Cycle to Work

I. If you are looking for a way to cut travel costs, cycling to work instead of

taking the bus could be the answer. An average journey of three miles by bus costs 80p in London, that’s £8 a week. A new bicycle bought for £85 will save you more than £150 a year on a daily four-mile round trip and that takes into account parts and repairs.

II. Quite apart from the convincing cost advantages of cycling, there are other

aspects to consider – take convenience for instance: over the last ten years the amount of traffic on Britain’s roads has more than doubled, which has caused a dramatic increase in rush hour congestion, especially in cities and town centres.

III. For those who feel that they are past it, or simply lack the confidence to

begin cycling, it is encouraging to know that the more cycling you do the more you will be capable of. Riding a bike is an excellent exercise and increases your stamina for everyday work as well as cycling.

IV. Bicycles have become gradually lighter and more sophisticated with a vast

selection to choose from. A modern touring or commuter cycle is an extremely efficient piece of machinery. It takes a test-ride on one of these bikes to convince most anti-cyclists that bike riding is no longer the hard work it used to be. Prices of new bicycles range from about £70 up to about £200, so the cost of a bike is relatively insignificant.

1. The text is about the:

a) use of bicycles in general;

b) use of bicycles to go to work;

c) advantages of cycling to work;

d) cost of cycling to work;

2. Cycling to work can solve the problem of:

a) a heavy traffic on Britain’s busy roads;

b) traffic in the countryside;

c) arriving late at work;

d) heavy traffic in the rush hours;

3. Paragraph III says, that cycling:

a) is easy to learn;

b) is good for the appetite;

c) provides good exercise;

d) is a good way of spending free time;

4. Paragraph IV is about the:

a) comfort; }

b) convenient price }

c) elegance } of bicycles today

d) vast selection }

IX. Read the text: