יש לקרוא את הטקסט ולענות על השאלות באנגלית. אפשר לענות במילים שלך, אלא אם השאלה מבקשת להעתיק מהטקסט. אחר כך כותבים את החיבור בחלק C (70–90 מילים).
Read the text and answer the questions in English. Answer in your own words if the question does not ask for words from the text. Then write the composition in Part C (70–90 words).
Five years ago, the city council of Valbrook made a decision that
shocked many residents: private cars would no longer be allowed in the city
centre. Today, other cities are sending their planners to Valbrook to find
out how it was done, and whether it worked.
Before the change, the centre of Valbrook was an unpleasant place. Its
narrow old streets were full of traffic jams for most of the day. The air
was polluted, the noise was terrible, and finding a parking space could take
half an hour. "People came to the centre only when they had no choice," says
Lena Varga, who owns a bakery in the old market.
The council's plan had several parts. Large car parks were built at the
edges of the centre, and free electric buses now leave them every five
minutes. Old parking spaces became bicycle paths, playgrounds and cafés.
Delivery trucks may enter only between 5 and 10 in the morning.
Not everyone was happy. Many shop owners were afraid that customers
would stop coming, and some protested in front of the city hall. In the
first year, several shops did lose money. But after that, things changed.
Today far more people walk through the centre, and most shops report higher
sales than before the ban.
There were other results, too. Air pollution in the centre has fallen by
almost half, and there are far fewer road accidents. Still, the system is
not perfect. Elderly and disabled residents complained that the bus stops
were too far from their homes, so the city added small electric taxis that
they can order by phone.
Lena Varga, who was one of the protesters, has changed her mind. "I was
wrong," she admits. "My customers stay longer now, because it's pleasant to
be here."
Exercices
Part A — Understanding the text
Exercice 1
What did the city council decide five years ago? Choose the correct answer. (lines 1–3)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : B to stop private cars from entering the city centre
Exercice 2
Give THREE problems in the centre of Valbrook before the change. (lines 5–8)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|Any one of: traffic jams for most of the day; polluted air; terrible noise; finding a parking space could take half an hour; Another one of the list; A third one of the list.}}
Exercice 3
What does Lena Varga's sentence in lines 8–9 tell us about the centre before the change? (lines 8–9)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|People did not enjoy going there / it was unpleasant; they went only when they had to.}}
Exercice 4
Complete the table about the council's plan. (lines 10–13)
Drivers — They park ___ and take ___ into the centre.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|in large car parks at the edges of the centre; free electric buses (every five minutes).}}
Exercice 5
Complete the table about the council's plan. (lines 10–13)
Old parking spaces — ___
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|they became bicycle paths, playgrounds and cafés}}
Exercice 6
Complete the table about the council's plan. (lines 10–13)
Delivery trucks — ___
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|they may enter only between 5 and 10 in the morning}}
Exercice 7
All the shop owners supported the plan from the start.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : Faux · “Many shop owners were afraid that customers would stop coming”
Exercice 8
Some shops lost money in the first year.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : Vrai · “In the first year, several shops did lose money”
Exercice 9
Today fewer people walk through the centre than before the ban.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : Faux · “Today far more people walk through the centre”
Exercice 10
What problem did elderly and disabled residents have, and how did the city solve it? (lines 21–23)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|The bus stops were too far from their homes. The city added small electric taxis that they can order by phone.}}
Exercice 11
Why has Lena Varga changed her mind? Choose the correct answer. (lines 24–26)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : B Her customers stay longer because the centre is pleasant now.
Part B — Language and thinking about the text
Exercice 12
Choose the answer closest in meaning to the word in the text. “shocked” (line 2)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : B greatly surprised and upset
Exercice 13
Choose the answer closest in meaning to the word in the text. “admits” (line 25)
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : D agrees that something is true, although it is not easy to say
Exercice 14
Could a plan like Valbrook's work in your town or city? Give ONE advantage and ONE problem. Use information from the text and your own ideas.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|Personal answer. Advantage, for example cleaner air, fewer accidents, more people in the shops; problem, for example shop owners lose money at first, hard for elderly people, need for good public transport; clear reasoning and clear English.}}
Part C — Composition
Exercice 15
Your town plans to close its centre to cars every Friday. Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. Give your opinion and at least TWO reasons. Write 70–90 words.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé
Réponse : {{en|Content: a clear opinion (for or against), two reasons with examples (may use ideas from the text in own words), maybe a suggestion. Letter form: greeting, opening sentence with the purpose, closing. Scoring: content — task fully done, good ideas with details; organization — opening, logical order, linking words, closing; language — vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation at B1 level. Under 60 words or off topic: content points reduced.}}