Read the text.

Choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentences, according to the previous text.

1) Before the 18th century, _________________.

A) many of the roads were paved B) man built the railway to help himself C) the means of transportation were very slow D) there were many ports near the

communities

2) After the development of railways, _________________________.

A) boats traveled faster to the ports B) the use of oxcarts was increased C) man could export banana and coffee easily D) men took two weeks to travel to the Central

Plateau

3) The transportation system in Costa Rica ____________________.

A) has only paved road now B) gets to most of the communities C) is as uncomfortable and slow as before D) are formed by walking, horse, boat and ship,

nowadays

4) The text says that ____________________.

A) Costa Rica has a well-developed transportation system

B) there is no way for people to travel to the nearest town

C) international airlines are not for foreigners D) Tico airlines reach every community

5) One negative consequence of modern transportation is the ____________________.

A) easy and fast transportation everywhere B) traffic jam in the main roads C) decrease of road accidents D) availability of more roads

Traditionally in Costa Rica, the most popular means of transportation were walking, horse, boat, and oxcart. Then in the late 19th century railways were built to facilitate the export of the main agricultural crops, coffee and bananas. Before the development of railways, transportation was very slow; it could take weeks for oxcarts to travel from the Central Plateau to the ports. Also since there were no paved roads, it was very uncomfortable. Now transportation in modern Costa Rica is easier, faster and more comfortable. A network of expressways paved and unpaved roads means that buses, cars and trucks reach almost every community in the country. People can travel to the towns and cities to work, study and buy things not available in their local easily. International airlines take Ticos abroad and bring many tourists, particularly destinations within Costa Rica. However, modern transportation has its disadvantages. The sharp increase in road traffic means that roads, particularly in and around San Jose are often blocked by traffic jams; pollution is reaching dangerous, and many people are injured or die in road

accidents.

Read the text. Choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentences, from the reading above. 1) Buses are the main support of the public transportation in Costa Rica because

___________________________.

A) all of the buses are seldom on time B) most of the people use this service daily C) some people can take buses only in San José D) a lot of people can see the views of Costa Rica

2) Some advantages of the bus services are ___________________________.

A) condition, distribution and interest B) punctuality, reliability and security C) comfort, costing and danger D) fares, schedule and location

3) An advantage of using public transportation is that ___________________________.

A) it is not a cheap service B) all of the buses are first class C) an unlimited number of people can travel by bus D) buses are taken in San José to go to other places

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN COSTA RICA The bus system is the most important of the public transportation system in Costa Rica. This system is very useful for people who do not know how to drive or for people who do not have a car. Moreover, this is not an expensive service, and most of the people uses it. This service has the advantage that many people can travel by bus and enjoy the excellent views Costa Rica offers. The public bus system is reliable, timely and safe. Normally the buses are in very good condition and most arrive on time. First-class bus companies offer round trip fares to various points of interest, as well as to neighboring countries, Panamá and Nicaragua. San José is the gateway to the rest of the country and it is an excellent place to centralize travel plans. The road is generally in good condition but it is mountainous in some areas. During the rainy season always be on the lookout for falling rocks and mud slides. Besides, there are some potholes in the roads, so bus drivers must drive carefully and look ahead.

Adapted from Naturally Costa Rica Magazine-1997

Read the following text. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences, from the previous text. 1) The first bicycle __________________________.

A) had a simple design B) was built in England C) had soft tires filled with air D) was made by English mechanics

2) Mechanics from England, Scotland, and France __________________________.

A) made important improvements in bicycles B) participated in a bike race C) invented the first bicycle D) built a cheaper bicycle

Cycling

The first bicycle was built in France, in the late 1700’s. It was a simple design – two wheels attached to a wooden bar. The rider moved it by pushing with his feet. In the early 1800’s, appeared several important improvements, a way to move the bicycle by running the wheels with the feet, soft tires filled with air, and a simple way to steer. Most of these improvements were made by clever mechanics in England, Scotland, and France.

The first international bicycle racing took place in 1833, in Chicago. Three years later, bicycle racing was an important event in the first modern Olympic Games, in Athens. Now there are six main events for men and one for women.

