1、 1 UNIT 13 Transport W a r m u p - T h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e T o p i c Look at these photos. Talk about them with your partner. 1 In your city, do more people ride bikes or drive cars? 2 Think about traffic congestion. Are bicycles part of the problem or part of the solution ? Beginning to Rea
2、d Skimming to Identify the Authors Purpose and Passage Structure Complete the activities below to practise how to do this. Keep to the time limit. Cycling in the City How much time do you spend stuck in traffic, breathing in diesel fumes, as you commute to work or to college every day? Traffic conge
3、stion in the big cities is one of the key issues facing city planners these days. It has only continued to get worse, despite the attempts to solve these problems. Expensive solutions such as new flyovers, bus-only lanes and park-and-ride options are all under consideration in many big cities. But t
4、hese are all car-friendly solutions, What about the humble bicycle? A TIP For IELTS reading , you need to the able to read QUICKLY to find the authors purpose and the main structure of the reading passage. 2 Cycling is a key way of reducing traffic congestion, and has other benefits as well. It save
5、s fuel, is healthier for the cyclists (if they survive the trip unharmed) and reduces air pollution for all other commuters who walk or travel on other forms of transport. It provides a more cost-effective and efficient use of city space by reducing the need for enormous parking buildings and inner
6、city motorways. Another point is that cycling is a cheaper alternative than car ownership with its registration fees, fuel costs, and regular mechanical expenses. At present, many people drive over relatively short distances that; could equally be travelled by bike. However, often the fear of cyclin
7、g in heavy commuter traffic keeps such people off their bikes. Take a moment to think about those who risk the dangers of busy city roads on a bicycle. Cyclists are the most vulnerable people in heavy traffic. They move fast, they are balanced on two wheels, and they have no outer metal shell to pro
8、tect them. If they are on their way to work, they may well be carrying work-related documents in a backpack or pannier, which increases the balance problem. As cyclists are much smaller than vehicles, drivers frequently do not even notice them and accidents are common. Often, especially in hot weath
9、er, cyclists only wear light clothing, which means the injuries they suffer are likely to be serious. Even helmets cannot always prevent fatal head injuries. What needs to happen for cyclists to feel comfortable cycling to work? The first major requirement is changing our ideas so that cycling becom
10、es a sensible transport choice and cyclists are safe on the roads. Public education is an essential part of this, to ensure that other road users are more considerate to cyclists and learn how to drive safely when bicycles are sharing the roads. Employers also need to be aware of cyclists needs. The
11、se usually range from secure cycle racks to prevent theft, to the provision of showers and lockers, so people can change from cycling to business clothes once they arrive at work. Larger companies might also find that providing fleet cycles to enable employees to go on errands during work hours is a
12、n effective policy. The second major necessity is the development of a safe, convenient network of cycling pathways that link different parts of the city, but ideally are separate from the regular road system. These cycle paths should also allow for some separation of cyclists and pedestrians, as pe
13、ople walking can be badly injured or even killed if a cyclist collides with them. In areas where this is not possible, city streets should have clearly marked cycle lanes with restrictions to prevent drivers from using them. Some cities, for example, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, have made a particular
14、effort to achieve this. They have developed areas that are either car-free (only for pedestrians and cyclists) or pedestrian priority, where pedestrians and cyclists have the right-of-way and cars are only permitted to move at low speeds. Planners believe that the presence of cyclists at all hours o
15、f the day and evening keeps the city safer. Since 1995, there has been a city bike system in Copenhagen which allows anyone to B C D E F 3 borrow a bike from one of 110 bike stands around the city for a small deposit. Once the bike is returned to the same or another stand, this money is refunded. Th
16、ere has also been an active policy of establishing bike lanes, adding bike crossings to intersections and reducing the number of car parks to discourage cars in the central city. Currently, about 34% of commuters in Copenhagen cycle to work. Cycling is clearly a healthy and effective alternative to
17、the private car in our congested cities. The greater the proportion of cyclists to other vehicles, the safer cycling becomes. As some forward-thinking cities have demonstrated, there are many ways in which local city governments can actively encourage and subsidise cycling as a positive option for c
18、ommuters. The most important of these require some brave decisions to curb the dominance of the private car, and the gridlock experienced in all major cities shows that such action has become essential. 3 Read the first sentence ONLY of each paragraph in the reading passage. Take NO MORE THAN FIVE m
19、inutes to do this. What is the main structure of this passage? A A description of types of transport in modern cities B An analysis of traffic congestion problems C A discussion of how cyclists are vulnerable D A description of cycling as a solution to traffic problems Predicting the Content from To
20、pic Sentences 4 Look at the following topic sentences which come from the reading passage. The first paragraph, is NOT included. Underline the key words in each topic sentence and then discuss with your partner the likely topic of each paragraph. B. Cycling is a key way of reducing traffic congestio
21、n, and has other benefits as well. C. Take a moment to think about those who risk the dangers of busy city roads on a bicycle. D. What needs to happen for cyclists to feel comfortable cycling to work? E. The second major necessity is the development of a safe, convenient network of cycling pathways
22、that, link different parts of the city, . F. Some cities, for example, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, have made a particular effort to achieve this. G. Cycling is clearly a healthy and effective alternative to the private car in our G 4 congested cities. IELTS Type Questions: Reading for Details and for
23、Main Ideas Matching Headings to Paragraphs The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. There are more headings than paragraphs. List of Headings i. Cyclists at Risk ii. Necessity for Action iii. Educating Drivers and E
