European Transport Systems 1990-2010 Reading Answers

Jan 2, 2023

European Transport Systems 1990-2010 Reading Answers topic consists of 13 questions that need to be finished within 20 minutes. It is an IELTS reading answers topic. This topic has been taken from the book: “Cambridge IELTS 10 Student’s Book with Answers”. The topic: European Transport Systems 1990-2010 Reading Answers is the second part of the reading section. The candidates must go through the IELTS reading passage to get the keywords and to answer the question within the time limit. The IELTS Reading practice papers have many similar topics like this European Transport Systems 1990-2010 Reading Answers topic. These topics will help the candidates to polish up their reading skills.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

European Transport Systems 1990-2010 Reading Answers

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.
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.
The strong economic growth expected in countries which are candidates for entry to the EU will also increase transport flows, in particular, 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. And 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.
However, a new imperative-sustainable development – offers an opportunity for adapting 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 lies at the heart of its strategy. The ambitious objective can only be fully achieved by 2020, but proposed measures are nonetheless a first essential step towards a sustainable transport system which will ideally be in place in 30 years‟ time, that is by 2040.
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.
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 road. This has reached such a pitch that today rail freight services are facing marginalisation, with just 8% of market share, and with international goods trains struggling along at an average speed of 18km/h. Three possible options have emerged.
The first approach would consist of focusing on road transport solely 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 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.
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.
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.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 14-21:
The Reading Passage has nine paragraphs, A-I.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-E and G-I from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-xi, in boxes 14-21 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

A fresh and important long-term goal
Charging for roads and improving other transport methods
Changes affecting the distances goods may be transported
Taking all the steps necessary to change transport patterns
The environmental costs of road transport
The escalating cost of rail transport
The need to achieve transport rebalance
The rapid growth of private transport
Plans to develop major road networks
Restricting road use through charging policies alone
Transport trends in countries awaiting EU admission

Paragraph A

Answer: viii) The rapid growth of private transport
Supporting Sentence: 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
Keyword: demand for physical transportation, requirement for transportation, saw an increase,
Keyword Location: 1st paragraph, Last sentence.
Explanation: The author states that, although modern IT systems can have an adverse effect on the demand for physical transportation. The requirement for transport also continues to increase. Also, the number of cars in the European Union witnessed an increase of three million cars each year from 1990 to 2010. Hence, the heading “The rapid growth of private transport” justifies paragraph A.

Paragraph B

Answer: iii) Changes affecting the distances goods may be transported
Supporting Sentence: 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.
Keyword: Goods transport, growth, system of production
Keyword Location: 2nd paragraph, First sentence.
Explanation: In paragraph B, it is mentioned that the growth in good transport is primarily propagated by the change in the European economy and its system of production. The author also suggests that these changes are the main criteria behind the shifting of many production sites. The primary motto was to reduce the production cost even though the production sites are far away from the final market or assembly point. This means that it is clearly going to affect the transportation industry.

Paragraph C

Answer: xi) Transport trends in countries awaiting EU admission
Supporting Sentence: The strong economic growth expected in countries which are candidates for entry to the EU will also increase transport flows, in particular, road haulage traffic.
Keyword: Economic growth, entry to the EU, increase transport flows.
Keyword Location: 3rd paragraph, First sentence.
Explanation: The author indicates that strong economic growth is expected for the countries joining the European Union. It will also undergo a significant increase in the flow of road transportation. The paragraph contains certain statistical figures to show the increase in the road transportation along with a decrease in rail transport. Hence, “Transport trends in countries awaiting EU admission” seems to be an ideal heading for Paragraph C.

Paragraph D

Answer: i) A fresh and important long-term goal
Supporting Sentence: The ambitious objective can only be fully achieved by 2020, but proposed measures are nonetheless a first essential step towards a sustainable transport system which will ideally be in place in 30 years‟ time, that is by 2040.
Keyword: new imperative-sustainable development, common transport policy, sustainable transport system, 30 years’ time
Keyword Location: 4th paragraph, First sentence.
Explanation: The author states that a new imperative-sustainable development has been offered. Hence, we understand that a new goal has been established. Further, it has been highlighted that the objective requires time and a sustainable transport system will ideally be in place in 30 years’ time. Therefore, we can surely say that it is a long-term goal.

