Cambridge Academic Reading 6 Test 1

Reading Passage 2: Questions 14-26

The headline of the passage: DELIVERING THE GOODS

Questions 14-17: Identifying information

[This question asks you to find information from the passage and write the number of the paragraph (A, B, C or D … .. ) in the answer sheet. Now, if the question is given in the very first part of the question set, I’d request you not to answer them. It’s mainly because this question will not follow any sequence, and so it will surely kill your time. Rather, you should answer all the other questions first. And just like List of Headings, only read the first two lines or last two lines of the expected paragraph initially. If you find the answers, you need not read the middle part. If you don’t find answers yet, you can skim the middle part of the paragraph. Keywords will be a useful matter here.]

Question no. 14: a suggestion for improving trade in the future

Keywords for the question: suggestion, improving trade, in the future,

A special TIP: questions like this one where you have to find ‘a solution for the coming days / future’, you should take a look at the last two paragraphs. You will always find your answers there.

For this question, we have to go to the last paragraph and search for solutions or suggestions to improve trade in the future. Take a look at the last lines of paragraph I, “ .. . .. Bringing these barriers down would help the world’s economies grow even closer.”

Here, Bringing these barriers down = a suggestion, would help = indicates the future, the world’s economies grow even closer = improving trade,

So, the answer is: I

Question no. 15: the effects of the introduction of electronic delivery

Keywords for the question: effects, introduction of electronic delivery,

The answer can be found in paragraph F. Here, lines 2-5 say, “. . .. . Computer software can be ‘exported’ without ever loading it onto a ship, simply by transmitting it over telephone lines from one country to another, so freight rates and cargo-handling schedules become insignificant factors in deciding where to make the product. .. .. .”

Here, simply by transmitting it over telephone lines = electronic delivery, so freight rates and cargo-handling schedules become insignificant factors in deciding where to make the product = the effects,

So, the answer is: F

Question no. 16: the similar cost involved in transporting a product from abroad or from a local supplier

Keywords for the question: similar cost, transporting, product, from abroad, from a local supplier,

The answer can be found in paragraph E. Take a look at these lines, “. . .. . Computer manufacturers in Japan or Texas will not face hugely bigger freight bills if they import drives from Singapore rather than purchasing them on the domestic market. , .. .. .”

Here, import drives from Singapore = transporting a product from abroad, domestic market = local supplier,

Also, Computer manufacturers in Japan or Texas will not face hugely bigger freight bills means that companies do not want to spend more money on products that are priced the same in a local or foreign market.

So, the answer is: E

Question no. 17: the weakening relationship between the value of goods and the cost of their delivery

Keywords for the question: weakening relationship, between, value of goods, the cost of their delivery,

The answer can be found in paragraph D. At the beginning the writer says in lines 1-2, “. . .. . Over time, however, world output has shifted into goods whose worth is unrelated to their size and weight., .. .. .”

Then the writer says again in the end, “. .. thanks to technological advances such as lightweight components, manufactured goods themselves have tended to become lighter and less bulky. As a result, less transportation is required for every dollar’s worth of imports or exports.”

Here, goods whose worth is unrelated to their size and weight = the price of some goods does not match with their size and weight,

Also, less transportation is required for every dollar’s worth of imports or exports = the relationship between value of goods and their transportation cost is becoming weak,

So, the answer is: D

Questions 18-22: TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question agrees with the information in the passage – TRUE

The statement in the question contradicts with the information in the passage – FALSE

If there is no information on this  – NOT GIVEN

For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question no. 18: International trade is increasing at a greater rate than the world economy.

Keywords for the question: international trade, increasing, greater rate, than, world economy,

The answer can be found in the first lines of paragraph A. The writer says, “International trade is growing at a startling pace. While the global economy has been expanding at a bit over 3% a year, the volume of trade has been rising at a compound annual rate of about twice that.”

Here, is growing = is increasing, global economy = world economy,

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 19: Cheap labour guarantees effective trade conditions.

Keywords for the question: cheap labour, guarantees, effective trade conditions,

The answer can be found in paragraph B. At the end of the paragraph the writer says, “. . .. . Cheap labour may make Chinese clothing competitive in America, but if delays in shipment lie up working capital and cause winter coats to arrive in spring, trade may lose its advantages.”