The two main types of events are the indoor track events, and the outdoor road events. The indoor events are on a special track called a velodrome. For the track events, the cyclists use a special bike (a short word for bicycle). It has only one speed and it doesn’t have any brakes. In the road events, they use a ten or twelve speed bicycle, with brakes.

Adapted from Summer Olympic Games

TRACK BIKE

3) In 1833, __________________________ took place.

A) a visit to Athens B) the Olympic games C) the invention of the bicycle D) an international bicycle racing

4) The bicycle racing __________________________.

A) was the longest event in the Olympic games in 1833 B) is only practiced with bikes with one speed C) is still an Olympic game event D) was exclusively for women

5) In the indoor events, __________________________.

A) one wheel bikes are used B) the bicycles run over any road C) several mechanics participated in Chicago D) a velodrome is necessary for bicycle racing

6) A bike for outdoor events needs ______________________.

A) one speed B) a wooden bar C) a special track D) many speeds and brakes

7) The bike for indoor games doesn't have ______________________.

A) brakes B) wheels C) cyclists D) any speed

Read the text. Choose the appropriate alternative to answer the questions, from the text. 8) What's the percentage of foreign tourists that rent a car in Costa Rica?

A) Almost 50%. B) Nearly 100%. C) More than 60%. D) More than 50%.

9) According to the text, what's an advantage of travelling by car?

A) It's cheap. B) Tourists can't rent it. C) You can't go anywhere. D) It's a distinct obligation out of the city.

10) What happens to the roads out of the Meseta Central? They ____________________.

A) have highways B) have many lines C) are in bad conditions D) are in excellent conditions

Travelling by car is really cheap. Nearly half of foreign tourists to Costa Rica rent a car. Exploring the country by car allows total freedom of movement. They can cover a lot of places without the time interruption of buses, and they can stop anywhere they want. The exception is San José where a car can be a distinct obligation. A disadvantage is that the car on working hours, is a furious animal, and every pedestrian is a "torero". Highways join many of the mayor towns in the Meseta Central where roads are well marked. Most popular beaches can be reached by car. Out of the Meseta, however, roads generally are deteriorated.

Adapted from Costa Rica Handbook Cristopher P. Baker

11) What is a difference between roads in San José and out of it? Streets are ____________________ in San José.

A) very long B) very wide C) too narrow D) well-marked

12) Why do most tourists rent a car? Because ____________________.

A) it is obligated for them B) it is easy to explore the country C) they remain in La Meseta Central D) the roads are well-marked and easy to drive

13) Who is the pedestrian?

A) All people that work hard. B) The person who likes cars. C) People who stop to see animals. D) The person who walks in the streets.

14) What is the text about? The ____________________.

A) furious pedestrians B) Costa Rican highways C) Costa Rican bad roads D) tourists' use of transportation

Read the information. Choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentences, from the previous information. 1) According to the text, in America _____________________.

A) all people travel by car B) all people travel by bus C) there are many means of transportation D) the bus is the only mean of transportation

2) To Travel by bus is _______________.

A) very fast B) unexpensive C) more expensive D) only for workers

3) According to this text, ____________________.

A) workers prefer to drive to work B) Americans can live without buses C) students take the yellow bus to school D) people choose to ride a bike than on a bus

Buses are the most important means of transportation for millions of Americans; yellow school buses carry students to and from the schools every weekday. Local buses carry workers between one city and another.

Buses are cheaper than other means of transportation to drive to work or to school. There are many means of transportation in the different regions of America. People can ride a horse, a bike, a motorcycle or travel by car, truck or taxi, but without buses many Americans can’t get where they are going.

Read the text. Choose the appropriate alternative to answer the questions, from the previous reading. 1) What is the Louisiana School teaching? About __________________________.

A) some rules of conducting on transportation B) the attention to other schools in the state C) the respect to the school principal D) some use of posters in class

2) How does the Principal teach the students? By __________________________.

A) putting different colored posters on the school bus monthly B) having them painting the classroom colors every month C) forcing them making drawings about rules D) placing messages on the school walls

3) Who creates the illustrations?

