The author claims that with the introduction of driverless cars …
1) personal vehicle ownership will increase.
2) the number of vehicles on the roads will diminish.
3) people will rent vehicles instead of buying them.
4) vehicle owners will spend more money on insurance.
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more upheaval than any of us could imagine. Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication. Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic. You will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and cultural resistance.
This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to the automobile. At the moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, threedimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Driverless cars
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more
upheaval than any of us could imagine. Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication. Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic.
You will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and cultural resistance. This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to automobile. At the moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, threedimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
12. According to the author driverless cars will become cheap enough for most people to buy within the following …
1) 8 years.
2) 15 years.
3) 7 years.
4) 20 years.
Ответ:
13. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the text?
1) A driverless car operator won’t be responsible for accidents.
2) The age required to operate a driverless car is likely to rise.
3) Driverless cars may increase the number of road accidents.
4) The driverless cars will be voice-activated.
Ответ:
14. To operate a driverless car, their owners will be required to …
1) set the destination on the GPS.
2) have experience in programming.
3) obtain a collision insurance.
4) have a special license.
Ответ:
15. Which of the following, according to the author, will a driverless car have?
1) Gas and brake pedals.
2) A steering wheel.
3) Video displays.
4) A turn signal arm.
Ответ:
16. The author claims that with the introduction of driverless cars …
1) personal vehicle ownership will increase.
2) the number of vehicles on the roads will diminish.
3) people will rent vehicles instead of buying them.
4) vehicle owners will spend more money on insurance.
Ответ:
17. According to the author, driverless cars will be …
1) as important socially as the Internet.
2) enthusiastically accepted by the people.
3) operated without transitional delays.
4) used by people with caution at first.
Ответ:
18. The attitude of the author towards the driverless cars may be described as …
1) optimistic.
2) negative.
3) indifferent.
4) unsure.
Ответ:
Решение:
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned
vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more
upheaval than any of us could imagine. Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication. Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic.
You will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and cultural resistance. This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to the automobile. At the moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, threedimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
Ответ: 2113341
Демонстрационный вариант Единый государственный экзамен ЕГЭ 2016 г. – задание №12-18
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Driverless cars
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more
upheaval than any of us could imagine. Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication. Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic.
You will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and cultural resistance. This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to automobile. At the moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, threedimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
12. According to the author driverless cars will become cheap enough for most people to buy within the following …
1) 8 years.
2) 15 years.
3) 7 years.
4) 20 years.
Ответ:
13. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the text?
1) A driverless car operator won’t be responsible for accidents.
2) The age required to operate a driverless car is likely to rise.
3) Driverless cars may increase the number of road accidents.
4) The driverless cars will be voice-activated.
Ответ:
14. To operate a driverless car, their owners will be required to …
1) set the destination on the GPS.
2) have experience in programming.
3) obtain a collision insurance.
4) have a special license.
Ответ:
15. Which of the following, according to the author, will a driverless car have?
1) Gas and brake pedals.
2) A steering wheel.
3) Video displays.
4) A turn signal arm.
Ответ:
16. The author claims that with the introduction of driverless cars …
1) personal vehicle ownership will increase.
2) the number of vehicles on the roads will diminish.
3) people will rent vehicles instead of buying them.
4) vehicle owners will spend more money on insurance.
Ответ:
17. According to the author, driverless cars will be …
1) as important socially as the Internet.
2) enthusiastically accepted by the people.
3) operated without transitional delays.
4) used by people with caution at first.
Ответ:
18. The attitude of the author towards the driverless cars may be described as …
1) optimistic.
2) negative.
3) indifferent.
4) unsure.
Ответ:
Решение:
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions, pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned
vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more
upheaval than any of us could imagine. Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication. Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic.
You will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and cultural resistance. This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to the automobile. At the moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules, threedimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
Ответ: 2113341
The Cambridge 15 Test 1 Passage 2 Driverless Cars Reading Answers is mentioned in the table given below. Evaluate your answers with the solutions given here.
| 1. C | 5. D | 9. mileage | 13. E |
| 2. B | 6. human error | 10. C | |
| 3. E | 7. car sharing | 11. D | |
| 4. G | 8. ownership | 12. A |
This article contains more questions based on the Driverless Cars Reading Answers passage. Try the 3 IELTS question types based on the Driverless Cars passage. Answer for other reading passages also given at the end of the blog, including what is exploration reading answers.
We have created the Driverless Cars Reading Answers to give you more practice on the IELTS reading section. This section will test a range of reading skills including eye for detail, skimming, logic etc.
With the passage of Driverless Cars Reading Answers you will get 3 IELTS reading question types. You can develop your answering skills with our newly created practice test. These are the question types given in this article:
- IELTS Reading Locating Information
- IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given
- IELTS Reading Summary Completion
6 thoughts on “Driverless Cars”
Check out some information about the cars that can drive themselves Reading Answers test 2.
- The passage for the driverless cars reading answers with location is taken from the Cambridge 15 Test 1.
