Results from a Shared Cargo-Bike Trial
About this practice test
A reading about a shared cargo-bike trial, its practical uses, mixed travel results, methodological limits and cautious plans for expansion.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
12 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- True / False / Not Given
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
Results from a Shared Cargo-Bike Trial
Last spring, the city transport team ran a ten-week shared cargo-bike trial in Riverford, a district with narrow streets and many small flats. The project tested a simple idea: if residents could borrow cargo bikes locally and free at first, would they use them for everyday journeys that were awkward by car, on foot, or by bus? Twelve bikes were placed at six public depots near the market, the library, and two tram stops. Anyone with a library card could unlock a bike through an app, and the first hour of each trip was free. By the end of the trial, 418 rides had been recorded. The most common reason was shopping for bulky goods, such as pet food, water, and boxes of school supplies. Parents on the school run formed the second-largest group, and most rides happened on Saturdays. A few users also borrowed the bikes for short moves between flats, because the front box could carry small pieces of furniture that would not fit on a normal cycle. The results were more mixed than the team first expected. In the exit survey, 61% of users said they would have taken a car for the same journey, but 23% said they would have walked, and 16% said they would have used the bus. This mattered because the trial was intended to replace car trips, not to compete with the cheapest options. Still, several people said the bikes saved time on journeys that involved parking, loading, and unloading. The team had expected more walking and fewer bus journeys, so the split surprised them. For the operators, that mattered as much as the raw total, because it suggested the service was reaching the people they had hoped to reach. Not every outcome was positive. Three riders reported that the bike felt heavy on the steepest hill, especially when the box was full, and one depot recorded no use at all during the first fortnight. Even so, the average booking lasted only 24 minutes, which suggested that people were using the bikes for practical errands rather than long leisure rides. The operators also noticed that traffic on the busiest shopping street did not rise during the trial, although they did not claim this proved anything about city-wide congestion. Two users said they avoided the steepest streets when possible, and the team noted that some riders preferred quieter side streets when the boxes were full. The report was careful about its limits. It covered only one neighbourhood and relied on voluntary sign-ups, so the users were already more interested in cycling than the general population. The sample was too small to estimate how much pollution or fuel use the scheme might save across the whole city. For that reason, the authors described the trial as a 'usefulness check' rather than a final verdict. They also noted that the shared bikes were cheaper to hire than private cargo bikes, but still cost more than an ordinary city bike. They compared the hire price with the cost of renting a van for a short move, but they did not treat that comparison as exact. At the end, the team recommended keeping the service for another season and adding clearer parking signs at the depots. They did not ask for a fleet in every district; instead, they argued for a slower expansion so that maintenance, charging, and booking problems could be fixed first. In their view, the trial showed that shared cargo bikes are most effective when they are easy to find, simple to borrow, and used for short errands where carrying capacity matters more than speed. They planned to review the service again after the next winter, when demand for shopping trips might change. They expected that a colder season might reduce casual borrowing but increase shopping trips before weekends.
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Question 1 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The trial compared Riverford with a similar district in another city.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage explains the trial’s limits and describes Riverford on its own, but it does not mention any comparison with another city or district. That means the statement is not supported and not contradicted.
It covered only one neighbourhood and relied on voluntary sign-ups
The sample was too small to estimate how much pollution or fuel use the scheme might save across the whole city
True: Incorrect: no such comparison is described.
False: Incorrect: the passage does not say the opposite; it simply gives no information about this.
Not Given: Correct: the passage never mentions a comparison with another city or district.
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Question 2 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
Most rides were long leisure rides.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- False
False. The passage says the average booking lasted only 24 minutes and that people used the bikes for practical errands rather than long leisure rides. So the statement directly contradicts the text.
the average booking lasted only 24 minutes, which suggested that people were using the bikes for practical errands rather than long leisure rides
True: Incorrect: the passage says the rides were practical errands, not long leisure rides.
False: Correct: the passage directly contradicts this statement.
Not Given: Incorrect: the passage does give enough information to judge this statement.
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Question 3 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The authors described the trial as a usefulness check rather than a final verdict.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- True
True. This wording is given almost exactly in the passage, so the statement is correct. The other options fail because the text directly confirms it.
the authors described the trial as a 'usefulness check' rather than a final verdict
True: Correct: the passage uses this exact description.
False: Incorrect: the passage says this directly.
Not Given: Incorrect: the description is explicitly stated in the passage.
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Question 4 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The operators said traffic on the busiest shopping street increased during the trial.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- False
False. The passage says traffic did not rise, so the statement contradicts the text. It is not True, because the wording is directly opposite, and not Not Given, because the result is reported clearly.
