Boom in Smartphones Reading Answers

Jul 23, 2024

Boom in Smartphones Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Boom in smartphones Reading Answers have a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose the correct choice from the given options. In the next section, you have to fill in the blanks with appropriate answers..

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Boom in smartphones Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Boom in Smartphones

A. The boom in smartphones and associated development in apps has seen an added boost for the bike sharing business. Bike sharing itself as a usable concept has been around since the mid-60s in Europe, but the relatively recent information technology explosion from the middle of the 2000s has made it a genuinely viable format that is more practical nowadays across the board

B. The practicality of these bikes now provides the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle for many commuters, being cited as the way to solve 'the last mile' problem when connecting people from the public transport network to both home and the workplace. In addition, these programs appeal to tourists as well as local citizens. As one of China's larger cities and a very popular tourist destination, Hangzhou was pro-active in creating what was at one time the largest bicycle sharing system in the world.

C. Community bike programs and smart bike programs alike can be seen, with the former being organised by locally community groups and/or non-profit groups, and the latter being implemented by government agencies often in partnership with private enterprises. The fundamental aim of these systems is to provide affordable access to bicycles for short-distance trips in cities and towns as an alternative option to vehicle public transport or private cars, thus easing traffic jams and congestion, noise pollution and nasty emissions.

D. Theft of one's own personal bike is a primary concern for most users who have switched over from riding their own bike to the shared bikes on offer. In addition, vandalism and damage, concerns regarding upkeep, safe storage and safe parking are contributing worrying factors for the common cyclist. Other driving factors are of course primarily economic, time-saving, health / fitness, and the ever looming environmental reasons.

E. Government funding, charitable sources and advertising are the three commonly used methods to support community bike sharing projects as they are mostly unable to fund and support themselves using the available revenues of membership subscription and other user. There are various ways to implement these schemes based on one or more options. These include being unregulated whereby bikes are released into a given area for use by anyone. That given area could be a city or more typically an enclosed organisation such as a large company site or a university campus. The massive disadvantage here is that the bikes are often simply not available and the loss rate of the bicycles is very high owing to a lack of locks, security and user identification. A deposit-based system releases the bikes from a designated terminal and that deposit can only be retrieved by returning the bike to another official terminal. Again loss of bikes is a serious issue as the deposit to cost of bike ration is unbalanced and so does not deter bike theft.

F. The membership structured approach has shown to be more effective, and the key within the system here is the member must register their authorised identity and a valid credit card to be allowed to have access to the bikes. If the bike is not returned within the subscription period, or returned with significant damage, the bike sharing operator withdraws money from the user's credit card account. A system has been developed whereby a member need not return the bike to a kiosk; rather, the next user can find it by GPS.

G. Bike-sharing systems have undergone a plethora of changes which can be categorised into three key phases, or generations. These include the first generation, called white bikes (or free bikes); the second generation of coin-deposit systems; and the third generation or information technology (IT) based systems. The technological and operational improvements of recent years are also paving the way for a probable fourth generation, known as the demand-responsive, multimodal system. E-bikes are the proposed next benefactor of a potential fifth generation as both software and hardware technologies continue to advance.

H. The popularity of these schemes comes with a price. In March 2017, for example, Beijing saw well over 200,000 bikes entering service. The hikes are accessible via an ann and cost 1. RMB per hour plus a refundable damage deposit of a few hundred RMB. In April 2017, the government in Beijing is requesting a temporary ban on the introduction of new shared bikes as serious issues with 50 sheer volume of bikes on the streets, bikes in parking stations and bikes left scattered around the city is becoming an issue to resolve in itself.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 14-19
Reading Passage 2 has eight paragraphs, A-H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H.
NB You may use any letter more than once.

Sources of finance for schemes that do not directly charge users.

Answer: E
Supporting statement: “.......... support community bike sharing projects as they are mostly unable to fund and support themselves using the available revenues of membership subscription and other user........”
Keywords: finance, schemes
Keyword Location: para E, line 1
Explanation: This para discusses the different funding methods for community bike-sharing projects that do not generate sufficient revenue from user fees, highlighting government funding, charitable sources, and advertising as key sources.

An instance where unrestrained introduction of schemes led to serious problems.

Answer: H
Supporting statement: “.........new shared bikes as serious issues with the sheer volume of bikes on the streets, bikes in parking stations and bikes left scattered around the city is becoming an issue to resolve in itself.........”
Keywords: introduction, serious
Keyword Location: para H, line 3
Explanation: This para describes how the uncontrolled introduction of bike-sharing schemes in Beijing led to significant problems, necessitating a temporary ban on new bikes.

The provision of the long-awaited missing link in the typical commuting chain.

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “........many commuters, being cited as the way to solve 'the last mile' problem when connecting people from the public transport network to both home and the workplace...........”
Keywords: link, commuting
Keyword Location: para B, line 1
Explanation: This para explains how bike-sharing programs solve the "last mile" problem for commuters, providing the essential link between public transport and their final destinations.

