Urban Planning in Singapore Reading Answers

Dec 16, 2022

Urban Planning in Singapore Reading Answers contains a write up that explains about the importance and establishment of urban centers in Singapore. Urban Planning in Singapore Reading Answers comprises 13 different types of questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. Urban Planning in Singapore Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Matching heading, sentence completion, and Choose the correct option. For Matching heading in IELTS Reading passage, candidates need to thoroughly go through each passage. For sentence completion, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords and understand the concept. To choose the correct option, candidates must read the IELTS Reading passage and understand the statement provided. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage and Answer the Following Questions

Urban Planning in Singapore Reading Answers

British merchants established a trading post in Singapore in the early nineteenth century, and for more than a century trading interests dominated. However, in 1965 the newly independent island state was cut off from its hinterland, and so it set about pursuing a survival strategy. The good international communications it already enjoyed provided a useful base, but it was decided that if Singapore was to secure its economic future, it must develop its industry. To this end, new institutional structures were needed to facilitate, develop, and control foreign investment. One of the most important of these was the Economic Development Board (EDB), an arm of government that developed strategies for attracting investment. Thus from the outset, the Singaporean government was involved in city promotion.
Towards the end of the twentieth century, the government realised that, due to limits on both the size of the country’s workforce and its land area, its labour-intensive industries were becoming increasingly uncompetitive. So an economic committee was established which concluded that Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre, and seek to attract company headquarters to serve South East Asia, and develop tourism, banking, and offshore activities. The land required for this service-sector orientation had been acquired in the early 1970s when the government realised that it lacked the banking infrastructure for a modern economy. So a new banking and corporate district, known as the ‘Golden Shoe’, was planned, incorporating the historic commercial area. This district now houses all the major companies and various government financial agencies.
Singapore’s current economic strategy is closely linked to land use and development planning. Although it is already a major city, the current development plan seeks to ensure Singapore’s continued economic growth through restructuring, to ensure that the facilities needed by future business are planned now. These include transport and telecommunication infrastructure, land, and environmental quality. A major concern is to avoid congestion in the central area, and so the latest plan deviates from previous plans by having a strong decentralisation policy. The plan makes provision for four major regional centres, each serving 800,000 people, but this does not mean that the existing central business district will not also grow. A major extension planned around Marina Bay draws on examples of other ‘world cities’, especially those with waterside central areas such as Sydney and San Francisco. The project involves major land reclamation of 667 hectares in total. Part of this has already been developed as a conference and exhibition zone, and the rest will be used for other facilities. However the need for vitality has been recognised and a mixed zoning approach has been adopted, to include housing and entertainment.
One of the new features of the current plan is a broader conception of what contributes to economic success. It encompasses high-quality residential provision, a good environment, leisure facilities and exciting city life. Thus there is more provision for low-density housing, often in waterfront communities linked to beaches and recreational facilities. However, the lower housing densities will put considerable pressure on the very limited land available for development, and this creates problems for another of the plan’s aims, which is to stress environmental quality. More and more of the remaining open area will be developed, and the only natural landscape surviving will be a small zone in the centre of the island which serves as a water catchment area. Environmental policy is therefore very much concerned with making the built environment more green by introducing more plants – what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore. The plan focuses on green zones defining the boundaries of settlements, and running along transport corridors. The incidental green provision within housing areas is also given considerable attention.
Much of the environmental provision, for example, golf courses, recreation areas, and beaches, is linked to the prime objective of attracting business. The plan places much emphasis on good leisure provision and the need to exploit Singapore’s island setting. One way of doing this is through further land reclamation, to create a whole new island devoted to leisure and luxury housing which will stretch from the central area to the airport. A current concern also appears to be how to use the planning system to create opportunities for greater spontaneity: planners have recently given much attention to the concept of the 24-hour city and the cafe society. For example, a promotion has taken place along the Singapore river to create a cafe zone. This has included the realisation, rather late in the day, of the value of retaining older buildings, and the creation of a continuous riverside promenade. Since the relaxation in 1996 of strict guidelines on outdoor eating areas, this has become an extremely popular area in the evenings. Also, in 1998 the Urban Redevelopment Authority created a new entertainment area in the centre of the city which they are promoting as ‘the city’s one-stop, dynamic entertainment scene’.
In conclusion, the economic development of Singapore has been very consciously centrally planned, and the latest strategy is very clearly oriented to establishing Singapore as a leading ‘world city’. It is well placed to succeed, for a variety of reasons. It can draw upon its historic roots as a world trading centre; it has invested heavily in telecommunications and air transport infrastructure; it is well located in relation to other Asian economies; it has developed a safe and clean environment; and it has utilised the international language of English.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Question (01-06)
Complete the summary below using words from the box.

