The Problems Of Getting Around The City Of Dar Es Salaam - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 21 Academic Reading Test 3 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
The problems of getting around the city of Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. Its population has increased eightfold since 1980 and swells by half a million people every year. United Nations projections anticipate it will become a megacity within seven years as its population passes 10 million, reaching 13.4 million by 2035. Daniel Hoornweg for the Global Cities Institute forecasts the city could be home to an incredible 73.7 million people by 2100.
Today, four out of five of its people live in single-storey informal settlements on the spreading edges of the city, where the journey to and from the centre regularly takes over two hours. It can be longer if rain turns the dirt roads to mud.
Even in the middle of the day, traffic frequently slows to a stop without warning. It is not unusual for cars and minibuses to queue for 20 minutes at a key intersection. A single suburban rail line serves residents in a few areas to the south but is tiny in the context of the wider city. Outside the centre many rely on boda boda (motorbike taxis) to navigate the narrow side streets and potholed mud roads that make up much of the metropolis. Their safety record is scandalous.
Dar es Salaam's reliance on four arterial roads into the city is a legacy of the colonial government that planned the city at the start of the 20th century to cater for a population of 35,000. Most of the current growth is made up of young people arriving from the countryside to find work, and as the population has exploded, Dar es Salaam has grown around those four highways. Nearly all the expansion is happening on the periphery, and nearly all takes place informally without any agreed strategy.
But Dar es Salaam is pinning its hopes on a solution that could offer a different model for Africa's megacities, giving them an alternative to a future controlled by the private car. Unlike many cities on the continent, Dar es Salaam isn't trying to build a metro. It has chosen a less exciting but cheaper and more achievable method: the bus.
The DART bus rapid transit (BRT) system runs on bus lanes separated from other traffic, mostly in the middle of the road to reduce stoppages. Ticket purchase and control takes place at stations prior to boarding and the buses are step-free, which means the entire route is accessible to people using wheelchairs or who are travelling with baby buggies.
'The new buses are much, much better,' says Paulas George, a young IT worker. He takes the bus every day and it has cut his journey time by two-thirds. He says it is not perfect, though, complaining that drivers often refuse to turn on the air conditioning to save fuel.
That is not the only problem. A shortage of buses after a serious flood at the main depot during the rainy season means the system is carrying 200,000 people a day - half the expected capacity. Smartcards can't be used as the mechanical readers aren't working either, forcing passengers to buy individual paper tickets for every journey. Each is printed with a scannable QR code, but there are no scanners. Staff stand by the gates and tear tickets as people enter. As a result, queues are considerable at peak times.
Morogoro Road to the north-west of the city was phase I of the BRT project. Phases II and III will install bus lanes along Nyerere Road to the south-west and Kilwa Road to the south. Construction on both routes is due to start imminently. Phase IV, towards Bagamoyo in the north, is in the preliminary design stage. 'Much of the city will have access to a world-class transport system within the space of a few years,' says Chris Kost, the Africa director of ITDP (the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy). All phases are being planned to high standards and, once complete, a third of city residents will be within a short walk of the BRT network.
The ITDP regrets Africa's obsession with metros. 'With a metro, an international firm will often just parachute in its own system,' says Kost. 'Bus rapid transit allows existing stakeholders to get involved. That's what we did in Dar es Salaam and what we're planning in Nairobi, where the bus bodies will be built in the city and local operators will look after tickets, fare collection and IT ...Bus rapid transit has been transformational for Dar es Salaam. For millions of people in African cities, this is their best hope of ever being connected.'
