Advantages of Public Transport- IELTS Reading Answers

This type of IELTS Reading Passage contains the following question types,

• Matching Headings
• True/False/Not Given
• Matching Features

Matching Headings 

Matching Headings are one of the types of questions in the IELTS Reading Passage, which requires the test-taker to read the passage thoroughly and match the headings appropriately to the paragraph. Headings are short sentences that summarise the entire information in a paragraph. This type of question assesses the test-taker’s ability to understand the main theme of each paragraph.

True/False/Not Given 

In the True/False/Not Given questions, the test taker has to identify whether the facts asked in the questions are TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN by referring to the paragraphs that are given. If the fact matches the information in the paragraph, write True, if the fact does not match with the information, write False, and if the fact is not present in the paragraph, write Not Given.

Matching Features 

The test-taker must match a list of options to a series of statements in the Matching Feature question type. In a box, options are presented. Typically, these alternatives include names or features referenced in the paragraph. The statements will not be in the same sequence as the passage. In addition, these statements will paraphrase information from the passage.

Answers

1 Answer: ii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph A, Line 1 & Line 5

Answer explanation: The intro line of Paragraph A exemplifies Newman’s notion that choosing one mode of transportation over another is a political decision. Public transportation is greatly preferred when the process is more democratic. Here, Politics refers to people’s power.

In the fifth line of the same paragraph, it is quoted as, “Some years ago federal money was granted to build a new road. However, local pressure groups forced a referendum over whether to spend the money on light rail instead. The rail proposal won, and the railway worked spectacularly well.”

These quoted lines depict that federal money was granted to construct a new road. However, due to the pressure of local groups, the money was spent on rail, and the rail proposal received a nod, and the railway worked well. Thus, we understand how politics (people’s power) helped the railway project succeed. Hence, the answer is ii – A successful exercise in people power.

2 Answer: vii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer explanation: We find traces in the first and last line of paragraph B. As quoted in the first line, “In the UK, travel times to work had been stable for at least six centuries, with people avoiding situations that required them to spend more than half an hour travelling to work.”

As quoted in the fifth line of paragraph B, “However, public infrastructure did not keep pace with urban sprawl, causing massive congestion problems which now make commuting times far higher.”

We acknowledge that public transportation did not keep up with the city’s growth, resulting in traffic congestion and longer travel times. Thus, the answer is vii- Increase in travel times. Here, “commuting” means travel, “far higher” refers to an increase.

3 Answer: iv

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 1

Answer explanation: When we scan paragraph C, it is quoted as, “there is a widespread belief that increasing wealth encourages people to live farther out where cars are the only viable transport. The example of European cities refutes that. They are often wealthier than their American counterparts but have not generated the same level of car use. In Stockholm, car use has actually fallen in recent years as the city has become larger and wealthier.”

We deduce from the quoted lines that according to a general belief, higher incomes encourage people to live in distant places where cars are the feasible type of transport. However, an example disproves this belief. European countries are more affluent than the American cities, but they have not used the same level of cars as Americans. Despite the fact that Stockholm is growing and becoming more prosperous, car use has fallen in recent years. So, the answer that best fits paragraph C is iv – Higher incomes need not mean more cars. Here, “affluent” means wealthier, “distant places” mean farther, “disprove” means refutes, and “feasible” means viable.

4 Answer: i

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: When we look into paragraph D, it is quoted as, “Newman believes one of the best studies on how cities built for cars might be converted to rail use is The Urban Village report, which used Melbourne as an example. It found that pushing everyone into the city centre was not the best approach.”

We understand from the passage that Newman considered the Urban Village report as one of the best studies on how cities built for cars might be converted into rail use. The report illustrates Melbourne as an example. It is found that overcrowding the centre is not the best approach. Thus, the answer is i.

5 Answer: iii

Question type: Matching Headings

Answer location: Paragraph E, Line 5

Answer explanation: We can find traces of information in the fifth line of Paragraph E, where it is quoted, “The explanation for this seems to be that it is valuable to place people working in related fields together. ‘The new world will largely depend on human creativity, and creativity flourishes where people come together face-to-face.”