Here, the writer means that cheap labour may work as a contributory factor but it cannot guarantee an effective trade condition; delivery in proper time guarantees that.

So, the answer is: FALSE

Question no. 20: Japan imports more meat and steel than France.

Keywords for the question: Japan, imports, more meat and steel, than France,

We can find the words Japan, France, meat and steel, in paragraph C. However, we can’t find any comparison on the import of meat and steel between Japan and France.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 21: Most countries continue to prefer to trade with nearby nations.

Keywords for the question: most countries, continue to prefer, trade, nearby nations,

The answer can be found at the very beginning of paragraph D. The author says in line no. 1, Countries still trade disproportionately with their geographic neighbours.”

Here, still trade = continue to prefer to trade, geographical neighbours = nearby nations,

The line is a clear match to the question.

So, the answer is: TRUE

Question no. 22: Small computer components are manufactured in Germany.

Keywords for the question: small computer components, manufactured, Germany,

Information about computer components is included in paragraph E. However, Germany is not mentioned in this paragraph.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Questions 23-26: Completing summary with list of words:

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete a summary with a list of words taken from the passage. Candidates must write the correct letter (not the words) as the answers. Keywords and synonyms are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Title of the summary: THE TRANSPORT REVOLUTION

Question no. 23: Modern cargo-handling methods have had a significant effect on ___________ as the business of moving freight around the world becomes increasingly streamlined.

Keywords for the question: modern cargo-handling methods, significant effect, moving freight, around the world, increasingly streamlined,  

The answer can be found in paragraph D. The writer says here, “. . .. Over time, however, world output has shifted into goods whose worth is unrelated to their size and weight. Today, it is finished manufactured products that dominate the flow of trade, and, thanks to technological advances such as lightweight components, manufactured goods themselves have tended to become lighter and less bulky. .”

Here, dominate = significant effect, streamlined = manufactured goods themselves have tended to become lighter and less bulky, technological advances = modern cargo-handling methods,

So, the answer is: G (trade)

Question no. 24: Manufacturers of computers, for instance, are able to import ___________ from overseas, rather than having to rely on a local supplier.

Keywords for the question: manufactures, computers, able to import, from overseas, than, rely on, local supplier,

The answer can be found in paragraphs D and E. In paragraph D, the writer talks about ‘lightweight components’ as manufactured goods. Then in paragraph E, the writer says, “ . . . Computer manufacturers in Japan or Texas will not face hugely bigger freight bills if they import drives from Singapore rather than purchasing them on the domestic market.”

Here, Computer manufacturers in Japan = manufacturers of computers, drives = components, Singapore = overseas, domestic market = local supplier,

So, the answer is: B (components)

Question no. 25: The introduction of __________ has meant that bulk cargo can be safely and efficiently moved over long distances.

Keywords for the question: introduction, meant, bulk cargo, safely, efficiently, moved, long distances, 

Here, bulk cargo means heavy or large goods transported from one place to other.

The author says in paragraph G, “ . .. .  Forty years ago, the process of exporting or importing involved a great many stages of handling, which risked portions of the shipment being damaged or stolen along the way. The invention of the container crane made it possible to load and unload containers without capsizing the ship and the adoption of standard container sizes allowed almost any box to be transported on any ship.”

Here, the invention of the container crane = the introduction of container ships with crane, without capsizing = safely and efficiently,

So, the answer is: C (container ships)

Question no. 26: While international shipping is now efficient, there is still a need for governments to reduce __________ in order to free up the domestic cargo sector.

Keywords for the question: international shipping, efficient, still a need, governments, reduce, in order to, free up, domestic cargo sector,   

The answer can be found in paragraph H where the writer talks about tariffs. The writer says here, “ . .. . The shipping container transformed ocean shipping into a highly efficient, intensely competitive business. But getting the cargo to and from the dock was a different story. National governments, by and large, kept a much firmer hand on truck and railroad tariffs than on charges for ocean freight. This started changing, however, in the mid-1970s, when America began to deregulate its transportation industry. First airlines, then road haulers and railways, were freed from restrictions on what they could carry, where they could haul it and what price they could charge. Big productivity gains resulted.”

Here, the writer explains how lowering truck and railroad tariffs can increase productivity and suggests that government should reduce tariffs.

So, the answer is: A (tariffs)