Youshould spend about 20 minutes on Question 1-13 which are based on ReadingPassage below.
For morethan 40 years, Practical Action have worked with poor communities to identifythe types of transport that work best, taking into consideration culture, needsand skills. With our technical and practical support, isolated ruralcommunities can design, build and maintain their own solutions.
A
Whilstthe focus of National Development Plans in the transport sector lies heavily inthe areas of extending road networks and bridges, there are still major gapsidentified in addressing the needs of poorer communities. There is a need todevelop and promote the sustainable use of alternative transportsystems and intermediate means of transportation (IMTs) that complement thelinkages of poor people with road networks and other socio-economic infrastructuresto improve their livelihoods. B
On theother hand, the development of all weathered roads (only 30 percent of ruralpopulation have access to this so far) and motorable bridges are very costly fora country with a small and stagnant economy. In addition these interventionsare not always favourable in all geographical contexts environmentally,socially and economically. More than 60 percent of the network is concentratedin the lowland areas of the country. Although there are a number of alternativeways by which transportation and mobility needs of rural communities in thehills can be addressed, a lack of clear government focus and policies, lack offiscal and economic incentives, lack of adequate technical knowledge andmanufacturing capacities have led to under-development of this alternativetransport sub-sector including the provision of IMTs.
C
One ofthe major causes of poverty is isolation. Improving the access and mobility ofthe isolated poor paves the way for access to markets, services andopportunities. By improving transport poorer people are able to access marketswhere they can buy or sell goods for income, and make better use of essentialservices such as health and education. No proper roads or vehicles mean womenand children are forced to spend many hours each day attending to their mostbasic needs, such as collecting water and firewood. This valuable time could beused to tend crops, care for the family, study or develop small business ideasto generate much needed income.
D
RoadBuilding
Withoutroads, rural communities are extremely restricted. Collecting water andfirewood, and going to local markets is a huge task, therefore it isunderstandable that the construction ofroads is a major priority for many rural communities. Practical Action arehelping to improve rural access/transport infrastructures through theconstruction and rehabilitation of short rural roads, small bridges, culvertsand other transport related functions. The aim is to use methods that encouragecommunity driven development. This means villagers can improve their own livesthrough better access to markets, health care, education and other economic andsocial opportunities, as well as bringing improved services and supplies to thenow-accessible villages. E
Drivingforward new ideas
PracticalAction and the communities we work with are constantly crafting and honing newideas to help poor people. Cycle trailers have a practical business use too,helping people carry their goods, such as vegetables and charcoal, to marketsfor sale. Not only that, but those on the poverty-line can cam a decent incomeby making, maintaining and operating bicycle taxis. With Practical Action'sknow-how. Sri Lankan communities have been able to start a bus service andmaintain the roads along which it travels. The impact has been remarkable. Thisservice has put an end to rural people's social isolation Quick and affordable,it gives them a reliable way to travel to the nearest town, and now theirchildren can get an education, making it far more likely they'll find a pathout of poverty. Practical Action is also an active member of many national andregional networks through which exchange of knowledge and advocating based onaction research arc carried out and one conspicuous example is the LankaOrganic Agriculture Movement.
F
Sky-scrapingtransport system
Forpeople who live in remote, mountainous areas, getting food to market in orderto earn enough money to survive is a serious issue. The hills are so steep thattravelling down them is dangerous. A porter can help but they are expensive,and it would still take hours or even a day. The journey can take so long thattheir goods start to perish and become worth less and less. Practical Actionhave developed an ingenious solution called an aerial ropeway. It can citheroperate by gravitation force or with the use of external power. The ropewayconsists of two trolleys rolling over support tracks connected to a controlcable in the middle which moves in a traditional flywheel system. The trolleyat the top is loaded with goods and can take up to 120kg. This is pulled downto the station at the bottom, either by the force of gravity or by externalpower. The other trolley at the bottom is therefore pulled upwardsautomatically. The external power can be produced by a micro hydro system ifaccess to an electricity grid is not an option.
G
Bringingpeople on board
PracticalAction developed a two-wheeled iron trailer that can be attached via a hitchbehind the scat) to a bicycle and be used to carry heavy loads (up to around200kgs) of food, water or even passengers. People can now carry three tunes asmuch as before and still pedal the bicycle. The cycle trailers are used fortransporting goods by local producers, as ambulances, as mobile shops, and evenas mobile libraries. They are made in small village workshops from iron tubing,which is cut, bent, welded and drilled to make the frame and wheels.Modifications are also carried out to the trailers in these workshops at therequest of the buyers. The two-wheeled 'ambulance' is made from moulded metal,with standard rubber-tyred wheels. The "bed" section can be paddedwith cushions to make the patient comfortable, while the "seat"section allows a family member to attend to patient during transit. A dedicatedbicycle is needed to pull the ambulance trailer, so that other communitymembers do not need to go without the bicycles they depend on in their dailylives. A joining mechanism allows for easy removal and attachment. In responseto user comments, a cover has been designed that can be added to giveprotection to the patient and attendant in poor weather Made of treated cotton,the cover is durable and waterproof.
Questions1-4
Do thefollowing statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage1?
In boxes1-4 on your answer sheet, write
YES ifthe statement is true
NO ifthe statement is false
NOTGIVEN if the information is not given in the passage 1. Aslow developing economy often cannot afford some road networks especially forthose used regardless weather conditions.
2. Ruralcommunities' officials know how to improve alternative transport technically.
3. Theprimary aim for Practical Action to improve rural transport infrastructures ismeant to increase the trade among villages.
4. LankaOrganic Agriculture Movement provided service that Practical Action highlyinvolved in.
Questions5-8
Answerthe questions below.
ChooseNO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Writeyour answers in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
1. WHATis the first duty for many rural communities to reach unrestricted development?
2. WHATwas one of the new ideas to help poor people carry their goods, such asvegetables and charcoal, to markets for sale?
3. WHATservice has put an end to rural people's social isolation in Sri Lanka?
4. WHATsolution had been applied for people who live in remote, mountainous areasgetting food to market?
Questions9-13
Summary
Completethe following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using no more thantwo words from the Reading Passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes11-14 on your answer sheet.
Besidesnormal transport task, changes are also implemented to the trailers in theseworkshops at the request of the buyers when it was used on medical emergency ora moveable 9 ; 'Ambulance' is made from metal, with rubber wheels and drive byanother bicycle. When put with 10 in the two-wheeled 'ambulance', the patientcan stay comfortable and which another 11 can sit on caring for patient intransport journey. In order to dismantle or attach other equipment, anassembling 12 is designed. Later, as user's suggest, 13 has also been added togive a protection to the patient.
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发表于 2024-5-23 09:46:55
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