Sustainable Growth At Didcot Reading Answers
Sustainable Growth At Didcot Reading Answers 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. E-training Reading Answers comprises three types of questions, namely- no more than three words, matching the paragraph, and matching the statements. 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 matching the paragraph, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords, understand the concept and choose the appropriate answer. For matching the statements, candidates need to read the paragraph and understand the statements mentioned. Further they are to choose from the given statements. 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
Sustainable Growth At Didcot Reading Answers
- The UK Government’s South East Plan proposes additional housing growth in the town of Didcot, which has been a designated growth area since 1979. We in South Oxfordshire District Council consider that, although Didcot does have potential for further growth, such development should be sustainable, well-planned, and supported by adequate infrastructure and community services.
- Recent experience in Didcot has demonstrated that large greenfield [1] developments cannot resource all the necessary infrastructure and low-cost housing requirements. The ensuing compromises create a legacy of local transport, infrastructure and community services deficits, with no obvious means of correction. We wish to ensure that there is greater recognition of the cost attached to housing growth, and that a means is found to resource the establishment of sustainable communities in growth areas.
- Until the 1950s, the development of job opportunities in the railway industry, and in a large, military ordnance depot, was the spur to Didcot’s expansion. Development at that time was geared to providing homes for the railway and depot workers, with limited investment in shopping and other services for the local population. Didcot failed to develop Broadway as a compact town centre, and achieved only a strip of shops along one side of the main street hemmed in by low density housing and service trade uses.
- From the 1970s, strategic planning policies directed significant new housing development to Didcot. Planners recognised Didcot’s potential, with rapid growth in local job opportunities and good rail connections for those choosing to work farther afield. However, the town is bisected by the east-west railway, and people living in Ladygrove, the urban extension to the north which has been built since the 1980s, felt, and still feel, cut off from the town and its community.
- Population growth in the new housing areas failed to spark adequate private-sector investment in town centre uses, and the limited investment which did take place - Didcot Market Place development in 1982, for instance - did not succeed in delivering the number and range of town centre uses needed by the growing population. In 1990, public-sector finance was used to buy the land required for the Orchard Centre development, comprising a superstore, parking and a new street of stores running parallel to Broadway. The development took 13 years to complete.
- The idea that, by obliging developers of new housing to contribute to the cost of infrastructure and service requirements, all the necessary finance could be raised, has proved unachievable. Substantial public finance was still needed to deliver major projects such as the new link road to the A34 on the outskirts of the town at Milton, the improved railway crossing at Marsh Bridge and new schools. Such projects were delayed due to difficulties in securing public finance. The same problem also held back expansion of health and social services in the town.
- In recent years, government policy, in particular the requirement for developers that forty percent of the units in a new housing development should be low cost homes, has had a major impact on the economics of such development, as it has limited the developers’ contribution to the costs of infrastructure. The planning authorities are facing difficult choices in prioritising the items of infrastructure which must be funded by development, and this, in turn, means that from now on public finance will need to provide a greater proportion of infrastructure project costs.
- The Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan seeks a holistic approach to new urban development in which housing, employment, services and infrastructure of all kinds are carefully planned and delivered in a way which avoids the infrastructure deficits that have occurred in places like Didcot in the past. This report, therefore, is structured around the individual components of a sustainable community, and shows the baseline position for each component.
- Didcot has been identified as one of the towns with which the Government is working to evaluate whether additional growth will strengthen the economic potential of the town, deliver the necessary infrastructure and improve environmental standards. A programme of work, including discussions with the local community about their aspirations for the town as well as other stakeholders, will be undertaken over the coming months, and will lead to the development of a strategic master plan. The challenge will be in optimising scarce resources to achieve maximum benefits for the town.
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Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-6:
Reading Passage 2 has 9 paragraphs, A-l.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-l
(Guide: Candidates need to match the correct paragraph with the questions from 1 to 6 )
- Reference to the way the council’s report is organized
Answer: Section H
Supporting Sentence: This report, therefore, is structured around the individual components of a sustainable community, and shows the baseline position for each component.
Keyword: report, structured
Keyword Location: Section H, 4th line
Explanation: This paragraph states how the Government of Sustainable Communities Plan is looking for a clear approach wherein the urban development plan is clearly executed so as to avoid the infrastructure disasters that took place in a town like Didcot previously. Hence the need of the hour was a carefully structured report, pointing out the individual components for a better sustainable living.
- the reason why inhabitants in one part of Didcot are isolated
Answer: Section D
Supporting Sentence: people living in Ladygrove, the urban extension to the north which has been built since the 1980s, felt, and still feel, cut off from the town and its community.
Keyword: Cut off
Keyword Location: Section D, 4th Line
Explanation: Though the town was connected well by rail lines, it was still separated by the east-west railway causing the people of Ladygrove isolated from the town and their society.
- a statement concerning future sources of investment
Answer: Section G
Supporting Sentence: From now on public finance will need to provide a greater proportion of infrastructure project costs
Keyword: From now on,
Keyword Location: Section G, 5th line
Explanation: This statement states that the planning committee are forced to make difficult choices in terms of prioritizing the infrastructure which need to be funded by development and that means they would need more from public finance probably in terms of taxes or individual contribution to help cover the costs.