A) Willie Jones. B) Four agents. C) The principal. D) Eugena Manning

Rules for the road

A Louisiana school is making campaign to teach children lessons of respect on the school bus, it is calling the attention to other schools in the state. The school principal places a different brightly colored poster on the school bus every month. The illustrations have messages such as “Obey the rules”, “Keep your bus clean”, etc. The idea came from four agents. The artist Eugena Manning drew the nice illustrations.

For more information contact Willie J. Jones Director/Supervisor of Federal Programs and Transportation at the School Board.

Adapted from American School Board

Read the selection. Choose the appropriate alternative to answer the questions, from the reading. 1) Why does Al Young need transportation? Because he ________________________.

A) finds out the bus is the fastest B) thinks schedules are wrong C) wants to get to work early D) wants to be late for work

2) Which aspect is the most important to Al?

A) His work schedule. B) The bus frequency. C) The subway duration. D) The means of transportation he takes.

3) Why does Al decide to take the subway? Because ________________________.

A) it is faster B) he will be late C) he saves time traveling D) it runs more frequently

Al Young is looking for transportation to get to work. Time is very important to Al because he doesn’t want to be late for work. The train is the slowest means of transportation. From transportation schedules Al finds out that the bus is the fastest. It takes fifteen minutes for Al to get to work by bus. But the bus doesn’t run very frequently. It only runs once every hour. If Al can’t get the 7:00 bus, he has to wait until 8:00 and he will be late. Al will go to work by subway. It takes thirty minutes by subway, but the subway runs every fifteen minutes.

Adapted from Smash

Read the text.

Choose the appropriate alternative to answer the questions, from the previous text.

1) How often does "La Periférica" leave?

Each ________________ minutes.

A) ten B) ninety C) eleven D) twenty

2) How is "La Periférica"?

A) nice and expensive. B) expensive and comfortable. C) uncomfortable and cheaper. D) comfortable and inexpensive.

3) What's "La Periférica"? It's ______________________________.

A) just a tourist bus B) the most expensive bus in Guadalupe C) a bus stop across the street from Monpik D) a bus that goes through the urban and suburban areas

For some tourists who want to visit some places near San José, the capital of Costa Rica, there is a cheap and comfortable way to tour. For ¢110. "La Periférica" bus takes you in a 90 minutes trip through the urban and suburban places around the city. It’s not expensive. This bus leaves very early in the morning every 20 minutes. One can take this bus in front of the University of Costa Rica. To go to Zapote or San Fransico, take the bus across the street from Monpik’s front door. To Guadalupe, you just walk to the other side. The bus stop is around the corner and across the street. This bus is more than a mean of transportation. It’s an easy way of travelling in a short period of time visiting San José.

Read the information. Based on the information above, choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentences. 1) The main idea of the reading is to let people know about _______________________.

A) places they can visit when traveling B) ways to get cheaper tickets C) the high price of tickets D) how to travel to Tokyo

2) A way of getting plane tickets at a lower cost is by ___________________________.

A) paying $1,800 to the airline B) buying the ticket at the last minute C) traveling from Los Angeles to Tokyo D) buying a ticket you can not return, some months before

Do you know how to get inexpensive airline and train tickets?

On a recent flight, Laura was talking happily with the woman in the next seat –until the conversation turned to fares. The woman, who bought her ticket two months in advance, paid $109. Laura paid the full fare of $457. She decided that next time she would find out how to travel for less.

Here are some ways to travel for less: Cheap airline tickets. To fly for less money, you can buy non-refundable plane tickets two or three months before your trip. The cheapest way to fly is as a courier. In return for delivering a package for a courier company, you get a plane ticket that costs as little as one-quarter of the regular fare – or even less if the company needs someone at the last minute. Recently, a courier flew round trip from Los Angeles to Tokyo for $100; a regular ticket costs around $1,800. Train passes. If you’re going to do a lot of traveling by train, a train pass will save you money. Buying a single pass gives you unlimited travel for a period of time. Train passes can be especially useful in India, which has the world’s largest rail system; in Japan where trains are fast and convenient; and in Europe where trains go to over 30,000 cities.

3) When traveling by train, you can save money _________________________.

