Traffic Jams- No End in Sight IELTS Reading

Dec 1, 2022

Traffic Jams- No End in Sight IELTS Reading consists of an IELTS Reading Passage and 5 questions to be completed in 20 minutes. Traffic Jams- No End in Sight IELTS Reading includes three types of questions including- complete the summary and choose the correct letter. For answering the questions of completing the summary, skim the passage and find the relevance of the statements to answer. To choose the correct answers or letters, candidates should read the IELTS passage properly. Reading the passage thoroughly would help candidates to understand the statement provided and answer it with the choice of options.

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Reading Passage Questions

A - A global problem

There are no easy answers to the problems of traffic congestion. Traffic congestion affects people throughout the world. Traffic jams cause smog in dozens of cities across both the developed and developing world.

In the U.S., commuters spend an average of a full work week each year sitting in traffic, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. While alternative ways of getting around are available, most people still choose their cars because they are looking for convenience, comfort and privacy.

B - Paying to get in

The most promising technique for reducing city traffic is called congestion pricing, whereby cities charge a toll to enter certain parts of town at certain times of day. In theory, if the toll is high enough, some drivers will cancel their trips or go by bus or train. And in practice it seems to work: Singapore, London and Stockholm have reduced traffic and pollution in city centres thanks to congestion pricing.

C - Changing working practices

Another way to reduce rush hour traffic is for employers to implement flextime, which lets employees travel to and from work at off-peak traffic times to avoid the rush hour.

Those who have to travel during busy times can do their part by sharing cars. Employers can also allow more staff to telecommute (work from home) so as to keep more cars off the road altogether.

D - A solution which is no solution

Some urban planners still believe that the best way to ease traffic congestion is to build more roads, especially roads that can take drivers around or over crowded city streets. But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only accommodate more of them.

E - Not doing enough

Other, more forward-thinking, planners know that more and more drivers and cars are taking to the roads every day, and they are unwilling to encourage more private automobiles when public transport is so much better both for people and the environment.

For this reason, the American government has decided to spend some $7 billion on helping to increase capacity on public transport systems and upgrade them with more efficient technologies. But environmentalists complain that such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges.

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-5:
Read the paragraphs one by one to choose the correct headings.

Paragraph A
Paragraph B
Paragraph C
Paragraph D
Paragraph E

List of Headings i A solution which is no solution ii Changing working practices iii Closing city centres to traffic iv Making cars more environmentally friendly v Not doing enough vi Paying to get in

Question 1: Para A

Answer: vii
Supporting sentence: traffic congestion affects people all over the world
Keyword: All over the world
Keyword location: Para A line 2
Explanation: According to the text, traffic congestion is a worldwide issue that has an impact on everyone. Therefore, heading vii is the most appropriate heading to express the meaning or substance of the piece.

Question 2: Para B

Answer: vi
Supporting sentence: Congestion pricing means cities charge a toll to enter certain parts of town at certain times of day.
Keyword: charge, enter, congestion pricing
Keyword location: Para B line 1.
Explanation:The supporting statement in paragraph B's initial line or sentence makes it very obvious that entry into some areas of the town requires money. Heading vi, "Paying to get in," is an appropriate heading that captures the purpose or spirit of the section.

Question 3: Para C

Answer: ii
Supporting sentence: Another way to reduce rush hour traffic is for employers to implement flextime.
Keyword: flex time
Keyword location: Para C line 1.
Explanation: The term "flex time" is used here to refer to changing work practices, which is specifically mentioned in option ii. The meaning of changing one's work practises to reduce traffic rush hour is conveyed throughout the entire paragraph.

Question no 4: Para D

Answer: i
Supporting sentence: Building more roads, especially roads that can take drivers around or over crowded city streets. But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only accommodate more of them.
Keyword: Building more roads, do not really keep cars off the road, accommodate
Keyword location: Paragraph D line1 and 2.
Explanation: The heading aptly captures the meaning or essence of the preceding paragraph, which states clearly that adding more roads is not a solution.

Question no 5: Para E

Answer: v
Supporting sentence: But environmentalists complain that such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges.
Keyword: complain, funding is tiny
Keyword location: Paragraph E line 3
Explanation: The government is not doing enough, as is made abundantly obvious in the third line or sentence of paragraph E. By examining the sentence that supports it and provides support for it, it may be located. Thus, heading v is the most appropriate heading since it captures the entire meaning of the paragraph.

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