Multiple Choice. Identify the choice that best
completes the statement or answers the question.
1. The majority of the derelict buildings
were ____ to make room for rebuilding.
a. neglected
b. demolished
c. flourished
d. imposed
2. Since the development of the area,
residents’ sense of pride in the community has _____ dramatically.
a. poured
b. soared
c. imposed
d. initiated
3. The old commercial centre has been ____
for decades, and the local economy has slumped accordingly.
a. undergo
b. soared
c. decline
d. neglected
4. We are aware that residents have ____ a
certain amount of inconvenience recently.
a. initiated
b. imposed
c. undergone
d. demolished
5. Contrary to everyone's expectations,
new businesses in the area are ____.
a. pouring
b. initiating
c. flourishing
d. investing
6. An ambitious development plan for the
city has been ____ but there is some suggestion that it might be cancelled.
a. initiated
b. neglected
c. imposed
d. undergone
2. Read the text. Then choose the correct answer to complete
each sentence.
ALL CHANGE IN CURITIBA!
Like many other major world cities, Curitiba in
southern Brazil has had to deal with issues such as pollution, poverty, and
limited public funding. However, the architect and three-times mayor of the
city, Jaime Lerner, has introduced some innovative solutions.
As part of his ‘Master Plan’, Lerner hoped to make the
city more environmentally friendly. He initiated a recycling scheme based on an
‘incentives’ system. In return for delivering recyclable rubbish to specified
processing points, residents receive a bag of vegetables or bus tokens. As a
result, Curitiba now has one of the highest recycling rates in the world.
Lerner also ordered the creation of 26 urban parks. As well as curbing
pollution, these control flooding. They also make an unusual sight for tourists
– as a low-cost method to keep the lawns in trim, sheep are allowed to graze
there!
Easing traffic congestion presented a challenge as
resources were limited, but Lerner came up with the idea of a rapid transit bus
system, with extra long buses and special ‘pod’ shaped bus stops all over the
city. It runs as swiftly as an underground railway but for a tenth of the cost.
Commuters were delighted.
Lerner did not win over all the city’s residents
immediately, however. When his plans to pedestrianise part of the centre were
passed, local businesses were up in arms, fearing a reduction in profits.
Realising he needed to act quickly, Lerner had the transformation of six blocks
completed within three days. When a group of stubborn motorists attempted to
drive through the new pedestrian area, Lerner arranged for local primary
schools to hold a painting workshop on the streets. The drivers were forced to
turn back. Luckily for Lerner, this rebellion was short-lived. The ensuing
increase in turnover rapidly persuaded shop owners to change their minds.
What’s more, the incident also effectively demonstrated that Lerner was a mayor
who could get things done.
Lerner’s pragmatism and determination helped shape the
Curitiba of today. The average income per capita has risen from a level that
was below the Brazilian average in the 1970s to 66% above the average, and
surveys indicate high levels of resident satisfaction.
So, is it all just one big success story? In some
respects, Curitiba may have been too successful for its own good. People and
businesses have flocked to the city, which now has more than 1.8 million
residents. This has put the city under enormous strain. Forty years ago, buses
transported 54,000 passengers a day. Now the number is 2.3 million. According
to some experts, the transport system has reached its maximum efficiency
capacity. Following a surge in complaints about the noisy and packed buses, the
service is in decline. What’s more, the city is struggling to provide
sufficient housing, employment and school places for all its new residents.
How long Curitiba can retain its image as a model
sustainable city depends on what planners will do next – one thing’s for
certain, the city will keep on changing.
7. The text suggests that Jaime Lerner
_____ .
a. was the architect who designed the city of Curitiba
b. was elected as mayor of Curitiba several times
c. made Curitiba like many other major world cities
8. In order to make the city more
environmentally friendly, Lerner introduced a way of _____ .
a. encouraging people to recycle their rubbish
b. building pollution curbs to control flooding
c. attracting tourists without spending money
9. Lerner introduced a bus system which
_____ .
a. costs commuters much less than the underground
b. has extra long buses that travel at very high speed
c. gets people around the city cheaply and quickly
10. Concerning Lerner’s plans to pedestrianise
part of the city centre, the text suggests that _____ .
a. all opposition to the scheme lasted for only a few days
b. some people tried to ignore the new system for a while
c. they were designed to show Lerner could get things done
11. The text suggests that Lerner’s success
as mayor_____ .
a. helped Curitiba grow by 66% since the 1970s
b. introduced a new set of problems to be solved
c. could not be matched by any mayor nowadays
Exam practice -Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE and
READING
1. ANS: B
2. ANS: B
3. ANS: D
4. ANS: C
5. ANS: C
6. ANS: A
7. ANS: B
8. ANS: A
9. ANS: C
10. ANS: B
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