Paragraph E

Answer: v) The environmental costs of road transport
Supporting Sentence: Once again, road transport is the main culprit since it alone accounts for 84% of the CO2 emissions attributable to transport.
Keyword: greenhouse gas, road transport, main culprit, CO2 emissions
Keyword Location: 5th paragraph, 2nd and 3rd sentence.
Explanation: It is quite evident that there is a huge environmental cost of road transport. The author described some statistical facts in Paragraph E, which suggests that only road transportation accounts for 84% of the total CO2 emissions. It is also expected to increase by 50% by 2020 if no further measures are taken to account. Hence, “The environmental costs of road transport” is an ideal heading for Paragraph E.

Paragraph G

Answer: x) Restricting road use through charging policies alone
Supporting Sentence: The first approach would consist of focusing on road transport solely through pricing.
Keyword: road transport, pricing, increase in the price of transport
Keyword Location: 7th paragraph, 1st to 3rd sentence.
Explanation: The author explains that one of the primary measures to deal with the environmental issue is to charge road transportation solely. This policy may restrict the growth in road transport. As the cost of road transportation will increase through this measure, it will drive people to go into other forms of transport. This will reduce the effective rate of pollution.

Paragraph H

Answer: ii) Charging for roads and improving other transport methods
Supporting Sentence: 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).
Keyword: pricing, accompanied by measures, increase efficiency, the other modes.
Keyword Location: 8th paragraph, 1st to 3rd sentence.
Explanation: Paragraph H provides another measure to tackle the environmental problem. It suggests working on the improvement of other modes of transport along with the pricing policy on road transport. This solution expresses the view of promoting the other modes of transport and increasing operational efficiency accompanied by pricing measures.

Paragraph I

Answer: iv) Taking all the steps necessary to change transport patterns
Supporting Sentence: 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.
Keyword: pricing, revitalising alternative modes of transport, targeting investment, integrated approach.
Keyword Location: 9th paragraph, First sentence.
Explanation: In this paragraph, the author has explained the need for restructuring the entire mode of transportation and its network. It indicates that the first two approaches of pricing and revitalizing other modes are necessary. But it requires additional investment in the European transportation network. The author in this paragraph fundamentally asks for an integrated approach. Hence, “Taking all the steps necessary to change transport patterns” is the correct heading for the same.

Questions 22-26:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

The need for transport is growing, despite technological developments.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: Although modern information technologies can reduce the demand for physical transport by facilitating teleworking and teleservices, the requirement for transport continues to increase.
Keyword: reduce the demand, facilitating teleworking, requirement for transport, increase.
Keyword Location: 1st paragraph, 2nd sentence.
Explanation: The passage clearly depicts that modern technologies facilitate teleservices and teleworking. Consequently, it reduces the demand for modern information technologies. However, it has been analysed that the need for transport is still growing. Therefore, the statement agrees with the information stated in the passage. Hence, it is True.

To reduce production costs, some industries have been moved closer to their relevant consumers.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: 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.
Keyword: some industries, reduce production costs, kilometres away from, away from users.
Keyword Location: 2nd paragraph, 3rd sentence.
Explanation: The second paragraph has clearly stated that some industries are reducing their production costs by moving far away from their customers. Therefore, the statement here is representing an invalid fact about the industries' strategies for cost reduction. Hence the statement contradicts the information and thereby it is False.

Cars are prohibitively expensive in some EU candidate countries.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not depict anything about the expense of cars. There is nowhere mention of the high price of cars in some EU candidate countries. Thus it is impossible to say something about the expense of cars since there is no considerable information on this.

The Gothenburg European Council was set up 30 years ago.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not illustrate anything about the establishment period of Gothenburg European Council. Paragraph D depicts the time required to achieve the objective of the Gothenburg European Council. Thus it is impossible to say anything about the foundation time of the council since there is no considerable information on this.

By the end of this decade, CO2 emissions from transport are predicted to reach 739 billion tonnes.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: 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.
Keyword: CO2 emission, 739 billion tonnes, 1990.
Keyword Location: 5th paragraph, 2nd sentence.
Explanation: The author mentioned some statistical estimates in the passage to show the substantial growth of environmental pollution. It shows that, if no further actions are considered, the CO2 emissions from the transportation industry are expected to increase. It will be raised by 50% by 2020 compared with the 739 billion tonnes recorded in 1990. Hence, the statement is False.

Read more IELTS Reading Samples