- Driverless Cars IELTS Reading passage tells us about how cars of the future are going to be driverless and autonomous.
- The passage explains the impact of driverless cars in changing the way we travel in future.
- This Reading passage should be used to gain confidence in attempting the IELTS test.
- You need to improve your reading skills and the abilities to find the gist and details given in the driverless cars reading passage.
Before attempting to write the Driverless Cars IELTS Reading Answers, check the IELTS reading tips.
Find the practice test with Driverless Cars Reading Answers PDF, here.
IELTS Reading passage 3 — Driverless Cars
The passage for Driverless Cars Reading Answers is given below. You can read the questions first and then proceed to read the passage so you can mark the answers as you read.
Driverless Cars
- The automotive industry is very used to adapting to automating manufacturing. From the 1970s the implementation of robotic car manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles. There is a new challenge to vehicle production on the horizon again and it comes from automation. But, this time it has nothing to do with the process of manufacturing, but with the vehicles themselves.
- Vehicle automation research is not new. For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems. Progress in this field has quickly gathered pace since Google announced that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.
- Technology is advancing so fast due to many reasons. The biggest reason is safety. UK’s Transport Research Laboratory’s Research has shown that more than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of road accidents. Automating driving may help to reduce the occurrence of this.
- Another reason is to reduce the time people use for driving and make use of it for other purposes. It may be possible to socialise, be productive or relax if the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, while automation systems have all the responsibility for your safety. Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.
- We can look at the wider implications for transport and society apart from these direct benefits, and how manufacturing processes might need to change as a result. At present, the average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life. Initiatives for car-sharing become more possible through automation, especially in cities with more demand for vehicles. Mobility demand can be met by far fewer vehicles if a significant proportion of the population chooses to use shared automated vehicles.
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated automated mobility in Singapore, and found that less than 30% of the vehicles used presently would be needed if automated car-sharing could be fully implemented. In that case, it can mean that we may need to produce far lesser vehicles to meet the demand. The number of trips being taken may increase, because empty vehicles would have to be moved from one customer to the next.
- Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles. As a result, the vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner. Due to this fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.
- Automation may bring some other modifications in the manufacture of vehicles. If we move to a model where consumers don’t own any vehicles but will get access to different vehicles through a mobility provider, drivers will choose to select the vehicle that best suits their needs for a particular journey, rather than compromising on all their requirements.
- Since, most of the seats in most cars are unoccupied most of the time, it can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals. For going on exceptional journeys like a family trip or to help children move to a university specialised vehicles may be made available.
- We should overcome many obstacles before delivering automated vehicles to our roads. These include the technical difficulties in making sure that the vehicle are reliable in traffic, different climate, and multiple road situations it might experience; the regulatory challenges in understanding how liability and enforcement might need to change when drivers are not needed; and the societal changes that is to be brought in communities to accept and trust automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape.
- There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and robust research, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years. In the coming years mobility will change in many ways and will be associated with so many other technological developments, such as telepresence and virtual reality, which is difficult to make proper predictions. However, one thing is clear: change is for sure, and the flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.
Driverless Cars IELTS Reading questions
Questions 1-5
This reading passage has eleven paragraphs, A–K.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A — K, as your answer to each question.
1. Google announced that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.
2. University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%.
3. Automation can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals.
4. Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.
5. Vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner resulting in fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.
Also check: IELTS Reading Locating Information
Questions 6-9
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 in the passage
6. Safety is the biggest reason for driverless car technology advancement.
7. The average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life.
8. Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might increase ownership of vehicles.
9. The flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.
Also check: IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given
Questions 10-14
Complete the summary below.
Write the answer in NOT MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
From the 1970s the implementation of 10_______ manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles.For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited 11________ capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems. More than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of 12________. Automating driving may help to reduce the occurrence of this. One thing is clear: change is for sure, and the 13______ to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility. There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and 14________, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years.
Also check: IELTS Reading Summary Completion
Driverless Cars Reading Answers with Explanation
The Driverless Cars IELTS reading answers with explanations is given in this section. Refer to the correct answers to evaluate your performance.
Answers 1-5
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the answer in detail.)
1. Paragraph B
Explanation: Progress in this field has quickly gathered pace since Google announced that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California in 2010.
2. Paragraph G
Explanation: Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles.
3. Paragraph I
Explanation: Since, most of the seats in most cars are unoccupied most of the time, it can increase the development of smaller and efficient vehicles that match the needs of individuals.
4. Paragraph D
Explanation: Those who are old or disabled may be able to travel alone if the vehicle can do the driving.
5. Paragraph G
Explanation: As a result, the vehicles would be used more frequently and will require replacement sooner. Due to this fast turnover the vehicle production may not necessarily decrease.
Answers 6-9
6. True
Explanation: Technology is advancing so fast due to many reasons. The biggest reason is safety.
7. True
Explanation: The average car spends its life parked for more than 90% of its life.
8. False
Explanation: Modelling work at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute indicates that automated vehicles might reduce ownership of vehicles by 43%, but as a result the average annual mileage of vehicles doubles.
