: "Energy consumption in the transport sector was to blame for 28% of emissions of CO2, the leading greenhouse gas." This line addresses the environmental impact of road transport, specifically the CO2 emissions attributed to it.
5. Charging for roads and improving other transport methods.
Answer: H
Answer Location: Paragraph H, Line 1
Explanation: "The second approach also concentrates on road transport pricing but is accompanied by measures to increase the efficiency of the other modes (better quality of services, logistics, technology)." This line details the second approach, which involves road pricing along with efforts to improve other transport methods.
6. Changes affecting the distances goods may be transported.
Answer: B
Answer Location: Paragraph B, Line 3
Explanation: "This phenomenon has been emphasised by the relocation of some industries, particularly those which are labour intensive, to reduce production costs, even though the production site is hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away from the final assembly plant or away from users." This line explains how the relocation of industries to distant production sites affects the distances goods are transported.
7. The rapid growth of private transport.
Answer: A
Answer Location: Paragraph A, Line 4
Explanation: "The number of cars on European Union (EU) roads saw an increase of three million cars each year from 1990 to 2010." This line highlights the rapid growth in the number of cars, demonstrating the increase in private transport.
European Transport System Reading
Question 8-13
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.
An inefficient transportation network makes 8. ________ hard to fathom. Despite advancements in technology, there is a growing demand for 9. ________. In order to lower manufacturing costs, certain 10. ________ have relocated farther away from their assemling plant. Numerous 11. ________ nations inherited a transit system that prioritizes rail, and the distribution between modes has rapidly moved in favour of roadways since the late years of the twentieth century. Certain nations have surpassed their 12. ________ goods’ volume by more than double. The rail haulage 13. ________ in candidate countries of the European Union is far greater than that of its present-day member states.
Answers for Questions 8-13
Answer 8: ECONOMIC GROWTH
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "It is difficult to conceive of vigorous economic growth without an efficient transport system." This line states that economic growth is hard to envision without an efficient transport system.
Answer 9: PHYSICAL TRANSPORT
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "Although modern information technologies can reduce the demand for physical transport by facilitating teleworking and teleservices, the requirement for transport continues to increase." This line indicates that despite technological advancements, the demand for physical transport is still growing.
Answer 10: INDUSTRIES
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "The EU has moved from a 'stock' economy to a 'flow' economy. This phenomenon has been emphasised by the relocation of some industries, particularly those which are labour intensive..." This line explains that industries have relocated to reduce manufacturing costs, affecting transport patterns.
Answer 11: CANDIDATE
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "Although many candidate countries inherited a transport system which encourages rail, the distribution between modes has tipped sharply in favour of road transport since the 1990s." This line discusses how candidate countries inherited a rail-prioritized system but have shifted towards road transport.
Answer 12: EXPORTED
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "In 1998, some of these countries already exported more than twice their 1990 volumes..." This line highlights the increase in export volumes in candidate countries.
Answer 13: LEVEL
Answer Location: Paragraph, Line
Explanation: "Although – and this could benefit the enlarged EU – it is still, on average, at a much higher level than in existing member states." This line notes that rail haulage in candidate countries is higher than in existing EU member states.
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