The operators also noticed that traffic on the busiest shopping street did not rise during the trial
True: Incorrect: the passage says traffic did not rise.
False: Correct: the passage directly contradicts this statement.
Not Given: Incorrect: the direction of change is stated in the passage.
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Question 5 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The council agreed to add more bikes immediately after the trial ended.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage says the team recommended slower expansion and keeping the service for another season, but it does not say the council agreed to do anything immediately after the trial. The action is not established.
At the end, the team recommended keeping the service for another season and adding clearer parking signs at the depots
They did not ask for a fleet in every district; instead, they argued for a slower expansion
True: Incorrect: the passage does not say the council agreed to this.
False: Incorrect: the passage does not contradict it directly; it simply does not mention such an agreement.
Not Given: Correct: the council’s immediate decision is not stated.
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Question 6 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The shared bikes were painted green to match the library.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage mentions the library as a depot and compares the bikes’ cost with other bikes, but it says nothing about colour or matching the library. The detail is absent, not contradicted.
Twelve bikes were placed at six public depots near the market, the library, and two tram stops
They also noted that the shared bikes were cheaper to hire than private cargo bikes, but still cost more than an ordinary city bike
True: Incorrect: the passage never says anything about the bikes being green.
False: Incorrect: the passage does not give the opposite information either.
Not Given: Correct: colour is not mentioned in the passage.
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Question 7 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The bikes were available around the clock.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Not Given
Not Given. The passage says when the first hour was free and how the bikes were unlocked, but it never states the opening hours or whether they were available all day and night. So the detail is missing, not confirmed or denied.
Anyone with a library card could unlock a bike through an app, and the first hour of each trip was free
True: Incorrect: the passage does not state that the bikes were available all day and night.
False: Incorrect: the passage does not say the bikes were unavailable around the clock.
Not Given: Correct: the passage gives no information about opening hours.
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Question 8 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
Several users said the bikes saved time on journeys that involved parking, loading, and unloading.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- True
True. The passage states exactly this, so the statement matches the text. It is not False, because the text supports it, and not Not Given, because the users’ comments are explicitly reported.
several people said the bikes saved time on journeys that involved parking, loading, and unloading
True: Correct: the passage reports that some users said the bikes saved time in this way.
False: Incorrect: the passage says the opposite, not this.
Not Given: Incorrect: the information is clearly stated in the passage.
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Question 9 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The bikes were available from six public depots.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- True
True. The passage says the bikes were placed at six public depots, so the statement matches the text. It is not False, because the text does not say they were delivered to homes, and it is not Not Given, because the number and location are stated directly.
Twelve bikes were placed at six public depots near the market, the library, and two tram stops
True: Correct: the passage states that the bikes were placed at six public depots.
False: Incorrect: the passage directly says there were six public depots.
Not Given: Incorrect: the number and location of the depots are given explicitly.
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Question 10 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
Shopping for bulky goods was the most common reason for borrowing a bike.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- True
True. The passage directly says this was the most common reason, and then gives examples of bulky goods. The other options fail because the text supports the statement rather than opposing it or leaving it unstated.
The most common reason was shopping for bulky goods, such as pet food, water, and boxes of school supplies
True: Correct: the passage says shopping for bulky goods was the most common reason.
False: Incorrect: the text says exactly the opposite of this.
Not Given: Incorrect: the reason is stated clearly in the passage.
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Question 11 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
The sample was large enough to estimate pollution savings across the whole city.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- False
False. The passage says the sample was too small to make that estimate, so the statement contradicts the text. It is not True, and not Not Given, because the limitation is stated plainly.
The sample was too small to estimate how much pollution or fuel use the scheme might save across the whole city
True: Incorrect: the passage says the sample was too small.
False: Correct: the passage directly says the sample was too small to estimate this.
Not Given: Incorrect: the size of the sample and its limits are clearly stated.
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Question 12 · True / False / Not Given
Decide whether the statement agrees with the information. Choose Not Given when the text or recording does not provide the information.
Anyone could unlock a bike without a library card.
Return to the passage, recording or visual- True
- False
- Not Given
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- False
False. The passage says a library card was required, so the statement contradicts the text. It is not True, because the condition is explicit, and not Not Given, because the access rule is stated directly.
Anyone with a library card could unlock a bike through an app
True: Incorrect: the passage requires a library card.
False: Correct: the passage says only people with a library card could unlock a bike.
Not Given: Incorrect: the access rule is clearly stated in the passage.
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.