9. True
Explanation: The flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.
Answers 10-14
10. robotic car
Explanation: From the 1970s the implementation of robotic car manufacture brought significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of mass production of vehicles.
11. Self-driving
Explanation: For more than 50 years, vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around, which contributed significantly towards driver assistance systems.
12. road accidents
Explanation: More than 90% of road collisions occur due to human error, and it is the biggest cause of road accidents. Automating driving may help to reduce the occurrence of this.
13. flexibility
Explanation: One thing is clear: change is for sure, and the flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility.
14. robust research
Explanation: There is no doubt that many challenges need to be taken care of but, through targeted and robust research, these problems can be solved in the next 10 years.
Check the other Reading passages
Click to check the other important Reading answers passages listed below,
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- The Braille System reading answers
- History of Fire Fighting and Prevention Reading Answers
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- Cutty Sark Reading Answers
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- The Coconut Palm Reading Answers
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Conclusion
The “Driverless Cars Reading Answers» is a practice test with explanations provided for helping you improve your English Reading skills. This IELTS Reading blog will definitely help you in achieving your desired score in the exam.
Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 1 Answer Key
Cambridge 15 Reading Test 1 answers
Reading Passage — 1
Nutmeg — a valuable spice
Nutmeg — a valuable spice reading answers
- oval
- husk
- seed
- mace
- FALSE
- NOT GIVEN
- TRUE
- Arabs
- plague
- lime
- Run
- Mauritius
- tsunami
Reading Passage — 2
Driverless cars
Driverless cars reading answers
- C
- B
- E
- G
- D
- human error
- car (-) sharing
- ownership
- mileage
23 & 24 IN EITHER ORDER
C
D
25 & 26 IN EITHER ORDER
A
E
Reading Passage — 3
What is exploration?
What is exploration IELTS reading answers
- A
- C
- C
- D
- A
- B
- E
- A
- D
- E
- B
- (unique) expeditions
- uncontacted / isolated
- (land) surface
Note: The above content is copyrighted by Cambridge University Press and Cambridge English Language Assessment. We posted this content at the request of IELTS students.
Разберем следующее задание письменной части ЕГЭ по английскому языку – чтение.
Все остальные задания после аудирования можно делать в любой последовательности, самое важное – правильно перенести ответы в бланк. А сделает сдающий сначала письмо, чтение или грамматику и лексику – не важно. Я бы рекомендовала в первую очередь выполнять самую трудную часть. Сомневаетесь в графике? Пишите сначала его. Но в пределах разумного – не уделяйте этому больше часа, иначе не успеете сделать другие части экзамена.
Общая информация
Тут у нас 3 задания и они разнятся по сложности.
Рекомендуемое время выполнения – 30 минут, максимум можно получить 14 баллов.
Общие советы
“В бою”, то есть на экзамене, чтению по факту можно уделить на 10 минут больше, чем заявлено, то есть около 40 минут. Почему так? Потому что ученику, пришедшему готовиться к ЕГЭ в 11 классе с уровнем Intermediate (B1 по международной шкале) в среднем на выполнение этого задания требуется именно столько времени.
Но тогда какому-то другому разделу придется уделить меньше времени? Совершенно верно. На следующий раздел, “Грамматика и Лексика”, ученикам, как правило, требуется 20 минут вместо заявленных 30, вот тут-то и сэкономите драгоценное время.
Во время выполнения всех трех заданий из раздела “Чтение” рекомендую не обращать внимание на незнакомые слова, они итак встретятся. Если вокруг них сосредоточен основной смысл вопроса, не паникуйте, что не сможете дать правильный ответ, не зная этого слова. Сможете. Тексты ЕГЭ стараются построить так, чтобы по контексту можно было угадать значение непонятного выражения.
И, даже если не знаете правильного ответа, не оставляйте бланки ответа пустыми, всегда остается возможность угадать ответ!
Это – задание базового уровня сложности (A2+). Максимум здесь вы получите 4 балла. Правильно ответили на 7 вопросов = 4 балла. 6 вопросов = 3 балла. 5 вопросов = 2 балла. 4 вопроса = 1 балл. 0-3 вопросов = 0 баллов.
В первом задании раздела “Чтение” требуется найти заголовки для 7 параграфов. Заголовков восемь, то есть один добавлен специально, чтобы запутать.
Это задание самое легкое, после определенной тренировки не вызывает больших сложностей. Чем-то оно похоже на первое задания раздела “Аудирование”, где нужно соотнести говорящего и о чем он рассказывает. Рассмотрим пример из демоверсии ФИПИ 2017 года.
Как видите, понять, о чем параграф, можно по нескольким фразам. Возьмем абзац A. Фразы “plugged in to”, ‘a chip put in his arm’ дают понять, что что-то будет “always on you”, ну а так как синонимом слова phone может быть только phone (в данном случае smartphone), без сомнений выбираем заголовок под номером 8, “Phone always on you”.