Decentralisation	Fuel	Industry
Industry	Hospitals	Loans
Deregulation	Service	Trade
Transport	Entertainment	Recycling
Labour	Tourism	Hygiene
Beautification	Agriculture	-

Singapore

When Singapore became an independent, self-sufficient state it decided to build up it's (1) ……………, and government organisations were created to support this policy. However, this initial plan was met with limited success due to a shortage of (2) ……………….. and land. It was therefore decided to develop the (3) ……………….. sector of the economy instead.
Singapore is now a leading city, but planners are working to ensure that its economy continues to grow. In contrast to previous policies, there is an emphasis on (4) ……………….. . In addition, the land will be recovered to extend the financial district, and provide (5) ……………….. as well as housing. The government also plans to improve the quality of Singapore’s environment, but due to the shortage of natural landscapes, it will concentrate instead on what it calls (6) …………………

Question 1 :

Answer 1- Industry
Supporting Sentence- The good international communications it already enjoyed provided a useful base, but it was decided that if Singapore was to secure its economic future, it must develop its industry.
Keywords- economic future, Singapore, secure
Keywords location- Paragraph A, line 3.
Explanation- Although Singapore was said to have excellent worldwide communications, it was determined that it needed to grow its industry in order to secure its economic future. As a result, Industry is the appropriate response.

Question 2:

Answer 2- Labour
Supporting Sentence- Towards the end of the twentieth century, the government realised that, due to limits on both the size of the country’s workforce and its land area, its labour-intensive industries were becoming increasingly uncompetitive.
Keywords- limits, workforce, land area, industries
Keywords location- Paragraph B, Line 1
Explanation- The government became aware that its labor-intensive industries were becoming less competitive near the end of the 20th century as a result of the country's limits on both the quantity of its personnel and its land area. Therefore, Labour is the solution.

Question 3:

Answer 3- Service
Supporting Sentence- So an economic committee was established which concluded that Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre, and seek to attract company headquarters to serve South-East Asia, and develop tourism, banking, and offshore activities
Keywords- economic committee, service centre, company headquarters
Keywords location- Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation- A committee on economics was established to make recommendations, and one of them was that Singapore should concentrate on growing as a service hub, luring company headquarters to serve Southeast Asia, and expanding banking, tourism and offshore operations. We might then conclude that service is the correct response.

Question 4:

Answer 4- Decentralisation
Supporting Sentence- A major concern is to avoid congestion in the central area, and so the latest plan deviates from previous plans by having a strong decentralisation policy.
Keywords- concern, latest plan, policy, avoid congestion
Keywords location- Paragraph C, line 4
Explanation- The economic plan of Singapore is covered in paragraph C, line 4 of which states that the main concern is preventing congestion in the core region; as a result, the most recent plan varies from the old plan by having a strong decentralization policy. We might therefore conclude that decentralization is the solution.

Question 5:

Answer 5- Entertainment
Supporting Sentence- The need for vitality has been recognised and a mixed zoning approach has been adopted, including housing and entertainment.
Keywords- vitality, mixed zoning, housing
Keywords location- Paragraph C, last line.
Explanation- The last sentence of the text, which notes that a mixed zoning policy has been applied to accommodate housing and entertainment, has the answer. It says that the need for vitality has been recognized. We might thus conclude that amusement is the answer.

