Review Test 2
Reading
Technology to the Rescue
Conventional wisdom has it that the rural economy is in decline due
to huge shifts in the modern economy. Traditional rural industries are
shrinking, or are moving abroad. Recently, mainstay activities like farming
have been employing fewer people as they become more efficient. There
is poor broadband and mobile connectivity, and patchy transport services
that further exaggerate the distance between rural communities and their
markets. As a result, with limited future prospects, bright young people
are moving to the cities, making the situation worse.
This has been the established pattern for rural Britain for many years, which
is reflected in economic statistics. It would seem that rural unemployment
is growing faster than in urban areas, and official government figures
actually support this. Average earnings, capital investment per employee
and gross value added per worker are significantly lower in rural areas
than urban areas.
And that has caused many people to ask: will rural Britain decline for
generations to come, or can we close the rural-urban divide? It appears
that the situation is at a turning point – a turning point driven by the
long-awaited access to digital technology and the benefits it delivers to
both the economy and society. There are signs that the digital economy
is driving growth in the broader rural economy, and that technology may
help unlock rural Britain’s potential faster than ever imagined.
Rural communities have long suffered from a lack of broadband
connectivity, but more and more communities are being connected, with
the aim for a Universal Service Obligation – the right for everyone to have
access to broadband – to be in place in the next few years. And the good
news is that rural businesses are more than eager to play catch up –
improving their productivity and gaining greater access to new countries
– all while the people working for them enjoy modern life in a rural setting.
Take business productivity in rural areas. What is a minor annoyance for
urban businesses can become a big issue and waste of time for rural
Questions 1–6
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the
writer in the reading passage?
Next to questions 1–6 write
YES if the statement agrees with the claims
of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of
the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer
thinks
1 The farming industry has recently had a need to
take on more workers.
2 Rural areas suffer from having a lack of skilled
young workers.
3 Unemployment in cities and towns is increasing
at a slower rate than in rural areas.
4 The turning point in the rural-urban divide is
due to technological advances.
5 Rural communities have benefited from having
no broadband connectivity.
6 Rural businesses are willing to pay extra to have
greater broadband connectivity.
Expert IELTS 6 – Teacher’s Online Materials.
businesses. A printer runs out of ink or a piece of equipment breaks.
While getting a replacement may have in the past required a long drive
and hours out of the office, now they can be delivered the next day,
maybe even at a better price, without leaving the office.
It’s tangible examples like these that help to underpin research showing
that fast broadband dramatically boosts business productivity in rural
areas. In Cornwall, where superfast broadband coverage is provided to
almost 90 per cent of households and businesses, research published by
SERIO at Plymouth University found that upgrading to superfast internet
generated a 30 per cent average increase in productivity for businesses
there. While for many city dwellers next-day delivery may seem
unremarkable, for rural businesses the impact is enormous in terms of in
reducing costs, improving efficiency and driving productivity.
The future is also brighter for rural manufacturers, food producers,
traders, and tourist industry providers among others, who can also now
reach more customers than ever. No longer do they have to wait for
customers to come to them, or put hours into constantly travelling to
cities to sell. Online services are helping to level the playing field between
the city and village, enabling rural businesses to list their products or
services alongside major retailers and to reach an audience of hundreds
of millions of customers in the UK, across Europe and globally as they
browse websites. All this from any corner of Britain.
Lastly, there is the question of quality of life. Living the dream of a
rural lifestyle is not always easy. While no one would dispute that the
countryside is filled with natural beauty, many would question if it offers
the same shopping and entertainment of the city. For people who live in
remote rural areas, shopping for the family can be quite time-consuming.
But with connectivity, online shopping and digital entertainment providers
can make life much more manageable – not to mention enjoyable.
Questions 7–10
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the
passage for each answer.
7 Faster internet services have increased the
of businesses in rural areas.
8 Rural manufacturers and other sectors of
industry now have access to a larger number of
.
9 Online services allow rural business to compete
with large and reach people around the
world.
10 Living a rural lifestyle is made more enjoyable
for people when they can shop online and use
services.
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