По очевидным причинам рекомендую подчеркивать ключевые слова в каждом заголовке. И не надеяться, что в тексте будет сказано точно также, как и в заголовке (с тем же самым phone, это слово встречается в параграфе G, но не означает, что в нем идет речь о заголовке 8).
Лайфхак
Сначала соотносите те параграфы, в которых уверены если не на 100 процентов, то хотя бы на 90. Остальные потом доделаете, поняв соответствие заголовка и содержания абзаца.
Если все равно что-то не сходится в конце, стоит снова пересмотреть те варианты, в которых были уверены. Возможно, в свете новых событий параграфов, в которые вы вчитались, покажется совсем по-другому.
В любом случае, это задание легкое, при тренировке становится понятным, как выделять ключевые фразы и соотносить параграфы с текстом, тем более что нам дается всего один лишний вариант ответа.
Вот так должен выглядеть правильно заполненный бланк к этому заданию. Обратите внимание, мы делаем задание 10 и ответы заполняются в строчку, а не в столбик.
Задание 11
Это – задание повышенного уровня сложности (B1). Максимум здесь вы получите 3 балла. Правильно ответили на 6 вопросов = 3 балла. 5 вопросов = 2 балла. 4 вопроса = 1 балл. 0-3 вопросов = 0 баллов.
В следующем задании раздела “Чтение” на письменной части ЕГЭ Вам предстоит вставить 7 вырванных из текста кусочков предложений обратно в текст с 6 пропусками. Как всегда, один кусочек лишний и придуман специально так, чтобы подходил в определенный пропуск. В приведенном ниже отрывке это G “who does not know the route to the place of destination”. Его можно перепутать с пропуском D, в этом предложении тоже написано слово route. Но если попробовать разобрать по членам предложения, станет ясно, что who не может относиться к слову green routes, которое уточняет пропущенное, а если перевести, станет ясно, что смысла в предложении нет вообще. Снова хитрые составители стремятся запутать бедных учеников.
Вот как выглядит это задание в демоверсии 2017 года:
Давайте посмотрим на первый пропуск Tourists … can always relax in a lovely, quiet London park. Что здесь может быть пропущено с точки зрения грамматики? Распространенное определение слова tourists или придаточное определительное. Смотрим варианты ответа, чисто с грамматической точки зрения это могут быть варианты ответа номер 1, 5, 6, 7. Все они начинаются со слов that или who, который могут относиться к одушевленному существительному tourists. Теперь вчитаемся в смысл. В первом отрывке про nesting season, по смыслу не подходит, в шестом – who does not know, не сочетающееся по числу с tourists, в 7 – that take cyclists away from traffic тоже нельзя внятно перевести в сочетании с исходным предложением. Остается только 5 вариант, подходящий и по смыслу, и грамматически: “Tourists who are tired of the noise, crowds and excitement of sightseeing”.
Лайфхак
При выполнении задания 11 рекомендую сначала прочитать и перевести все варианты ответа, а также прикинуть, что может стоять до и после вырванного куска текста (если, конечно, в конце не стоит точка). Вот в нашем примере все отрывки 1 – 7 завершены по смыслу, и после всех будет идти либо точка, либо запятая. Но встречаются случаи, когда отрывок может заканчиваться на предлоге, и тогда нужно искать в тексте, какое слово может идти после этого предлога. А по словам, с которых они начинаются, можно угадать, к какому члену предложения они будут относиться.
Не зря это задание на понимание “структурно-смысловых связей”. Здесь нужно обращать внимание ученика на грамматическое строение предложения и учить выявлять в тексте однородные члены, сложносочиненные предложения и различные виды придаточных. Вот основные типы придаточных, которые могут встретиться в этом задании и союзы, с которых они могут начинаться:
В приведенном выше задании нам встретились придаточные определительные (# 1, 5, 6, 7) обстоятельства времени (# 2) и места (# 4). И однородные члены предложения (# 2). Случай с однородными членами предложения легкий – они всегда стоят в одинаковой форме. Здесь это однородные дополнения, выраженные инфинитивами 1) to relax and sunbathe, 2) enjoy and admire и относящиеся к “They are ideal places”. Также легко найти и две части сложносочиненных предложений, они могут быть соединенны союзами and, but, as well as, or.
Обратите внимание, что в бланки ответы также записываются в строчку, как и в предыдущем задании:
Задания 12 – 18
Последнее задание этого раздела заслуженно считается самым сложным, потому что здесь могут встретиться не только тексты, чей уровень залезает в С1, но и ответы на некоторые вопросы могут быть неоднозначными – составители теста думают так, а мне логика подсказывает вот так. Но такое встречается нечасто, слава богу. Заявлено задание как высокого уровня сложности (B2). Максимум здесь вы получите 7 баллов, по одному за каждый правильный ответ.
В заданиях 12 – 18 раздела “Чтение” нужно понимать детали текста и вчитываться в нюансы предоставленной информации. Как и в третьем задании аудирования, в тексте могут оговариваться все 4 предложенных варианта ответа, так что нужно быть предельно внимательным и максимально переводить.