Question 6:

Answer 6- Beautification
Supporting Sentence- Environmental policy is therefore very much concerned with making the built environment more green by introducing more plants – what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore.
Keywords- Environmental policy, concerned, built environment
Keywords location- Paragraph D, line 6
Explanation- In line 6 of paragraph D, which describes how Singapore's "beautification" program involves enhancing the built environment's greenness by introducing more plants, we can find the answer to our question. We can therefore assume that beauty is the solution.

Question (07-13)

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage? 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)

After 1965, the Singaporean government switched the focus of the island’s economy.

Answer- True
Supporting Sentence- In 1965 the newly independent island state was cut off from its hinterland, and so it set about pursuing a survival strategy. The good international communications it already enjoyed provided a useful base, but it was decided that if Singapore was to secure its economic future, it must develop its industry.
Keywords-1965, independent island, survival strategy, international communication, economic future
Keywords location- Paragraph A, lines 2 and 3
Explanation- In 1965, the newly created island state lost access to its hinterland, prompting it to develop a survival plan. Singapore already had efficient international communications, but it was decided that it needed to grow its industry in order to secure its economic future. As a result, we can infer that the assertion is true.

The creation of Singapore’s financial centre was delayed while a suitable site was found.

Answer- False
Supporting Sentence- So a new banking and corporate district, known as the ‘Golden Shoe’, was planned, incorporating the historic commercial area. This district now houses all the major companies and various government financial agencies.
Keywords- Banking and corporate district, Golden Shoe, commercial area, major companies, financial agencies
Keywords location- Paragraph B, lines 5 and 6
Explanation- It is stated in paragraph B, lines 5 and 6, that a new corporate and financial district called the "Golden Shoe," covering the conventional business sector, was planned. Today, this district is home to all of the major enterprises and financial institutions of the country. As a result, we are aware that the supplied statement is untrue.

Singapore’s four regional centres will eventually be the same size as its central business district.

Answer- Not given
Explanation-No relevant information has been found related to the question in the paragraphs.

Planners have modelled new urban developments in other coastal cities.

Answer- True
Supporting Sentence- A major extension planned around Marina Bay draws on examples of other ‘world cities’, especially those with waterside central areas such as Sydney and San Francisco.
Keywords- extension planned, waterside central areas, Marina bay
Keywords location- Paragraph C, Line 6
Explanation- A significant expansion planned for Marina Bay, as mentioned in paragraph C, line 6, "draws on precedents of other "global cities," notably those with waterside center districts, including Sydney and San Francisco. Therefore, the stated conclusion is accurate.

Plants and trees are amongst the current priorities for Singapore’s city planners.

Answer- True
Supporting Sentence- Environmental policy is therefore very much concerned with making the built environment more green by introducing more plants – what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore.
Keywords- Environment, green, more plant, beautification
Keywords location- Paragraph D, line 6
Explanation- The staying open space will be urbanized, with the only remaining natural landscape being a small area in the island's center that acts as a water catchment region, as discussed in the last four lines of paragraph D. As a result, Singapore's "beautification" process, which involves adding more plants to the built environment, is the main focus of environmental policy. The concept relies on green zones that outline settlement boundaries and follow highways. We can conclude that the assertion is true as a result.

The government has enacted new laws to protect Singapore’s old buildings.

Answer- Not given
Explanation-No relevant information has been found related to the question in the paragraphs.

Singapore will find it difficult to compete with leading cities in other parts of the world.

Answer- False
Supporting Sentence- The economic development of Singapore has been very consciously centrally planned, and the latest strategy is very clearly oriented to establishing Singapore as a leading ‘world city.
Keywords- economic development, centrally planned, strategy, leading world city
Keywords location- Paragraph F, line 1.
Explanation-The highly cautious central management of Singapore's economic development is mentioned in the first sentence of paragraph F. The most recent policy is unmistakably focused on making Singapore a significant "global city." Therefore, the claimed statement is false.

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