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_ Traffic Jam
| In many countries, almost everyone
drives a car. But this means terrible traffic jams
Hi and air pollution. Read this story and find out:
Why doesnt Singapore have a car problem?
In many big Asian cities, such as Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo, there isa
5 flood of cars, tracks and buses on the streets. This has caused terrible
traffic jams chat pollute the air.
One large city; Singapore, is an exception. There are no traf-
py fc jams. Its air is lean—free from pollution. Teonly takes fFcen
minutes to drive from the city to the airport.
This happy situation is no aceident. Iris the resulc of a
i cen pre fight air pollution and traffic jams. The
government has simply made it very expensive to own and drive
a car in Singapore. The program requires anyone who wants a car
u” buy-a permit.
A 10-year permit to own a'car ean cost as much as f
US$75,000. And when you add sales and import taxes of 195 per-
___ cent to the cost of buying a car, residents of Singapore might pay
over US$250,000 to get a car and a permit.
5 In addition to the cose of owning a car, drivers in Singapore
must pay to enter downtown of weekdays, And there is a big. tax
= on gasoline
As nice as this sounds, ic might nd work in other places,
Think about your city. Think about how many people own their own
~ cars and use them for work and pleasure. How would everyone feel if
it became too expensive to own and drive cars? I
‘There might be other problems. Would the public transporta-
tion system—the buses and trains—be able to handle all of the people
who used to drive their own cars? And are the buses and trains conve-
niente for everyone?
“Clearly, something must be done to change people’ lifestyles
in the world’s large cities. Pollution from cars and trucks has already
caused serious damage to the earch’ environment and ie will get worse
5 and worse. Perhaps Singapore has the right answer after all.
soto! What do you think about the car problem in large cities? =
Liliane Check the opinions you agree with.
1 Other large cities should do what Cl What Singapore did is crazy. Ies
Singapore has done,
impossible co do in our city.
ZA
We should do what
ingapore has done, bur only
gtadually, step by step.
1 Tunderstand che problem,
Bue I just cast live without a car
should develop solar or
clectric cars, Then the prob-
lem of pollution will be gone.
Now exchange your ideas with a classmate,
Turn To Pace 817 For aw INTERACTION TIP.
Pe ty York with @ partner, Ask your partner these questions:
Can you drive? Do you have a car? Does anybody in your family have a car?
How'do you go frorn your home to these places?
Car Bus Taxi Train Subway Walk Bicycle
school
work
hospital
shopping
movies
station
post office