Давайте посмотрим на демоверсию с отмеченными ключевыми местами:
Разберем вопрос 12 “According to the author driverless cars will become cheap enough for most people to buy within the following …”. Переводим: “По словам автора машины без водителя станут достаточно дешевыми, чтобы их могли купить большинство людей в следующие …” Даны варианты ответа: 1) 8 years 2) 15 years 3) 7 years 4) 20 years. Вариант первый, 8 лет, написан в тексте, но с оговоркой “it may take another 8 years …”. То есть пройдет еще 8 лет. После чего? После 7 лет, когда они будут “available at a high cost”, то есть прямо упомянутых в тексте 7 лет тоже следует избегать. Следовательно, машины станут доступными простому смертному через 7 (available at a high cost) + another 8 years = 15 лет, про которые напрямую не говорится. Четвертый вариант, 20 лет, также не подходит, потому что “Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years”, и здесь вообще ничего нет про цену таких машин.
Но не всегда правильный вариант – единственный, отсутствующий в тексте. В задании 15 все упомянутые варианты описаны в тексте, но автор напрямую говорит только о наличии video displays в машине без водителя.
Лайфхак
Для корректного выполнения этого задания советую сначала быстро пробежать глазами весь текст, для общей картины, а потом читать каждое задание, максимально точно переводить его и варианты ответа, а потом искать в тексте место, где упомянут ответ. Все ответы на задания, как видно из примера выше, идут линейно, то есть не бывает такого, что ответ на задание 18 в тексте находится перед ответом на задание 17. Хотя ответ на последний вопрос иногда можно найти, прочитав весь текст. Я пометила ответ на вопрос 18 в конце текста, но оптимистичная позиция автора по отношению к новому виду машин видна из перечисления их плюсов и сглаживание недостатков (абзац 2 про возможность несчастных случаев) на протяжении всего текста.
Что делать, если в задании непонятные слова? Идти по методу “от противного”, вычеркивая все, что точно не подходит. Что-то вы же точно будете знать. Рассмотрим задание 14 из нашего текста:
Я подчеркнула в нем слова, которые 11-классник может не знать. Сначала сам вопрос, значение слова required можно легко понять из контекста. Непонятное слово destination легко угадать по слову GPS, идущему за ним. Опции 2 и 4 тоже понятны, сомнения вызывает только вариант 3. Но в нужном нам абзаце 3, где содержится ответ на вопрос, нет ни одного слова из 3 варианта ответа. И предложение “who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS to arrive at the desired destination” указывает нам, что правильным будет вариант 1.
Если ответ на какое-то задание все-таки остается неясным, вычеркните те, которые точно не подходят, и попробуйте угадать среди оставшихся. Помочь вам сможет то, что подряд никогда не идет больше трех одинаковых вариантов ответа (четыре ответа №1) и каждый вариант ответа встречается хотя бы один раз.
Правильно заполненный бланк для этого задания выглядит вот так:
Тренировка
На уроке
Объясняем стратегии выполнения заданий, разбираем примеры, тренируемся.
Для расширения словарного запаса проходим лексические темы, заявленные в кодификаторе, делаем упражнения из книги по лексике – тексты там чудесные, и легко адаптируются под чтение.
Дома
Ученик самостоятельно прорешивает задания, проверяет себя по ключам и приносит накопившиеся вопросы на урок, где вместе обсуждаем непонятные места и доказываем, почему в этом задании именно такой ответ.
Читает книгу, выбранную на домашнее чтение, выписывает незнакомые слова, пересказывает на уроке, используя незнакомые слова.
Для тренировки этой части экзамена в первую очередь использую тексты с сайта ФИПИ
Если вы этого еще не сделали – покупайте план ЕГЭ, который помог более 1.000 преподавателей по английскому подготовить своих учеников на высокие баллы
P.S. Про разделы и стратегии выполнения заданий ЕГЭ можно почитать статьи:
Аудирование или задания 1 — 9
Чтение или задания 10 — 18
Грамматика или задания 19 — 25
Словообразование или задания 26 — 31
Лексика или задания 32-38
Личное письмо или задание 39
Проект или задание 40
Устная часть. Задание 1
Устная часть, Задание 2
Устная часть, Задание 3
Устная часть, Задание 4
ELTgram от Ирины Кузнецовой
READING PASSAGE 1
NUTMEG – A VALUABLE SPICE
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, is a large evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Until the late 18th century, it only grew in one place in the world: a small group of islands in the Banda Sea, part of the Moluccas – or Spice Islands – in northeastern Indonesia. The tree is thickly branched with dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves, and produces small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers and pale yellow pear-shaped fruits. The fruit is encased in a flesh husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit. Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed, 2-3 cm long by about 2 cm across, surrounded by a lacy red or crimson covering called an ‘aril’. These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed and the latter from the aril.
Nutmeg was a highly prized and costly ingredient in European cuisine in the Middle Ages and was used as a flavoring, medicinal, and preservative agent. Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe. They sold nutmeg for high prices to merchants based in Venice, but they never revealed the exact location of the source of this extremely valuable commodity. The Arab-Venetian dominance of the trade finally ended in 1512, when the Portuguese reached the Banda Islands and began exploiting its precious resources.
Always in danger of competition from neighboring Spain, the Portuguese began subcontracting their spice distribution to Dutch traders. Profits began to flow into the Netherlands, and the Dutch commercial fleet swiftly grew into one of the largest in the world. The Dutch quietly gained control of most of the shipping and trading of spices in Northern Europe. Then, in 1580, Portugal fell under Spanish rule, and by the end of the 16th century, the Dutch found themselves locked out of the market. As prices for pepper, nutmeg, and other spices soared across Europe, they decided to fight back.
In 1602, Dutch merchants founded the VOC, a trading corporation better known as the Dutch East India Company. By 1617, the VOC was the richest commercial operation in the world. The company had 50,000 employees worldwide, with a private army of 30,000 men and a fleet of 200 ships. At the same time, thousands of people across Europe were dying of the plague, a highly contagious and deadly disease. Doctors were desperate for a way to stop the spread of this disease, and they decided nutmeg held the cure. Everybody wanted nutmeg, and many were willing to spare no expense to have it. Nutmeg bought for a few pennies in Indonesia could be sold for 68,000 times its original cost on the streets of London. The only problem was the short supply. And that’s where the Dutch found their opportunity.
The Banda Islands were ruled by local sultans who insisted on maintaining a neutral trading policy towards foreign powers. This allowed them to avoid the presence of Portuguese or Spanish troops on their soil, but it also left them unprotected from other invaders. In 1621, the Dutch arrived and took over. Once securely in control of the Bandas, the Dutch went to work protecting their new investment. They concentrated all nutmeg production into a few easily guarded areas, uprooting and destroying any trees outside the plantation zones. Anyone caught growing a nutmeg seedling or carrying seeds without the proper authority was severely punished. In addition, all exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make sure there was no chance a fertile seed which could be grown elsewhere would leave the islands. There was only one obstacle to Dutch domination. One of the Banda Islands, a sliver of land called Run, only 3 km long by less than 1 km wide, was under the control of the British. After decades of fighting for control of this tiny island, the Dutch and British arrived at a compromise settlement, the Treaty of Breda, in 1667. Intent on securing their hold over every nutmeg-producing island, the Dutch offered a trade: if the British would give them the island of Run, they would in turn give Britain a distant and much less valuable island in North America. The British agreed. That other island was Manhattan, which is how New Amsterdam became New York. The Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade which would last for another century.
Then, in 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa. Some of these were later exported to the Caribbean where they thrived, especially on the island of Grenada. Next, in 1778, a volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves. Finally, in 1809, the British returned to Indonesia and seized the Banda Islands by force. They returned the islands to the Dutch in 1817, but not before transplanting hundreds of nutmeg seedlings to plantations in several locations across southern Asia. The Dutch nutmeg monopoly was over.
Today, nutmeg is grown in Indonesia, the Caribbean, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka, and world nutmeg production is estimated to average between 10,000 and 12,000 tonnes per year.
Questions 1-4
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.
The nutmeg tree and fruit
● the leaves of the tree are 1……………………. in shape
● the 2……………………. surrounds the fruit and breaks open when the fruit is ripe
● the 3……………………. is used to produce the spice nutmeg
● the covering known as the aril is used to produce 4……………………..
● the tree has yellow flowers and fruit
Questions 5-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 5-7 on your answer sheet, 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
5 In the Middle Ages, most Europeans knew where nutmeg was grown.
6 The VOC was the world’s first major trading company.
7 Following the Treaty of Breda, the Dutch had control of all the islands where nutmeg grew.
Questions 8-13
Complete the table below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.
Middle Ages
Nutmeg was brought to Europe by the 8…………….…
16th century
European nations took control of the nutmeg trade
17th century
Demand for nutmeg grew, as it was believed to be effective against the disease known as the 9……………
The Dutch
– took control of the Banda Islands
– restricted nutmeg production to a few areas
– put 10…………… on nutmeg to avoid it being cultivated outside the islands
– finally obtained the island of 11…………… from the British
Late 18th century
1770 – nutmeg plants were secretly taken to 12……………
1778 – half the Banda Islands’ nutmeg plantations were destroyed by a 13……………
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Driverless cars
A
The automotive sector is well used to adapting to automation in manufacturing. The implementation of robotic car manufacture from the 1970s onwards led to significant cost savings and improvements in the reliability and flexibility of vehicle mass production. A new challenge to vehicle production is now on the horizon and, again, it comes from automation. However, this time it is not to do with the manufacturing process, but with the vehicles themselves.
Research projects on vehicle automation are not new. Vehicles with limited self-driving capabilities have been around for more than 50 years, resulting in significant contributions towards driver assistance systems. But since Google announced in 2010 that it had been trialling self-driving cars on the streets of California, progress in this field has quickly gathered pace.