The quoted lines indicate that it is valuable to place people working in related fields together, which means there are benefits of working together in the same cities. So, the answer is iii.

6 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 1

Answer explanation: We can find references for the given statement in the first paragraph, introducing the new study conducted for the World Bank by Murdoch University’s Institute for Science and Technology Policy (ISTP). According to the study, public transport is more efficient than cars, and it compared the proportion of wealth poured into transport by 37 cities around the world.

We understand from this that the study examined public and private transport systems in only 37 cities, not in every city in the world. So, the answer is False.

7 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 2, line 4

Answer explanation: We find traces of information for the statement in the 2nd paragraph where Professor Peter Newman, ISTP Director, highlighted that European and Asian cities are efficient and can put the difference in attracting industry and jobs and improving the quality of life of their residents. So, the answer is True.

8 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 4

Answer explanation: We can find references for the answer in the fourth line of paragraph 3, where it is quoted “Melbourne’s large tram network has made car use in the inner city much lower, but the outer suburbs have the same car-based structure as most other Australian cities.”

The quoted lines indicate that the large tram network of Melbourne made car use in the inner city much lower. But, there is no reference to an inner-city tram network being dangerous for car drivers. Hence, the answer is Not Given.

9 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 7

Answer explanation: We can find a reference for the information in the seventh line of paragraph 3, where it is quoted, “The explosion in demand for accommodation in the inner suburbs of Melbourne suggests a recent change in many people’s preferences as to where they live.”

We can deduce from the mentioned lines that many people’s preferences for where they should live have recently shifted due to increasing demand for accomodation in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. The statement in the question contradicts the information in the passage. Hence, the answer is False.

10 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 5

Answer explanation: We can trace the information in Paragraph 5, where it is quoted, “Bicycle use was not included in the study, but Newman noted that the two most ‘bicycle friendly’ cities considered – Amsterdam and Copenhagen – were very efficient, even though their public transport systems were ‘reasonable but not special.”

These quoted lines indicate that the study didn’t include bicycle use. However, Newman pointed out that Amsterdam and Copenhagen were the two bicycle-friendly cities that were efficient, despite having reasonable and mediocre public transport systems. Here, cities with high levels of bicycle usage refer to Amsterdam and Copenhagen, which were very efficient, and their public transport systems were also reasonably well. Here, ”mediocre” means not special. Thus, the statement in the question agrees with the information in the passage; hence, the answer is True.

11 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 2,line 1

Answer explanation: In the first line of the 2nd paragraph, it is mentioned that according to a study, the Western Australian city of Perth is an excellent example of a city with minimal public transport. As a result, 17% of its wealth went into transport costs. Some European and Asian cities, on the other hand, spent as little as 5%.

These lines indicate that despite Perth using 17% of its wealth into transport costs, their public transport system is limited. Thus, the answer is F. Here, “limited” refers to minimal.

12 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 2

Answer explanation: We can find traces for Auckland in Paragraph 7, where Newman has accepted that it would be difficult for a city as hilly as Auckland to develop a really good rail network. We understand that as Auckland is a hilly city, it would be inappropriate to develop a rail transport system. Thus, the answer is D.

13 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 3

Answer explanation: In the third line of paragraph A, we can locate the keyword Portland. It is quoted as, “He considers Portland Oregon, a perfect example of this. Some years ago, federal money was granted to build a new road. However, local pressure groups forced a referendum over whether to spend the money on light rail instead. The rail proposal won, and the railway worked spectacularly well.”

These quoted lines illustrate Newman considering Portland, Oregon, as a perfect example for favouring the public transport system. We understand that federal funds had been allocated to constructing a new road. On the other hand, local residents decided to spend the money on light rail rather than roads. As a result, the rail plan won, and the railway’s construction went off without a hitch. So, the answer is C.

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