Actividad de aprendizaje 6

Evidencia 5: Reading workshop: International transport

Reading workshop: International transport

Read the article Methods of international transport taken from the website
Exportiamo.it and complete the following reading comprehension tasks:

1. Identifying key information

Based on the information presented in the article, answer the following questions:
1. What’s the articles’ main idea?

a. There are many ways to transport goods.

b. Transport is very important in international trade.
c. There are several factors companies need to consider when deciding on what
type of transport to use.
d. Depending on the mode of transport, companies can be more efficient and
save money.

2. According to the article, what are some of the factors a company needs to take
into account when choosing the method of transport to deliver their goods?

a. Business type and expertise

b. Sending cost and type of goods
c. Type and value of goods, sending cost, destination, and risk of transportation
d. Weather conditions and customers’ requirements
3. What mode of transport allows companies to transport large quantities at a low
cost?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport

4. What method of transport is more flexible in terms of routes and timetables?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport

5. What methods of transport require companies to spend more money on further

transportation costs to take goods to their final destination?

a. Rail transport and sea transport

b. Air transport and road transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport, air transport and rail transport

6. When is it necessary to complete a dangerous goods declaration?

a. When the goods are being transported to countries located in Europe, North
Africa or the Middle East.
b. When the goods are being transported by rail.
c. When the goods that are being transported have a UN dangerous goods
code.
d. When the goods are being transported with no insurance.
2. Finding similar words

The following wordlist contains words from the article on methods of international
transport. For each word, find a word with the same or similar meaning (synonym).

Word Synonym
Trade Commerce
Ensure Assure
Efficient Competent
Requirement Condition - obligation
Quick Rapid - fast
Risk Danger
Send Dispatch
Customer Client
Suitable Acceptable
Delay Retard
Deliver Give
Currency Cash - money
Insurance Guarantee

3. Find the missing words

Choose the option that better completes the following passage:

When transporting freight internationally, it’s important to choose the

appropriate mode of transportation to ensure your products arrive on time and
at the right cost. Your decision to ship by land, sea, or air depends on a careful
evaluation of business needs and a comparison of the benefits each method
affords. Picking the best possible mode of transportation is critical to export
success.
 a. Selling / irrelevant / ensure / decision / costs / comparison / noncritical
b. Transporting / important / ensure / decision / needs / comparison /critical
c. Transporting / irrelevant / support / comparison / needs / assessment
/critical
d. Selling / relevant / ensure / decision / needs / comparison / critical

4. Summarizing ideas visually

INTERNACIONAL TRANSPORT

SHIP BY AIR SHIP BY ROAD SHIP BY WATER SHIP BY RAIL

 High movement  Flexibility in the  Low speed of  Large mass

speed. transportation of transportation, movement of
 High rates. goods. which is goods.
 Frequency  Speed in translated into  Low unit cost of
delivering service. delivering. merchandise movement.
 Increase of  High frequency safety.  Long haul
capabilities. of delivering  Economic rates. movements.
 Low unit cost of service.  Large capability  Specialized
movement. Long Equipment of mass equipment.
haul movements. diversity. movement.
 Specialized  Long haul
equipment. movements.

5. Matching headings

Headings are short sentences that summarize the information in a paragraph. You
have to pick the one that best summarizes the information in the following
paragraphs. Match each paragraph in the reading text to one heading. Be careful,
there are always more headings than paragraphs.

Headings

 Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

 Rail transport uses
 Means of transportation
 Factors that influence company’s decision on which type of transport to use
 Rail transport benefits
 Difficulties of transporting goods by rail
 International transportation of goods by road


Paragraph 1: Means of transportation

Road, sea, rail and air are four ways of import and export. As a first step the
company has to consider all part of their project, firstly, it is important what has to be
distributed including size, weight and which type of goods. For example, for the
transportation of foods or fruits, speed is important and it’s important to choose the
shortest and quickest way. Sending cost is another element very important and
depends on the agency. Destination, countries’ law, value of goods, risk of transport
are other elements to be considered and depend on company, country of destination
and customers’ requirements. So who wants to deal with international transportation
has to balance quality, cost, time and conditions.

Paragraph 2: Rail transport uses

Risks for rail transport:
 routes and timetables available can be inflexible, especially in remote regions
 can be more expensive than road transport
 mechanical failure or industrial action can disrupt services
 further transportation may be needed from a rail depot to the final destination,
increasing costs and affecting delivery schedules
Paragraph 3: Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

The international transport of dangerous goods by road is subject to international

legislation, in particular the European Agreement on the International Carriage of
Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods
must hold an ADR training certificate in handling dangerous goods. All commercial
vehicles that carry dangerous goods must pass the ADR test, and some of them
need to be built with special standards.

Paragraph 4: Rail transport benefits

Rail transport is a cost-effective and efficient way to move goods. It offers the
following advantages: fast rail network throughout Europe. It is environmentally
friendly compared with other transport systems.

6. Making comparisons

Based on the article on methods of international transport complete the following

comparison chart by listing the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of
transportation.

Air transport Sea transport Road Rail transport

transport

 Speed  Volume and  Security in the  Great

 There are no storage merchandise. capacity.
physical capacity.  Versatile.  Low operating
barriers  Direct. costs.
Advantages  More
 Easy access  Wide coverage  Flexibility.
 Suitable for competitive network.  Low pollutant.
transporting freights.  Speed.  avoid traffic
perishable or  Security and  Traceability. congestion.
high value stability.  Flexibility.  possibility of
merchandise. inter modality.
  Larger variety  Shipping  Speedy
of products. security.
 Coverage and  Low packing
cost.
insurance.
 Economic.

 High cost.  slow  Limited  Very

 Uncertain  weather capacity. expensive.
climate.  Distances.  Inflexible.
 procedure
 Not suitable for requirements  Contamination.
Disadvantages cheap and  Traffic.
high volume  Congestion
goods.  Restrictions.
 legal  Damages the
restriction road network.