The catalyst for this seemingly simple transport option to become more practical.

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “........the relatively recent information technology explosion from the middle of the 2000s has made it a genuinely viable format that is more practical nowadays across the board...........”
Keywords: catalyst, practical
Keyword Location: para A, line 3
Explanation: This para highlights how advancements in information technology since the mid-2000s have made bike-sharing a more practical and viable transport option.

The inadequacy of requiring riders to pay a small refundable fee before use.

Answer: E
Supporting statement: “........Again, loss of bikes is a serious issue as the deposit to cost of bike ratio is unbalanced and so does not deter bike theft..........”
Keywords: fee, inadequacy
Keyword Location: para E, line 7
Explanation: This para discusses the issue with deposit-based systems, where the refundable deposit is too low to effectively deter bike theft, highlighting the inadequacy of such a system.

The differences marking the development of the underlying technology.

Answer: G
Supporting statement: “.........Bike-sharing systems have undergone a plethora of changes which can be categorized into three key phases, or generations..........”
Keywords: development, technology
Keyword Location: para G, line 1
Explanation: This para tells the various technological phases of bike-sharing systems, from the first generation to the anticipated fourth and fifth generations, showcasing the evolution of the underlying technology.

Questions 20-23

Look at the following statements (Questions 20-23) and the list of different bike-sharing schemes below. Match each finding with the correct bike-sharing scheme, A-E.

Proved effective half a century ago without the use of modern technology.

Answer: E
Supporting statement: “.........Bike sharing itself as a usable concept has been around since the mid-60s in Europe..........”
Keywords: effective, half
Keyword Location: para A, line 2
Explanation: This statement references the early adoption of bike-sharing in Europe during the 1960s, demonstrating its effectiveness even without modern technology. Hence E is the correct answer.

Requires payment but still suffers from a high rate of bicycles being stolen.

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “........loss of bikes is a serious issue as the deposit to cost of bike ratio is unbalanced and so does not deter bike theft..........”
Keywords: payment, stolen
Keyword Location: para E, line 7
Explanation: This para explains that deposit-based systems require payment but still experience high theft rates, highlighting the inadequacy of the deposit as a deterrent. Hence A is the correct answer.

Became so popular that tight controls had to be established.

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “........In April 2017, the government in Beijing is requesting a temporary ban on the introduction of new shared bikes as serious issues with the sheer volume of bikes...........”
Keywords: popular, tight
Keyword Location: para H, line 3
Explanation: This statement describes how the overwhelming popularity of bike-sharing in Beijing led to the government imposing strict controls, including a temporary ban on new bikes. Hence B is the correct answer.

Are sometimes unregulated as long the riding area is restricted.

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “........These include being unregulated whereby bikes are released into a given area for use by anyone..........”
Keywords: unregulated, restricted
Keyword Location: para E, line 4
Explanation: This paragraph explains that some bike-sharing schemes are unregulated as long as they are confined to specific areas, such as a university campus or a company site.

TYPES OF BIKE-SHARING SCHEMES

Deposit reliant
Approved by Beijing municipality
Community based
Provided by the city of Hangzhou
European

Questions 24-26

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each.

THE TWO-WHEELED RIDE-SHARING REVOLUTION

Recent technological advances mean urban bike-sharing schemes, once limited and somewhat unrealistic, are now without a doubt 24…….. appealing for both

Answer: PRACTICAL / VIABLE
Supporting statement: “........the relatively recent information technology explosion from the middle of the 2000s has made it a genuinely viable format that is more practical nowadays across the board..........”
Keywords: advances, appealing
Keyword Location: para A, line 3
Explanation: Technological advancements have made bike-sharing schemes practical and viable, making them more appealing to both commuters and tourists. Hence practical is the correct answer.

commuters and tourists. Cyclists who opt for public bikes say goodbye to worries about 25………. , storage or unintended damage. Free and deposit-based systems

Answer: THEFT / VANDALISM
Supporting statement: “........Theft of one's own personal bike is a primary concern for most users who have switched over from riding their own bike to the shared bikes on offer..........”
Keywords: worries, public
Keyword Location: para D, line 1
Explanation: Users of public bike-sharing schemes no longer need to worry about theft, storage, or unintended damage to their personal bikes. Hence theft is the correct answer. Vandalism is also correct.

have given way to third-generation IT-based schemes, while demand responsive, multimodal systems are just over the horizon. Without controls, however, these schemes could be victims of their own success as large cities are only just beginning to grapple with the problems at that 26 ………….. brings.

Answer: POPULARITY
Supporting statement: “........The popularity of these schemes comes with a price..........”
Keywords: controls, success
Keyword Location: para H, line 1
Explanation: The popularity of bike-sharing schemes can lead to problems if not properly controlled, as evidenced by the issues faced in large cities like Beijing.
Hence popularity is the correct answer.

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