Questions
Questions 14–18 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Questions 19–26 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Dar es Salaam's DART Bus Rapid Transit system
Features
- the buses use designated 19 to cut down on delays
- passengers pay fares before 20
- passengers in 21 can use every part of the system
Problems
- the temperature control is sometimes not activated in order to reduce 22 use
- insufficient number of vehicles are available due to the effects of a severe 23
- passengers are unable to use 24 because some equipment is out of action
- tickets have to be checked manually at station 25
- 26 frequently build up during rush hours
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | NOT GIVEN | United Nations projections anticipate it will become a megacity within seven years as its population passes 10 million, reaching 13.4 million by 2035. Daniel Hoornweg for the Global Cities Institute forecasts the city could be home to an incredible 73.7 million people by 2100 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage lists guesses for the future population size made by the United Nations and a specific expert. However, these are current predictions, and the text does not say how they compare to older predictions from earlier years. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the passage does not tell us if the growth of the city is faster or slower than what people expected in the past. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the text provides facts about the current growth and future guesses about the population, it never mentions any older predictions from the past. To confirm the statement as true or false, the text would need to compare the current speed of growth to what was 'previously predicted.' Since there is no information about past expectations, we cannot determine if the population is rising more rapidly than them. |
| Q15 | FALSE | Today, four out of five of its people live in single-storey informal settlements on the spreading edges of the city | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that 80% (four out of every five) of the population lives in one-floor houses located on the outer parts of the city. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the statement says people live in tall buildings (high-rise blocks), but the text says they live in buildings with only one level (single-storey). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that 'four out of five' people in the city—which means a majority or 'most'—live in 'single-storey' settlements. 'Single-storey' refers to a building with only one floor, which is the exact opposite of 'high-rise blocks' mentioned in the question. While the location mentioned in the statement ('edge of the city') matches the text's 'spreading edges', the description of the buildings makes the whole statement factually incorrect based on the passage. |
| Q16 | NOT GIVEN | A single suburban rail line serves residents in a few areas to the south but is tiny in the context of the wider city | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that there is one train line for people living in the south, but it does not say if the city asked the people for their thoughts or feedback about it. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not provide information about whether people living in the city were asked for their opinions on the train system. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the text mentions the existence of a 'suburban rail line', it never says whether the residents were 'consulted' or asked for their 'views' about it. The passage only describes the rail line's location and notes that it is very small compared to the size of the whole city. |
| Q17 | TRUE | Nearly all the expansion is happening on the periphery, and nearly all takes place informally without any agreed strategy | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells us that almost all new buildings are being put up at the edges of the city without any official or organized plan. Answer Explanation: The answer TRUE means that most of the new homes being built in Dar es Salaam are not part of an official government plan. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage says that almost all new growth in the city happens 'informally' and 'without any agreed strategy.' These terms mean the growth is unplanned. Additionally, the phrase 'Nearly all' in the text confirms that this is true for the 'majority' of the development mentioned in the question. |
| Q18 | FALSE | Unlike many cities on the continent, Dar es Salaam isn't trying to build a metro. It has chosen a less exciting but cheaper and more achievable method: the bus | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Dar es Salaam is not like many other cities in Africa. Other cities are focused on building trains, but Dar es Salaam picked buses because they are less expensive and easier to create. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because Dar es Salaam's leaders did not follow the same public transport plan as many other African cities; they chose a different one. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that Dar es Salaam is doing something different from many other cities on the continent. While many other cities are trying to build 'metros' (underground or light rail trains), Dar es Salaam has decided to use a 'bus' system instead. The word 'Unlike' is a key synonym for 'different from', showing that Dar es Salaam's choice is not the same as the typical plan used by a large number of other African cities. |
| Q19 | lanes | The DART bus rapid transit (BRT) system runs on bus lanes separated from other traffic, mostly in the middle of the road to reduce stoppages | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the DART buses travel on specific parts of the road called lanes. Because these lanes are separated from other types of traffic, the buses do not have to stop as much as cars do. Answer Explanation: The answer "lanes" refers to special paths on the road made specifically for buses to drive in so they can avoid traffic from other cars. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "lanes" because the text explains that the DART bus system uses its own paths that are kept apart from other vehicles. These are called "bus lanes." By driving in these special areas, the buses don't have to stop as often for traffic, which helps reduce delays or "stoppages." |