A) buying a train pass B) going to many different cities C) visiting different places in India D) traveling on the largest rail system

4) Laura learned she can _________________________.

A) fly everywhere buying the tickets in the courier company B) buy some plane tickets for a cheaper price C) pay more money to travel in a better seat D) find out about full fare tickets next time

5) The least expensive flight tickets are _________________________.

A) those used in round trips B) those used in regular flights C) the ones bought in Los Angeles and Tokyo D) the ones acquired by couriers at the last moment

6) The text says that ______________________________.

A) a single train pass can be used many times within a fixed period. B) in India, the rail system is not well-developed. C) traveling by train is a new system in Europe. D) the less develop rail system is in Japan.

Read the dialogue. Choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentence, according to the dialogue. 1) Tom and Mary are talking about ________________.

A) Tom’s trip B) a plane ticket C) a modern city D) Internet information

2) Tom is planning to ________________.

A) drive to Liberia B) take a week vacation C) go to the beach with Mary D) look for information in internet

3) Tom says that ________________________________.

A) Mary will rent a car. B) in the Papagayo Gulf there are nice people. C) there is easy access to beaches from Liberia. D) it is very expensive to buy a plane ticket in Liberia.

Situation: Tom is talking to Mary about his trip plan for a week.

Tom: I’m going to Liberia next week.

Mary: How are you traveling?

Tom: By plane. It’s more expensive, but it’s the fastest way to get there. Liberia has a modern international airport.

Mary: That’s interesting. Why do you want to go there?

Tom: Because Liberia has everything: nice weather, warm people and the most beautiful beaches are very near, around the Papagayo Gulf. You can go to the beaches by bus or you can rent a car.

Mary: Where did you get that information?

Tom: On Internet.

Mary: I’m sure you’ll have a great time.

Tom: I know I will.

Read the text. Choose the appropriate alternative to answer the questions, according to the information above. 4) Where are Peter and Grace? In ________________________.

A) the baseball field B) Time Square C) Central Park D) a hotel

5) What do Peter and Grace plan? To ________________________________.

A) go to Central Park B) take a walk near the hotel C) rent boats in Time Square D) play at the baseball field with some boys

6) What do Peter and Grace do just before they get to the hotel again? They

_______________.

A) take a taxi B) travel in a boat C) walk in Central Park D) drink something in a coffee shop

GOING TO CENTRAL PARK Peter and Grace are in a hotel. They plan an activity. They want to go out for a walk. They want to go to Central Park. That place is not near the hotel. First, they take a bus and then they take a taxi to get to that park. There, they begin to walk. Then they arrive at a baseball field and say “Hello” to some boys who are playing. A special park service rents boats to sail in the lake. Peter and Grace decide to travel by boat for few a minutes. After the boat travel, Peter wants to continue the walking to Time Square, but Grace is tired and thirsty. They decide to go to drink something to a cafeteria. Then, they take a taxi to come back to their hotel again.

Adapted From “Basic English”, 1999

Read the following text. Choose the appropriate alternative to complete the sentences, from the text above.

1) According to the reading, __________________________.

A) Italy has the highest traffic jam B) The United States presents geography problems C) France is considered to have more vehicles in Europe D) Great Britain has the highest ratio in vehicles per kilometer

2) There are fewer roads in Italy because __________________________.

A) this country is bigger than the rest of the countries B) this country is very mountainous C) the roads are crowded D) they are not necessary

3) A consequence of the heavy traffic in Italy is the __________________________.

A) clean air B) fewer roads C) blocked highway D) low accident rate

The country with the most crowded roads is Italy. There is an average of 150.1 vehicles (cars, trucks, and buses) per kilometer on the roads in Italy. This can be compared with the vehicles-per-kilometer ratios of other European countries. The ratio varies from 90.2 in France to 115.2 in Great Britain. In the United States, the ratio is 70.6. Part of the reason for Italy’s higher ratio lies in its geography. Because much of the country is mountainous, there are fewer roads. Thus the traffic is more concentrated on those few roads. This fact has caused some serious problems. Many cities and highways are often blocked by terrible traffic jams. The heavy traffic has also meant a high accident rate for Italy. And finally, all those

cars add to Italy’s air pollution.