Rural Transport Plan of “Practical Action" Reading Answers

Dec 2, 2022

Rural Transport Plan of “Practical Action" Reading Answers have 14 questions. These questions are divided into three types and needs to be answered in 20 minutes. Rural Transport Plan of “Practical Action" IELTS Reading Answers types of questions are yes/no/not given, no more than three words, and no more than two words. For no more than two words, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided and answer within a word limit of two. For no more than three words, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided and answer within a word limit of three or a number. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Rural Transport Plan of “Practical Action" Reading Answers

For more than 40 years, Practical Action has worked with poor communities to identify the types of transport that work best, taking into consideration culture, needs and skills. With our technical and practical support, isolated rural communities can design, build and maintain their own solutions.

Whilst the focus of National Development Plans in the transport sector lies heavily in the areas of extending road networks and bridges, there are still major gaps identified in addressing the needs of poorer communities. There is a need to develop and promote the sustainable use of alternative transport systems and intermediate means of transportation (IMTs) that complement the linkages of poor people with road networks and other socio-economic infrastructures to improve their livelihoods.

On the other hand, the development of all weathered roads (only 30 percent of the rural population have access to this so far) and motorable bridges are very costly for a country with a small and stagnant economy. In addition, these interventions are not always favourable in all geographical contexts environmentally, socially and economically. More than 60 percent of the network is concentrated in the lowland areas of the country. Although there are a number of alternative ways by which transportation and mobility needs of rural communities in the hills can be addressed, a lack of clear government focus and policies, lack of fiscal and economic incentives, lack of adequate technical knowledge and manufacturing capacities have led to under-development of this alternative transport sub-sector including the provision of IMTs.

One of the major causes of poverty is isolation. Improving the access and mobility of the isolated poor paves the way for access to markets, services and opportunities. By improving transport poorer people are able to access markets where they can buy or sell goods for income, and make better use of essential services such as health and education. No proper roads or vehicles mean women and children are forced to spend many hours each day attending to their most basic needs, such as collecting water and firewood. This valuable time could be used to tend crops, care for the family, study or develop small business ideas to generate much-needed income.

Road building

Without roads, rural communities are extremely restricted. Collecting water and firewood, and going to local markets is a huge task, therefore it is understandable that the construction of roads is a major priority for many rural communities. Practical Action is helping to improve rural access/transport infrastructures through the construction and rehabilitation of short rural roads, small bridges, culverts and other transport-related functions. The aim is to use methods that encourage community-driven development. This means villagers can improve their own lives through better access to markets, health care, education and other economic and social opportunities, as well as bringing improved services and supplies to the now-accessible villages.

Driving forward new ideas

Practical Action and the communities we work with are constantly crafting and honing new ideas to help poor people. Cycle trailers have practical business use too, helping people carry their goods, such as vegetables and charcoal, to markets for sale. Not only that, but those on the poverty-line can earn a decent income by making, maintaining and operating bicycle taxis. With Practical Action’s know-how, Sri Lanka communities have been able to start a bus service and maintain the roads along which it travels. The impact has been remarkable. This service has put an end to rural people’s social isolation. Quick and affordable, it gives them a reliable way to travel to the nearest town; and now their children can get an education, making it far more likely they’ll find a path out of poverty. Practical Action is also an active member of many national and regional networks through which exchange of knowledge and advocating based on action research are carried out and one conspicuous example is the Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement.

Sky-scraping transport system

For people who live in remote, mountainous areas, getting food to market in order to earn enough money to survive is a serious issue. The hills are so steep that travelling down them is dangerous. A porter can help but they are expensive, and it would still take hours or even a day. The journey can take so long that their goods start to perish and become worthless and less. Practical Action has developed an ingenious solution called an aerial ropeway. It can either operate by gravitation force or with the use of external power. The ropeway consists of two trolleys rolling over support tracks connected to a control cable in the middle which moves in a traditional flywheel system. The trolley at the top is loaded with goods and can take up to 120kg. This is pulled down to the station at the bottom, either by the force of gravity or by an external power. The other trolley at the bottom is, therefore, pulled upwards automatically. The external power can be produced by a micro-hydro system if access to an electricity grid is not an option.

