2. Read the following passage about urbanisation and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions.
MAKING LONDON HEALTHIER
As the capital of the nation where the Industrial Revolution began, London has suffered badly from the effects of pollution. Recent efforts to make the city cleaner, however, are turning it into one of the world's least polluted major cities.
A. A RIVER FILLED WITH LIFE
(I) For years, the River Thames was a health hazard because of pollution, and in 1957 it was declared biologically dead. (II) Half a century later, the Thames has won international prizes for rivers that have been restored. Hundreds of different types of animals and birds now feed on its banks. (III) Over 125 different species of fish swimming beneath its surface, and even seals and dolphins have swum up the river from the coast to visit the centre of the city. (IV)
B. THE GREAT SMOG
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, Londoners had become used to suffering from coughs and chest infections caused by smog, which is a combination of smoke and fog. However, when the smog of December 1952 caused four thousand deaths in one week, the government finally realised that something had to be done. A series of 'clean-air' laws were passed to avoid a repeat of the tragedy, and since then the quality of London's air has improved greatly, although there is still plenty of work to do.
C. PAYING TO DRIVE
At the beginning of the new millennium, because of the number of vehicles, traffic in London was moving at the same speed that it had moved at a hundred years before, when people travelled in horse-drawn carriages: just 16 km/h. To improve journey times and the quality of London's air, a daily charge of £5 was introduced in 2003 for all vehicles being driven in the city. Not only did the number of cars on the roads immediately drop by 15%, but also the number of people cycling increased by 49%, so people benefitted from cleaner air and more exercise. In the last decade, the number of vehicles in central London has fallen by a further 30% and plans to reduce the number of parking spaces for cars will probably cause it to drop again.