B
There are many reasons why technology is advancing so fast. One frequently cited motive is safety; indeed, research at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory has demonstrated that more than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor, and it is the primary cause in the vast majority. Automation may help to reduce the incidence of this.
Another aim is to free the time people spend driving for other purposes. If the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, it may be possible to be productive, to socialise or simply to relax while automation systems have responsibility for safe control of the vehicle. If the vehicle can do the driving, those who are challenged by existing mobility models – such as older or disabled travellers – may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy.
C
Beyond these direct benefits, we can consider the wider implications for transport and society, and how manufacturing processes might need to respond as a result. At present, the average car spends more than 90 percent of its life parked. Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable, particularly in urban areas with significant travel demand. If a significant proportion of the population choose to use shared automated vehicles, mobility demand can be met by far fewer vehicles.
D
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology investigated automated mobility in Singapore, finding that fewer than 30 percent of the vehicles currently used would be required if fully automated car sharing could be implemented. If this is the case, it might mean that we need to manufacture far fewer vehicles to meet demand. However, the number of trips being taken would probably increase, partly because empty vehicles would have to be moved from one customer to the next.
Modelling work by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute suggests automated vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent, but (Q21) that vehicles’ average annual mileage double as a result. As a consequence, each vehicle would be used more intensively, and might need replacing sooner. This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease.
E
Automation may prompt other changes in vehicle manufacture. If we move to a model where consumers are tending not to own a single vehicle but to purchase access to a range of vehicle through a mobility provider, drivers will have the freedom to select one that best suits their needs for a particular journey, rather than making a compromise across all their requirements.
Since, for most of the time, most of the seats in most cars are unoccupied, this may boost production of a smaller, more efficient range of vehicles that suit the needs of individuals. Specialised vehicles may then be available for exceptional journeys, such as going on a family camping trip or helping a son or daughter move to university.
F
There are a number of hurdles to overcome in delivering automated vehicles to our roads. These include the technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather and road situations it might encounter; the regulatory challenges in understanding how liability and enforcement might change when drivers are no longer essential for vehicle operation; and the societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape.
G
It’s clear that there are many challenges that need to be addressed but, through robust and targeted research, these can most probably be conquered within the next 10 years. Mobility will change in such potentially significant ways and in association with so many other technological developments, such as telepresence and virtual reality, that it is hard to make concrete predictions about the future. However, one thing is certain: change is coming, and the need to be flexible in response to this will be vital for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will deliver future mobility.
Questions 14-18
14 reference to the amount of time when a car is not in use.
15 mention of several advantages of driverless vehicles for individual road-users.
16 reference to the opportunity of choosing the most appropriate vehicle for each trip.
17 an estimate of how long it will take to overcome a number of problems.
18 a suggestion that the use of driverless cars may have no effect on the number of vehicles manufactured.
Questions 19-22
The impact of driverless cars
Figures from the Transport Research Laboratory indicate that most motor accidents are partly due to 19……………………, so the introduction of driverless vehicles will result in greater safety. In addition to the direct benefits of automation, it may bring other advantages. For example, schemes for 20……………………..… will be more workable, especially in towns and cities, resulting in fewer cars on the road.
According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, there could be a 43 percent drop in 21………………….. of cars. However, this would mean that the yearly 22………………….. of each car would, on average, be twice as high as it currently is. this would lead to a higher turnover of vehicles, and therefore no reduction in automotive manufacturing.
Questions 23 and 24
Which TWO benefits of automated vehicles does the writer mention?
A Car travellers could enjoy considerable time savings
B It would be easier to find parking space in urban areas.
C Travellers could spend journeys doing something other than driving.
D People who find driving physically difficult could travel independently.
Questions 25 and 26
Which TWO challenges to automated vehicle development does the writer mention?
A making sure the general public has confidence in automated vehicles
B managing the pace of transition from conventional to auntomated vehicles
C deciding how to compensate professional drivers who become redundant
D setting up the infrastructure to make roads suitable for automated vehicles
E getting automated vehicles to adapt to various different driving conditions…….
What is exploration?
We are all explores. Our desire to discover, and then share that new-found knowledge, is part of what makes us human – indeed, this has played an important part in our success as a species. Long before the first caveman slumped down beside the fire and grunted news that there were plenty of wildebeest over yonder, our ancestors had learnt the value of sending out scouts to investigate the unknown. This questing nature of ours undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, just as it nowadays no doubt helps the last nomadic Penan maintain their existence in the depleted forests of Borneo, and a visitor negotiate the subways of New York .
Over the years, we’ve come to think of explorers as a peculiar breed – different from the rest of us, different from those of us who are merely ‘well travelled’, even; and perhaps there is a type of person more suited to seeking out the new, a type of caveman more inclined to risk venturing out. That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that we all have this enquiring instinct, even today; and that in all sorts of professions – whether artist, marine biologist or astronomer – borders of the unknown are being tested each day.
