IELTS READING MODULE 73

Matching Information
DIRECTIONS The reading passage has four paragraphs, A-D.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-D, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
You may use any letter more than once.

STRATEGY Skim the entire passage to get an idea of what it is about. Then for each question,
try to predict which paragraph contains the information asked for. Identify the key
words in the question and skim the chosen paragraph for key words, synonyms, and
paraphrases.
TIP Read the context of the key words, synonyms, and paraphrases carefully to make
sure it contains the information you are looking for.
For some passages, you may find more than one answer in any one paragraph. If
that is the case, the directions will say You may use any letter more than once.

PRACTICE (answers on page 229)

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

A
With growing concerns about congested roads, air pollution, and petroleum supplies, alternative forms of
transportation are receiving increasing attention. People are looking for ways to get around that don't involve
driving alone in a car. Carpooling, walking, and use of public transportation systems such as buses and trains
are some of the methods people are using in place of the traditional private car. Studies suggest that bicycle
riding, in particular, is a form of transportation that is rising in popularity.

B
In cities around the world, bicycles are being seen in the street in increasing numbers. While there are a
number of reasons for the bicycle's popularity, this form of transportation has its drawbacks, as well. Bike
enthusiasts highlight the fitness aspects, including weight maintenance and strengthening of the heart and
immune system, as well as the psychological benefits of mood elevation and stress reduction that regular
exercise provides. Enthusiasts also favor the bike over buses and trains because of the freedom it allows
them. Rather than making plans around bus or train routes and schedules, bicycles allow riders to go where
they want when they want, and because they don't require paying a fare, they are advantageous to those
who need to economize.

C
When we look at the rising cost of living in modern society, the bicycle clearly comes out a winner. Bicycles
are much less expensive to buy and maintain than a private car. And the cost advantage reaches beyond
the interest of the individual as bikes cause much less wear and tear on roads, which are maintained with
public money. The bicycle does, however, have its detractors, even including those who support the need
for alternative forms of transportation. They point out that not everyone can use a bicycle. It is not suitable,
for example, for those with health issues, and its ease of use is dependent on the weather as well as on the
distances one must travel. Furthermore, the proliferation of bicycles on city streets that are not designed for
them gives rise to safety concerns.
74 IELTS STRATEGIES AND TIPS

D
What�ver position one may take on the issue, whatever reasons one may cite in favor or against, bicycles
are here to stay, and we will be seeing more and more of them in the coming years. There is no question that
cities must make room for the bicycle along with other alternative forms of transportation. A good place to
start would be with creating bike lanes and off-road bike paths as well as educating the driving public about
sharing the road safely with cyclists.
Which paragraph contains the following information? You may use any letter more than once.

1 reasons for opposition to bicycles .........................

2 a comparison of bicycles with public transportation .........................
3 examples of alternative transportation .........................
4 the health benefits of bicycles ........................ .
5 the writer's suggestions for the future .........................
6 the economic advantages of bicycles .........................