CAE Reading and Use of English Part 7
You are going to read a magazine article about the future of urban mobility. Six paragraphs have been removed from the article. Six paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose from the paragraphs A – G the one which fits each gap (41-46). There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.
Navigating the Future: The End of the Urban Car Era?
For decades, the private car has been the undisputed king of the city. It promised freedom and status. Today, however, that crown is slipping. Congested streets, toxic emissions, and the inefficiency of a two-ton vehicle transporting one person are forcing a radical rethink of how we move. The future of urban mobility is no longer centred on a single mode of transport, but on a seamless, integrated network of options.
This shift is being driven by a powerful combination of technology and changing social attitudes. Digital platforms, known as Mobility as a Service (MaaS), are at the heart of this transformation. The concept is simple: an app on your phone becomes your key to the city, allowing you to plan, book, and pay for a journey that might combine a bus, a train, and an e-scooter all in one simple transaction.
Perhaps the most visible sign of this new era is the explosion of what is termed ‘micromobility’. A few years ago, the sight of adults on electric scooters would have been unusual. Now, they are a common feature in major cities worldwide. These compact, electrically-assisted vehicles are ideal for covering the crucial “first and last mile” of a journey—the distance between a transport hub and one’s final destination.
Of course, this new landscape is not without its challenges. The rapid influx of e-scooters and e-bikes has led to cluttered pavements and safety concerns, prompting cities to scramble to create new regulations and dedicated lanes. Furthermore, not all citizens have equal access to the smartphones and bank accounts required to use these services, risking the creation of a new ‘transport poor’ class.
All of this brings us to the long-anticipated, yet perpetually delayed, revolution of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Proponents argue that self-driving cars, integrated into a shared MaaS network, represent the ultimate solution. They could reduce the number of vehicles on the road dramatically, eliminate traffic accidents caused by human error, and free up vast tracts of land currently used for parking.
Ultimately, the most significant change may not be technological, but spatial. The real victory will come when we reclaim our cities from the car. Imagine streets not as traffic corridors, but as public spaces for people, lined with trees and cycle lanes, where children can play and cafes can spill out onto the pavement. This vision requires a brave political will to prioritise people over vehicles.
The goal is a city where the easiest, most affordable, and most pleasant option is also the most sustainable one. It’s a future where the concept of being ‘stuck in traffic’ becomes a relic of the past, and our cities become quieter, cleaner, and more human-centred places to live.
A However, sceptics point to the immense technological hurdles and ethical dilemmas that remain unresolved. The transition period, where human-driven and autonomous vehicles share the road, is predicted to be particularly problematic. Widespread adoption still seems to be a distant prospect, mired in complexity.
B This represents a fundamental cultural shift, especially among younger generations. For many, car ownership is no longer seen as a rite of passage but as an expensive, burdensome liability. Access to mobility is becoming more valued than ownership of a vehicle, a change comparable to the move from DVD collections to streaming services.
C This is not just about convenience; it’s a crucial piece of the puzzle. By making public transport more accessible and extending its effective range, these small devices can convince people to leave their cars at home more often, thus reducing overall congestion and emissions.
D This has led to a renewed focus on the most basic forms of transport: walking and cycling. Urban planners are now designing “15-minute cities,” where all essential services are within a quarter-hour walk or cycle from home. This model drastically reduces the need for motorised transport for daily errands.
E The demand-driven change is a move away from a one-size-fits-all solution towards a more flexible system. The aim is to make the combination of different transport modes so effortlessly accessible that it becomes more appealing than the hassle of owning, maintaining, and parking a private car.
F To address this, city authorities must play a proactive role, ensuring that physical and digital infrastructure is inclusive. This could mean subsidising fares for low-income users, maintaining traditional ticket options, and designing intuitive systems that don’t require a high level of digital literacy. Moreover, a system of fines should be in place to discourage recklessness when using the newly emerging modes of transportation.
G Consequently, the very fabric of our urban environment is set for its most significant transformation in a century. We are moving from a model of private ownership to one of shared access, from a gasoline-powered past to an electric, digitally-connected future.
For this task: Answers with explanations :: Vocabulary
