Identifying key information

Based on the information presented in the article, answer the following questions:
1. What’s the articles’ main idea?

a. There are many ways to transport goods.

b. Transport is very important in international trade.
c. There are several factors companies need to consider when deciding on what type
of transport to use
d. Depending on the mode of transport, companies can be more efficient and save
money.

2. According to the article, what are some of the factors a company needs to take into
account when choosing the method of transport to deliver their goods?

a. Business type and expertise

b. Sending cost and type of goods
c. Type and value of goods, sending cost, destination, and risk of transportation
d. Weather conditions and customers’ requirements

3. What mode of transport allows companies to transport large quantities at a low cost?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport

4. What method of transport is more flexible in terms of routes and timetables?

a. Rail transport
b. Air transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport

5. What methods of transport require companies to spend more money on further

transportation costs to take goods to their final destination?

a. Rail transport and sea transport

b. Air transport and road transport
c. Road transport
d. Sea transport, air transport and rail transport

6. When is it necessary to complete a dangerous goods declaration?

a. When the goods are being transported to countries located in Europe, North Africa
or the Middle East.
 b. When the goods are being transported by rail.
c. When the goods that are being transported have a UN dangerous goods code.
d. When the goods are being transported with no insurance.

2. Finding similar words

The following wordlist contains words from the article on methods of international transport.
For each word find a word with the same or similar meaning (synonym).

Word Synonym
Trade TIE UP
Ensure DEAL
Efficient EFFECTIVE
Requirement CONDICTION
Quick FAST
Risk DANGEROUS
Send REFER
Customer BUYER
Suitable ADEQUATE
Delay POSTPONE
Deliver GRANT
Currency MONEY
Insurance SAFE

3. Find the missing words

Choose the option that better completes the following passage:

When __________ freight internationally, it’s ______ to choose the appropriate

mode of transportation to _______your products arrive on time and at the right cost.
Your _______ to ship by land, sea, or air depends on a careful evaluation of business
______ and a __________ of the benefits each method affords. Picking the best
possible mode of transportation is ________to export success.

a. Selling / irrelevant / ensure / decision / costs / comparison / noncritical

b. Transporting / important / ensure / decision / needs / comparison /critical
c. Transporting / irrelevant / support / comparison / needs / assessment /critical
 d. Selling / relevant / ensure / decision / needs / comparison / critical

4. Summarizing ideas visually

LOGISTIC TRANSPORTATION

COMPLY WITH LOADING

TRANSPORT MODES AND LOGISTICS NETWORK
REQUIREMENT IS
CHARACTERISTICS DESING
OBLIGATORY

TYPE OF LOAD TO BE
TRANSPORTED, COST,
HAIGWAY, AIR, RAIL AND RELIABILITY, DELIVERY
WATER TIME, IMFORMATION
SYSTEMS AND IF YOUR
CARGO IS VALUABLE

5. Matching headings

Headings are short sentences that summarize the information in a paragraph. You have to
pick the one that best summarizes the information in the following paragraphs. Match each
paragraph in the reading text to one heading. Be careful, there are always more headings
than paragraphs.

PARAGRAPH 3
 Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

 Rail transport uses

 Means of transportation
 PARAGRAPH 1
 Factors that influence company’s decision on which type of transport to use

PARAGRAPH 4
 Rail transport benefits

PARAGRAPH 2
 Difficulties of transporting goods by rail

6. Making comparisons

Based on the article on methods of international transport complete the following

comparison chart by listing the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of
transportation.

Air transport See transport Road transport Rail transport

-FAST - IS USED TO -THE -IT IS SPEEDY

-RELIABLE TRANSPORT FLEXIBILITY -IT IS
-FRECUENCY LARGE -SPEED IN ECOFRIENDLY
Advantages DELIVERING QUANTITIES DELIVERING -LARGE MASS
SERVICE OF GOODS MOVEMENT OF
-IT ALLOWS GOODS
YOU TO GET
TO OTHER
CONTINENTS
-HIGH PRICE - THIS IS NOT -BAD STATE -VERY EXPENSIVE
-REQUIRES VERY OF THE -TRAIN
OTHER FLEXIBLE ROADS TRANSPORTATION
Disadvantages MEANS -REQUIRES IS SLOW
OTHER
MEANS