IX. Read the text carefully, then do the tasks.

Large cities often have problems that small towns and rural areas do not have. Two of the biggest problems are heavy traffic and the pollution that cars create. Of course. Traffic problems and pollution are not only found in big cities. However, the higher populations and larger number of cars on the roads in cities can make the problems happen more often and with more noticeable effects.

One of the most common traffic problems the large cities have is congestion. As the population of a city increases, so does the number of cars on the road. Cities cannot always improve the number



and size of their roads and highways to keep up with the number of cars. The result is traffic congestion, or trafficjams.

When traffic jams happen, cars that are stuck in the congestion continue to run their engines. This creates pollution and is a big problems. Pollution causes health problems for the people in citiesand also hurts the environment.

A. Match the words with their meanings. 1. rural​a. being too crowded or too full 2. noticeable​b. unable to move 3. congestion c. easy to see or recognize 4. traffic jam​d. in the countryside, not in the city 5. stuck​e. too many vehicles in one place prevents B. Choose the correct answers. 1. Where do traffic problems and pollution frequently happen? a. small towns b. rural areas​c. big cities​d. remote villages 2. According to the passage, what causes traffic congestion in big cities? a. A lot of city dwellers​b. Too many cars on the roads

c. Careless drivers​d. Less traffic signs on the streets

3. The high number of cars is caused by ​_ a. urban planning​b. traffic congestion

c. environmental pollution​d. the population

4. The highway and road network is ​of meeting the requirement of increasing number of vehicles.

a. full​b. aware​c. incapable​d. uncertain

5. Which of the followings is NOT true? 5. a. Only big cities have the problem of pollution. b. Traffic jams cause pollution c. Pollution is a major problem in big cities. d. Pollution causes health and environmental problems.

Read and answer the questions

Last night in Cowford many trees were blown down in the storm. One tree fell across the main road in Cổd. It was taken away by the fire service during the night. Heavy rain also caused problems on the roads. Some roads were coverecd by half a metre of water. Many motorists left their cars and walked home. The situation this moring is better and nearly back to normal. The last few cars are being removed by the emergency services at the moment. The broken lines are being repaired. The traffic is now moving in and out of the town along the again roads. 1. When were many trees blown down in Cowford? 2. How many trees fell across the main road? 3. Was it taken away by the fire service? 4. What were covered by half a metre of water? 5. Are the broken lines being repaired now?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

     Most journeys in Britain and the US are made by road. Some of these are made on public transport but most are by private car.

     In Britain many people rely on their cars for daily local activities, e.g. getting to work, doing the shopping, and visiting friends. People living in urban areas may use buses, trains or, in London, the Underground, to get to city centres, mainly because traffic is often heavy and it is difficult to find anywhere to park a car. Some places in the country may have a bus only two or three times a week so people living there have no choice but to rely on their cars.

     In the US, large cities have good public transportation systems. The El railroad in Chicago and the underground systems of New York, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, DC are heavily used. Elsewhere, most Americans prefer to use their cars. Families often have two cars and, outside major cities, have to drive fairly long distances to schools, offices, shops, banks, etc. Many college and even high-school students have their own cars.

     Long-distance travel in Britain is also mainly by road, though railways link most towns and cities. Most places are linked by motorways or other fast roads and many people prefer to drive at their own convenience rather than use a train, even though they may get stuck in a traffic jam. Long-distance coach/bus services are usually a cheaper alternative to trains, but they take longer and may be less comfortable. Some long-distance travel, especially that undertaken for business reasons, may be by air. There are regular flights between regional airports, as well as to and from London. A lot of freight is also distributed by road, though heavier items and raw materials often go by rail.

     In the US much long-distance travel is by air. America has two main long-distance bus companies, Greyhound and Trailways. Amtrak, the national network, provides rail services for passengers. Private railway companies such as Union Pacific now carry only freight, though in fact over 70% of freight goes by road.

     The main problems associated with road transport in both Britain and the US are traffic congestion and pollution. It is predicted that the number of cars on British roads will increase by a third within a few years, making both these problems worse. The British government would like more people to use public transport, but so far they have had little success in persuading people to give up their cars or to share rides with neighbours. Most people say that public transport is simply not good enough. Americans too have resisted government requests to share cars because it is less convenient and restricts their freedom. Petrol/gasoline is relatively cheap in the US and outside the major cities public transport is bad, so they see no reason to use their cars less.

 

It is stated in the passage that the major problems of road transport in Britain and the US are __________.

A. speeding and bad roads

B. accidents and pollution

C. traffic jams and pollution

D. drink-driving and traffic jams

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Most journeys in Britain and the US are made by road. Some of these are made on public transport but most are by private car.

In Britain many people rely on their cars for daily local activities, e.g. getting to work, doing the shopping, and visiting friends. People living in urban areas may use buses, trains or, in London, the Underground, to get to city centres, mainly because traffic is often heavy and it is difficult to find anywhere to park a car. Some places in the country may have a bus only two or three times a week so people living there have no choice but to rely on their cars.

In the US large cities have good public transportation systems. The El railroad in Chicago and the underground systems of New York, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, DC are heavily used. Elsewhere, most Americans prefer to use their cars. Families often have two cars and, outside major cities, have to drive fairly long distances to schools, offices, shops, banks, etc. Many college and even high-school students have their own cars.

Long-distance travel in Britain is also mainly by road, though railways link most towns and cities. Most places are linked by motorways or other fast roads and many people prefer to drive at their own convenience rather than use a train, even though they may get stuck in a traffic jam. Long-distance coach/bus services are usually a cheaper alternative to trains, but they take longer and may be less comfortable. Some long-distance travel, especially that undertaken for business reasons, may be by air. There are regular flights between regional airports, as well as to and from London. A lot of freight is also distributed by road, though heavier items and raw materials often go by rail.

The main problems associated with road transport in both Britain and the US are traffic congestion and pollution. It is predicted that the number of cars on British roads will increase by a third within a few years, making both these problems worse. The British government would like more people to use public transport, but so far they have had little success in persuading people to give up their cars or to share rides with neighbours. Most people say that public transport is simply not good enough. Americans too have resisted government requests to share cars because it is less convenient and restricts their freedom. Petrol/gasoline is relatively cheap in the US and outside the major cities public transport is bad, so they see no reason to use their cars less.

(Extracted from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, Oxford University Press, 2000)

It is stated in the passage that the major problems of road transport in Britain and the US are ________.

A. speeding and bad roads

B. accidents and pollution

C. traffic jams and pollution

D. drink-driving and traffic jams

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

        Quite apart from the economic similarity between present-day automation and the mechanization, (4)_______has been proceeding for centuries, it must also be stressed that even in the United States, automation is by no means the only factor displace people from existing jobs. The increasing number of unneeded workers in recent years has been the result of much more simple and old-fashioned influences:

farm laborers have been (5)       _________out of work by bigger tractors, miners by the cheapness of oil, and railway-men by better roads. It is quite wrong, therefore, to think of automation as some new monster whose arrival threatens the existence of employment in the same way that the arrival of myxomatosis threatened the existence of the rabbit. Automation is one aspect of technological changes (changes in tastes, changes in social patterns, changes in organization) which (6)________in certain jobs disappearing and certain skills ceasing to be required. And even in America, which has a level of technology and output per (7)______much in advance of Britain’s, there is no evidence that the pace of change is actually speeding up. Nevertheless changes in the amount of labor needed to produce a certain output are proceeding fairly rapidly in America - and in (8)_______countries - and may proceed more rapidly in future. Indeed it is one of the main objects of economic policy.

Điền vào số 8

A. another

B. others

C. other

D. each

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

        Quite apart from the economic similarity between present-day automation and the mechanization, (4)_______has been proceeding for centuries, it must also be stressed that even in the United States, automation is by no means the only factor displace people from existing jobs. The increasing number of unneeded workers in recent years has been the result of much more simple and old-fashioned influences:

farm laborers have been (5)                          _________out of work by bigger tractors, miners by the cheapness of oil, and railway-men by better roads. It is quite wrong, therefore, to think of automation as some new monster whose arrival threatens the existence of employment in the same way that the arrival of myxomatosis threatened the existence of the rabbit. Automation is one aspect of technological changes (changes in tastes, changes in social patterns, changes in organization) which (6)________in certain jobs disappearing and certain skills ceasing to be required. And even in America, which has a level of technology and output per (7)______much in advance of Britain’s, there is no evidence that the pace of change is actually speeding up. Nevertheless changes in the amount of labor needed to produce a certain output are proceeding fairly rapidly in America - and in (8)_______countries - and may proceed more rapidly in future. Indeed it is one of the main objects of economic policy.

Điền vào ô 6.

A. result

B. reside

C. end

D. prospect

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

        Quite apart from the economic similarity between present-day automation and the mechanization, (4)_______has been proceeding for centuries, it must also be stressed that even in the United States, automation is by no means the only factor displace people from existing jobs. The increasing number of unneeded workers in recent years has been the result of much more simple and old-fashioned influences:

farm laborers have been (5)       _________out of work by bigger tractors, miners by the cheapness of oil, and railway-men by better roads. It is quite wrong, therefore, to think of automation as some new monster whose arrival threatens the existence of employment in the same way that the arrival of myxomatosis threatened the existence of the rabbit. Automation is one aspect of technological changes (changes in tastes, changes in social patterns, changes in organization) which (6)________in certain jobs disappearing and certain skills ceasing to be required. And even in America, which has a level of technology and output per (7)______much in advance of Britain’s, there is no evidence that the pace of change is actually speeding up. Nevertheless changes in the amount of labor needed to produce a certain output are proceeding fairly rapidly in America - and in (8)_______countries - and may proceed more rapidly in future. Indeed it is one of the main objects of economic policy.

Điền vào số 6

A. result

B. reside

C. end

D. prospect

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

        Quite apart from the economic similarity between present-day automation and the mechanization, (4)_______has been proceeding for centuries, it must also be stressed that even in the United States, automation is by no means the only factor displace people from existing jobs. The increasing number of unneeded workers in recent years has been the result of much more simple and old-fashioned influences:

farm laborers have been (5)                          _________out of work by bigger tractors, miners by the cheapness of oil, and railway-men by better roads. It is quite wrong, therefore, to think of automation as some new monster whose arrival threatens the existence of employment in the same way that the arrival of myxomatosis threatened the existence of the rabbit. Automation is one aspect of technological changes (changes in tastes, changes in social patterns, changes in organization) which (6)________in certain jobs disappearing and certain skills ceasing to be required. And even in America, which has a level of technology and output per (7)______much in advance of Britain’s, there is no evidence that the pace of change is actually speeding up. Nevertheless changes in the amount of labor needed to produce a certain output are proceeding fairly rapidly in America - and in (8)_______countries - and may proceed more rapidly in future. Indeed it is one of the main objects of economic policy.

Điền vào ô 4.

A. that

B. who

C. which

D. when