24、mployers iv. Reasons for Cycling v. Planning to Reduce Traffic Congestion vi. Problems of Traffic Congestion vii. Examples of Effective Cycle-friendly Developments viii. Safe Cycling Networks 1) _Paragraph A 5)_ Paragraph E 2) _Paragraph B 6)_ Paragraph F 3) _Paragraph C 7) _Paragraph G 4) _Paragrap
25、h D Multiple Choice 8) Traffic planners are thinking about new solutions to traffic congestion. Which TWO of the following are NOT described in the reading? Choose TWO letters, a-e. a) overbridges for vehicles b) expansion of road networks c) making streets wider d) special lanes for buses e) parkin
26、g areas for motorists to change to public transport 9) The text describes some reasons for encouraging cycling. Which ONE of the following is NOT listed? Choose the correct letter, a, b, c, d, or e. a) to lower the number of cars on the streets b) to move quickly through heavy traffic c) to lessen p
27、ollution of city air TIP These usually follow the order of the reading passage. 5 d) to provide an option that costs less than using a car e) to lessen need for car parks and roads 10) The reading passage discusses requirements for cycling to work. Which THREE of the following are NOT listed? Choose
28、 THREE letters, a-f a) laws preventing cyclists from carrying documents in backpacks b) education of drivers c) action taken by employers to support employees who cycle d) laws requiring cyclists to wear helmets e) system of cycling pathways or special lanes for cyclists f) policies requiring cyclis
29、ts to wear bright-coloured clothing 11) In the examples given, a number of cycling-friendly developments are described. Which TWO of the following are NOT included? Choose TWO letters; a-j a) areas without vehicle access b) areas where people walking or on bikes have priority c) free, covered bike p
30、arks d) bikes that anyone can borrow and return later e) additional taxes on petrol and diesel f) fewer car parks Locating Information The passage has seven paragraphs, A -G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G, beside the statements below. Note: You may
31、 use airy letter more than once. You may not need to use all the letters. 12) _Statistics to show that cycle-friendly policies are effective. 13) _ A description of company facilities for employees who cycle to work. 14) _The fact that cyclists are often not noticed by drivers. 15) _Solutions from c
32、ity planners that favour private cars. 16) _ Reasons why cyclists should not use the same paths as people who are walking. 17) _A comparison of the cost of owning a bike and a car. Global Multiple Choice Circle the letter fir the correct answer 18) The writers main idea is that: a.) In the future, c
33、ars will need to be banned from cities. TIP 1 You will usually find the answer to this question in the final and the first paragraph TIP 2 Not all the four choices will be ideas from the passage. Your job is to choose the main idea, the one that sums up the whole reading passage 6 b). Automobiles ar
34、e shaping our city planning. c). Cycling is the key to a reduction of traffic congestion. d). Some city governments have encouraged cycling. After You Read This section of the reading units will include some activities to help you to understand and practise reading skills that will help you with the
35、 IELTS test. Vocabulary Adjectives humble efficient enormous mechanical vulnerable frequent fatal essential considerate ideal separate particular forward-thinking congested 5 Match the words above to the meanings below. a. To be at risk of harm _ b. Necessary _ c. Modern, progressive _ d. Happening
36、very often _ e. Special, focused _ f. Perfect _ g. Causing death _ h. Crowded _ i. Simple, modest _ j. Not joined or linked _ k. Related to machines _ l. Effective, without wasted time or effort _ m. Huge _ n. Thinking about the needs of others _ 6 Complete the following sentences, using the adjecti
37、ves above, or an adverb form if necessary. a. Given that traffic congestion is worsening, official action to encourage cycling has become _. b. _ , cycle paths will be divided from the regular road system by walls or hedges. c. Most parking buildings are _and ugly. d. Copenhagen and Amsterdam are bo
38、th cities with_ policies for cyclists. e. Cyclists are at risk in heavy traffic, as drivers _do not even notice them. 7 f. Drivers need to be educated to be_ to cyclists. g. Sadly, a collision between a cyclist and a car is often . _for the cyclist. h. Equally, pedestrians are _when cyclists and ped
39、estrians share the same paths. Other Vocabulary fumes expansion pedestrians commuters alternative registration pannier requirement provision errands restrictions priority intersections dominance 7 Complete the following sentences, using the target vocabulary above. You will not need all of the words
40、. a. _ means making something bigger. b. An _is another option. c. _ are people moving around on foot. d. A_ is a bag on the side of a bike. e. A_ is something that is essential. f. _ are things that limit what can be done. g. The_ of showers means they are made available. h. _ are people who regula
41、rly travel to work in the city. i. Diesel _ are the gases from buses and trucks. j. _ are short trips to collect or deliver things. k. Having_ means being the most important. Comparatives and Superlatives 8 In the reading passage, there are a number of cases of comparatives and superlatives. Find ma
42、ny as possible and highlight them. Then try to complete the following chart and identify what is being compared in each case. Base Comparative Superlative compared to ? bad worse worst traffic congestion now/ traffic congestion 20 years ago narrow healthy efficient cheap 8 vulnerable considerate lar
43、ge safe important Pronoun Reference 9 Consider these parts of the main reading passage. Words, such as it, they, them, this and these, which refer to something previously mentioned in the passage, are in bold. Identify (highlight or underline) which word or words each one refers to. The first one ha
44、s been done for you It refers to traffic congestion. Cycling in the City A . Traffic congestion in the big cities is one of the key issues facing city planners these days. It has only continued to get worse, despite the attempts to solve these problems. B Cycling is a key way of reducing traffic con
45、gestion. It also saves fuel, is healthier for the cyclists (if they survive the trip unharmed) and reduces air pollution for all other commuters who walk or travel on other forms of transport. It provides a more cost-effective and efficient use of city space, by reducing the need for enormous parkin
46、g buildings and inner city motorways. C Take a moment to think about those who risk the dangers of busy city roads on a bicycle. Cyclists are the most vulnerable people in heavy traffic. They move fast, they are balanced on two wheels, and they have no outer metal shell to protect them. As cyclists