Bringing people on board

Practical Action developed a two-wheeled iron trailer that can be attached (via a hitch behind the seat) to a bicycle and be used to carry heavy loads (up to around 200 kgs) of food, water or even passengers. People can now carry three times as much as before and still pedal the bicycle. The cycle trailers are used for transporting goods by local producers, as ambulances, as mobile shops, and even as mobile libraries. They are made in small village workshops from iron tubing, which is cut, bent, welded and drilled to make the frame and wheels. Modifications are also carried out to the trailers in these workshops at the request of the buyers. The two-wheeled ‘ambulance’ is made from moulded metal, with standard rubber-tyred wheels. The “bed” section can be padded with cushions to make the patient comfortable, while the “seat” section allows a family member to attend to the patient during transit. A dedicated bicycle is needed to pull the ambulance trailer, so that other community members do not need to go without the bicycles they depend on in their daily lives. A joining mechanism allows for easy removal and attachment. In response to user comments, a cover has been designed that can be added to give protection to the patient and attendant in poor weather. Made of treated cotton, the cover is durable and waterproof.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-4:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement is true
NO if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage

Question 1: A slow-developing economy often cannot afford some road networks, especially for those used regardless of weather conditions.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Sentence: On the other hand, the development of all weathered roads (only 30 percent of the rural population have access to this so far) and motorable bridges are very costly for a country with a small and stagnant economy.
Keyword: Weathered roads, small and stagnant economy, costly
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, lines 1-3
Explanation: In paragraph 2, the lines 3-4 states that these interventions are not always favourable in all geographical contexts. This means that the geographical conditions are not favourable. It illustrates that rural areas make the construction of weathered roads economically impractical. Hence the statement is True.

Question 2: Rural communities’ officials know how to improve alternative transport technically.

Answer: No
Supporting Sentence: Although there are several alternative ways by which transportation and mobility needs of rural communities in the hills can be addressed, a lack of clear government focus and policies, lack of fiscal and economic incentives, lack of adequate technical knowledge and manufacturing capacities have led to under-development of this alternative transport sub-sector including the provision of IMTs.
Keyword: lack, adequate, technical knowledge
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, lines 7-8
Explanation: The author in the second paragraph mentions that there various reasons why alternative ways to solve transportation/mobility issues in rural areas cannot be solved. One of the reasons is lack of adequate technical knowledge. hence, the rural community officials does not know how to improve transport technically. This makes No as the correct answer.

Question 3: The primary aim for Practical Action to improve rural transport infrastructures is meant to increase the trade among villages.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No such explanation is present within the given reading passage

Question 4: Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement provided service that Practical Action highly involved in.

Answer: Yes
Supporting Sentence: Practical Action is also an active member of many national and regional networks through which exchange of knowledge and advocating based on action research are carried out and one conspicuous example is the Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement.
Keyword: active member, regional networks
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, line 9
Explanation: The statemet is true and matches with what the author wanted to convey. The passage explains the work done by Practical Action to remove the isolation faced by rural communities quickly and affordably. Lines 9-11 of paragraph 5 mention that Practical Action is an active member of various networks based on the exchange of knowledge and research. Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement is an example of one such network.

Questions 5 – 8:
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Question 5: What is the first duty for many rural communities to reach unrestricted development?

Answer: Construction of Roads
Supporting Sentence: Without roads, rural communities are extremely restricted.
Keyword: roads, restricted, priority
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Lines 1-3
Explanation: As per the passage, the construction of roads should be priority. Rural communites perform tasks like collecting water and firewood and going to local markets make the construction of roads a priority for many rural areas. Hence, constructions of roads is the correct answer.

