Reading practice - traffic, congestion and pollution
Traffic has a huge effect on the quality of our environment.
Here are some useful words for talking about traffic and congestion.
| el atasco | traffic jam |
| el carril | lane (of traffic) |
| la circulación (densa) | (heavy) traffic |
| los gases de escape | exhaust fumes |
| el punto de recarga | charging point |
| la red | network/net |
| la zona peatonal | pedestrian zone/area |
| la zona verde | green area |
| el atasco |
| traffic jam |
| el carril |
| lane (of traffic) |
| la circulación (densa) |
| (heavy) traffic |
| los gases de escape |
| exhaust fumes |
| el punto de recarga |
| charging point |
| la red |
| network/net |
| la zona peatonal |
| pedestrian zone/area |
| la zona verde |
| green area |
You see this article in a Spanish newspaper.
Un nuevo plan para combatir la contaminación en Madrid
Antes, Madrid tenía fama de ser una de las ciudades más contaminadas de Europa, pero a fines del año pasado el alcalde anunció un nuevo plan para combatir la contaminación.
En la Gran Vía - una avenida céntrica donde hoy en día casi siempre hay atascos muy largos - la gente que va de compras ya no tendrá que respirar los gases de escape porque la vía se convertirá en una zona peatonal. Además, los vehículos más contaminantes se prohibirán en todo el centro.
También habrá más puntos de recarga para vehículos eléctricos y el ayuntamiento está ampliando la red de autobuses. Habrá más carriles bici y la red municipal de alquiler de bicicletas tendrá dos veces más bicis.
Question
Which four statements are true?
| A | Madrid is now one of the most polluted cities in Europe. |
| B | Madrid introduced a new anti-pollution plan this year. |
| C | The Gran Vía often has long traffic jams. |
| D | One of the streets in the middle of Madrid will be pedestrianised. |
| E | All motor vehicles will be banned from the centre. |
| F | There will be more charging points for electric cars. |
| G | Trains will be replaced by a bus network. |
| H | There will be a greater number of cycle lanes and bikes for hire. |
| A |
| Madrid is now one of the most polluted cities in Europe. |
| B |
| Madrid introduced a new anti-pollution plan this year. |
| C |
| The Gran Vía often has long traffic jams. |
| D |
| One of the streets in the middle of Madrid will be pedestrianised. |
| E |
| All motor vehicles will be banned from the centre. |
| F |
| There will be more charging points for electric cars. |
| G |
| Trains will be replaced by a bus network. |
| H |
| There will be a greater number of cycle lanes and bikes for hire. |
The correct answers are C, D, F and H.
A is incorrect because antes and the use of the imperfect tense in tenía indicates a situation that existed in the past, rather than now.
B is incorrect because the passage refers to the end of last year (a fines del año pasado), not this year.
E is incorrect because it is only the most polluting vehicles (los vehículos más contaminantes) which will be banned.
G is incorrect because there is no mention of trains (está ampliando la red de autobuses) means is expanding the bus network.