- the identification of two major employers at Didcot
Answer: Section C
Supporting Sentence: The development of job opportunities in the railway industry, and in a large, military ordnance depot, was the spur to Didcot’s expansion.|
Keyword: job opportunities
Keyword Location: Section C, first line
Explanation: With the expansion of the railways in Didcot, it gave way for job opportunities in the rail lines and also the military ordnance depot.
- reference to groups who will be consulted about a new development plan
Answer: Section I
Supporting Sentence: discussions with the local community about their aspirations for the town as well as other stakeholders, will be undertaken over the coming months,
Keyword: local community, stakeholders
Keyword Location: Section I, 4th line}
Explanation: The town intends to conduct discussions with the society as well as the stakeholders about their preferences and aspirations for the town which will be handled in the upcoming months and would eventually lead to the finalization of a strategic plan.
- an account of how additional town centre facilities were previously funded
Answer: Section E
Supporting Sentence: In 1990, public-sector finance was used to buy the land required for the
Keyword: public sector finance
Keyword Location: Section E, 4th line
Explanation: Previously in the 1990s, using public sector finance, the town was able to purchase the land that was required for the Orchard Centre development which included a superstore, a car parking lot, and entirely new street consisting of stores that were running parallel to Broadway.
Section 7-10:
Look at the following places and the list of statements below.
Match each place with the correct statement, A-F. Write the correct letter, A-F
List of statements
- It provided extra facilities for shopping and cars.
- Its location took a long time to agree.
- Its layout was unsuitable.
- Its construction was held up due to funding problems.
- It was privately funded.
- It failed to get Council approval at first.
(Guide: Candidates need to match the statements A to F with the questions 7 to 10 )
- Broadway
Answer: C—Its layout was unsuitable
Supporting Sentence: Didcot failed to develop Broadway as a compact town centre, and achieved only a strip of shops along one side of the main street hemmed in by low density housing and service trade uses.
Keyword: failed, only a strip of shops
Keyword Location: Section C, 4th line}
Explanation: The Didcot town couldn’t manage to develop Broadway as intended - a compact town center, they could only manage a small strip of shops on one side of the main street. This was mainly because the layout was not constructed well and was unsuitable.
- Market place
Answer: E- It was privately funded
Supporting Sentence: Population growth in the new housing areas failed to spark adequate private-sector investment in town centre uses, and the limited investment which did take place - Didcot Market Place development.Keyword: private sector investment
Keyword Location: Section E, first line
Explanation: There was a growth in population in the new areas that housed the society but it failed to bring in private sector investment for town purposes and whatever limited investment that did take place, failed to deliver the number and range of town houses needed by the growing population
- Orchard Centre
Answer: A- It provided extra facilities for shopping and cars
Supporting Sentence: Orchard Centre development, comprising a superstore, parking and a new street of stores running parallel to Broadway
Keyword: Orchard Centre
Keyword Location: Section E, 4th line
Explanation: Orchard Centre had a superstore and provided parking along with a street filled with stores that was parallel to Broadway. Thus, providing all the extra facilities. Therefore, option ‘A - It Provided extra facilities for shopping and cars’ is referred to the Orchard Centre.
- March Bridge
Answer: D- Its construction was held up due to funding problems
Supporting Sentence: the improved railway crossing at Marsh Bridge and new schools. Such projects were delayed due to difficulties in securing public finance
Keyword: delayed, difficulties
Keyword Location: Section F, 4th line
Explanation: It meant that some projects had to be delayed due to issues in getting the required funds. This proves that the selected answer ‘D - Its construction was held up due to funding problems’ is right.
Questions 11-13:
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
(Guide: Candidates need to select not more than three words from the passage as answers)
11: A certain proportion of houses in any new development now have to be of the_____ type
Answer: low cost
Supporting Sentence: low-cost homes, has had a major impact on the economics of such development, as it has limited the developers’ contribution to the costs of infrastructure
Keyword: low-cost homes
Keyword Location: Section G, second line
Explanation: As the paragraph suggested, economical homes had a major impact on the growth of the town. This is because it limited the developer’s contribution to the costs of the infrastructure. Therefore, the selected answer is right.
12: The government is keen to ensure that adequate_____will be provided for future housing developments.
Answer: Infrastructure
Supporting Sentence: infrastructure of all kinds are carefully planned
Keyword: infrastructure
Keyword Location: Section H, second line
Explanation: The government ensures to get the infrastructure on point with careful planning and avoid past mistakes
13: The views of Didcot’s inhabitants and others will form the basis of a________ for the town
Answer: strategic master plan
Supporting Sentence: From the 1970s, strategic planning policies directed significant new housing development to Didcot.
Keyword: strategic master plan
Keyword Location: Section I, 5th line
Explanation: The opinions of Didcot's society are to be taken into consideration over the coming months which would lead to a sturdy strategic plan.
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