Question 6: What was one of the new ideas to help poor people carry their goods, such as vegetables and charcoal, to markets for sale?

Answer: Cycle Trailers
Supporting Sentence: Cycle trailers have practical business use too, helping people carry their goods, such as vegetables and charcoal, to markets for sale.
Keyword: new ideas, cycle trailers, goods,
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 1-3
Explanation: The author clearly state that cycle trailers were a new idea that helped poor people with their practical purposes. It helps with business purpoises such as carry goods, vegetable to market. hence, cycle trailers is the correct answer.

Question 7: What service has put an end to rural people’s social isolation in Sri Lanka?

Answer: A Bus Service
Supporting Sentence: The impact has been remarkable. This service has put an end to rural people’s social isolation.
Keyword: bus service, social isolation
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 4-7
Explanation: The paragraph states that the bus service has ended the social isolation of rural communities. This is by providing a quick, affordable and reliable way of travelling to the nearest town. hence, a bus service is the correct answer.

Question 8: What solution had been applied for people who live in remote mountainous areas getting food to market?

Answer: Aerial Ropeway
Supporting Sentence: For people who live in remote, mountainous areas, getting food to market in order to earn enough money to survive is a serious issue….. has developed an ingenious solution called an aerial ropeway.
Keyword: mountainous areas, solution, aerial ropeway
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 1, 5
Explanation: The author in the Paragraph 6 explains how aerial ropeway has been implemented for people living in mountainous areas. This is used to get food to the market to earn money and how it works. Hence, Aerial Ropeway id the correct answer.

Questions 9 – 13:
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage.
Using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.

Besides normal transport task, changes are also implemented to the trailers in these workshops at the request of the buyers when it was used on a medical emergency or a moveable 9………………………; ‘Ambulance’ is made from metal, with rubber wheels and drive-by another bicycle. When put with 10……………………… in the two wheeled ‘ambulance’, the patient can stay comfortable and which another 11………………………. can sit on caring for the patient in transport journey. In order to dismantle or attach other equipment, and assembling 12………………………… is designed. Later, as users suggest, 13……………………….. has also been added to give protection to the patient.

Question 9:

Answer: Shop
Supporting Sentence: The cycle trailers are used for transporting goods by local producers, as ambulances, as mobile shops, and even as mobile libraries.
Keyword: trailers, mobile shops, buyers
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 3-5
Explanation: The author in the paragraph 7 clearly state that modifications of cycle trailers when used as mobile or moveable shops are made according to the request of buyers. Hence, workshop or shop should be the correct answer.

Question 10:

Answer: Cushions
Supporting Sentence: The “bed” section can be padded with cushions to make the patient comfortable….
Keyword: two-wheeled ambulance, cushions, patient, comfortable
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 7-9
Explanation: Lines 7-8 in paragraph 7 mention the use of cushions for the comfort of the patient.

Question 11:

Answer: Family Member
Supporting Sentence: The “bed” section can be padded with cushions to make the patient comfortable, while the “seat” section allows a family member to attend to the patient during transit.
Keyword: family member, patient
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 9-10
Explanation: The author specifies that a family member can use the cushion while caring for the patient. This can be done to make the bed section comfortable. A family member can attend the patient during transit. Hence, family member is the correct answer.

Question 12:

Answer: Mechanism
Supporting Sentence: A joining mechanism allows for easy removal and attachment.
Keyword: attachment, mechanism
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 11-12
Explanation: As per the third last line of the entire passage, removal and attachment is achieved by a joining mechanism. The joining attachment allows easy removal and attachment. Hence, mechanism is the correct answer.

Question 13:

Answer: A Cover
Supporting Sentence: In response to user comments, a cover has been designed that can be added to give protection to the patient and attendant in poor weather.
Keyword: protection, patient
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 12-14
Explanation: The author states that a cover has been designed that can be added to provide protection to the patient and their attendent in poor weather. Hence, a cover is the correct answer as per the question.

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