Thomas Hardy set some of his novels in Egdon Heath, a fictional area of uncultivated land, and used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters we all recognise because they are common to humanity. This is surely an act of exploration, and into a world as remote as the author chooses. Explorer and travel writer Peter Fleming talks of the moment when the explorer returns to the existence he has left behind with his loved ones. The traveller ‘who has for weeks or months seen himself only as a puny and irrelevant alien crawling laboriously over a country in which he has no roots and no background, suddenly encounters his other self, a relatively solid figure, with a place in the minds of certain people’.
In this book about the exploration of the earth’s surface, I have confined myself to those whose travels were real and who also aimed at more than personal discovery. But that still left me with another problem: the word ‘explorer’ has become associated with a past era. We think back to a golden age, as if exploration peaked somehow in the 19th century – as if the process of discovery is now on the decline, though the truth is that we have named only one and a half million of this planet’s species, and there may be more than 10 million – and that’s not including bacteria. We have studied only 5 per cent of the species we know. We have scarcely mapped the ocean floors, and know even less about ourselves; we fully understand the workings of only 10 per cent of our brains.
Here is how some of today’s ‘explorers’ define the word. Ran Fiennes, dubbed the ‘greatest living explorer’, said, ‘An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before – and also done something scientifically useful.’ Chris Bonington, a leading mountaineer, felt exploration was to be found in the act of physically touching the unknown: ‘You have to have gone somewhere new.’ Then Robin Hanbury-Tenison, a campaigner on behalf of remote so-called ‘tribal’ peoples, said, ‘A traveller simply records information about some far-off world, and reports back; but an explorer changes the world.’ Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed Arabia’s Empty Quarter in 1946, and belongs to an era of unmechanised travel now lost to the rest of us, told me, ‘If I’d gone across by camel when I could have gone by car, it would have been a stunt.’ To him, exploration meant bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery.
Each definition is slightly different – and tends to reflect the field of endeavour of each pioneer . It was the same whoever I asked: the prominent historian would say exploration was a thing of the past, the cutting-edge scientist would say it was of the present. And so on. They each set their own particular criteria; the common factor in their approach being that they all had, unlike many of us who simply enjoy travel or discovering new things, both a very definite objective from the outset and also a desire to record their findings.
I’d best declare my own bias. As a writer, I’m interested in the exploration of ideas. I’ve done a great many expeditions and each one was unique . I’ve lived for months alone with isolated groups of people all around the world, even two ‘uncontacted tribes’ . But none of these things is of the slightest interest to anyone unless, through my books, I’ve found a new slant, explored a new idea. Why? Because the world has moved on. The time has long passed for the great continental voyages – another walk to the poles, another crossing of the Empty Quarter. We know how the land surface of our planet lies; exploration of it is now down to the details – the habits of microbes, say, or the grazing behaviour of buffalo . Aside from the deep sea and deep underground, it’s the era of specialists. However, this is to disregard the role the human mind has in conveying remote places; and this is what interests me: how a fresh interpretation, even of a well-travelled route, can give its readers new insights .
Questions 27-32
27 The writer refers to visitors to New York to illustrate the point that
A exploration is an intrinsic element of being human.
28 According to the second paragraph, what is the writer’s view of explorers?
C They act on an urge that is common to everyone.
29 The writer refers to a description of Egdon Heath to suggest that
C Hardy’s aim was to investigate people’s emotional states.
30 In the fourth paragraph, the writer refers to ‘a golden age’ to suggest that
D we are wrong to think that exploration is no longer necessary.
31 In the sixth paragraph, when discussing the definition of exploration, the writer argues that
A people tend to relate exploration to their own professional interests.
32 In the last paragraph, the writer explains that he is interested in
D the feelings that writers develop about the places that they explore.
Questions 33-37
33 He referred to the relevance of the form of transport used.
34 He described feelings on coming back home after a long journey.
35 He worked for the benefit of specific groups of people.
36 He did not consider learning about oneself an essential part of exploration.
37 He defined exploration as being both unique and of value to others.
List of Explorers
A Peter Fleming
B Ran Fiennes
C Chris Bonington
D Robin Hanbury-Tenison
E Wilfred Thesiger
Questions 38-40
The writer’s own bias
The writer has experience of a large number of 38……………………….., and was the first stranger that certain previously 39……………………….. people had encountered. He believes there is no need for further exploration of Earth’s 40………………..…, except to answer specific questions such as how buffalo eat.
ANSWERS
(Cambridge 15 Test 1 Reading Answers)
Nutmeg – a valuable spice Reading Answers
SECTION 1
1. oval
2. husk
3. seed
4. mace
5. FALSE
6. NOT GIVEN
7. TRUE
8. Arabs
9. plague
10. lime
11. Run
12. Mauritius
13. tsunami
Driverless cars Reading Answers
SECTION 2
14. C
15. B
16. E
17. G
18. D
19. human error
20. car (-) sharing
21. ownership
22. mileage
23. C
24. D
25. A
26. E
What is exploration? Reading Answers
SECTION 3
27. A
28. C
29. C
30. D
31. A
32. B
33. E
34. A
35. D
36. E
37. B
38. (unique) expeditions
39. uncontacted / isolated
40. (land) surface