| Q20 | boarding | Ticket purchase and control takes place at stations prior to boarding and the buses are step-free, which means the entire route is accessible to people using wheelchairs or who are travelling with baby buggies | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the process of buying and checking tickets happens at the bus stations before a passenger actually gets on the bus. Answer Explanation: The answer "boarding" means the act of getting onto a bus, train, or plane. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "boarding" because the passage explains that the system is designed for people to buy and check their tickets at the bus stations before they get on the vehicle. The phrase "prior to boarding" in the text directly matches the meaning of paying "before" getting on the bus as mentioned in the notes. |
| Q21 | wheelchairs | Ticket purchase and control takes place at stations prior to boarding and the buses are step-free, which means the entire route is accessible to people using wheelchairs or who are travelling with baby buggies | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that since there are no stairs to climb when getting on the bus, people moving in wheelchairs can travel along the whole bus route. Answer Explanation: The answer "wheelchairs" refers to the special chairs with wheels that help people who cannot walk to move from one place to another. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "wheelchairs" because the passage discusses how the DART system is designed to be easy for everyone to use. It mentions that because the buses do not have steps, the whole path is "accessible" (meaning easy to reach or use) for people who are using "wheelchairs". |
| Q22 | fuel | He says it is not perfect, though, complaining that drivers often refuse to turn on the air conditioning to save fuel | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that some bus drivers choose not to use the cooling system in the vehicles so that they do not use up too much gas or energy. Answer Explanation: The answer "fuel" refers to the energy source (like gasoline or diesel) that the bus needs to move and run its internal systems, such as air conditioning. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from a complaint made by a passenger in the passage. The notes mention that "temperature control" (which refers to air conditioning) is sometimes not used to reduce the use of a specific resource. The text explicitly states that drivers do not turn on the air conditioning because they want to "save fuel." Therefore, "fuel" is the resource being saved or used less. |
| Q23 | flood | A shortage of buses after a serious flood at the main depot during the rainy season means the system is carrying 200,000 people a day - half the expected capacity | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the bus system is only carrying half the people it should because many buses are missing after a major water event (a flood) hit the bus station. Answer Explanation: The answer 'flood' refers to a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry, often caused by heavy rain. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'flood' because the text explains that there are not enough buses (a 'shortage') because of a 'serious flood' that happened at the place where the buses are kept (the depot). In the question, the phrase 'insufficient number of vehicles' means there are not enough buses, and 'severe' is a synonym for 'serious'. |
| Q24 | smartcards | Smartcards can't be used as the mechanical readers aren't working either, forcing passengers to buy individual paper tickets for every journey | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that people cannot use their electronic travel cards because the machines that read them are broken. Because these machines don't work, people have to buy paper tickets instead. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to digital payment cards that people use to pay for their travel. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "smartcards" because the passage mentions that they cannot be used at the moment. This is because the "mechanical readers" (the machines or equipment used to scan the cards) are not working or are "out of action." |
| Q25 | gates | Staff stand by the gates and tear tickets as people enter | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that due to broken scanners, workers are positioned at the station entrances to physically tear the paper tickets as commuters go inside. Answer Explanation: The answer "gates" refers to the entry points at the bus stations where staff members must manually check or tear passenger tickets. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage's description of technical failures within the ticketing system. Because the QR code scanners are non-functional, employees are forced to perform the task of ticket verification by hand. The text specifies that these employees perform this manual task while standing at the gates, which aligns with the notes stating that tickets are checked manually at station gates. |
| Q26 | queues | As a result, queues are considerable at peak times | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that long lines of people (queues) form during the busiest times of the day (peak times) because the ticketing system is not working perfectly. Answer Explanation: The answer 'queues' refers to lines of people waiting for their turn to be served or to move forward. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'queues' because the passage explicitly mentions that because of the manual ticket-checking process, lines of people become quite long during the busiest parts of the day. In the passage, 'considerable' suggests they 'build up' or become large, and 'peak times' is a common synonym for 'rush hours'. |