Do you have a bike-sharing scheme where you live? In London there are the so-called 'Boris bikes' (named after Boris Johnson, who launched them in 2010 after being inspired by the success of a similar scheme in Paris, which is mentioned in this reading).

This is a Section 2 Academic Text with 3 types of questions: Matching Statements, Choosing from a List and Gapfill.

So whenever there's a lot to do, the text is slightly easier. This is a chronological text (in order of time) and is suitable for General Training practice too.

It has some fantastic language that you can use in your writing e.g.

• urban bike-sharing scheme
• an answer to the threats of air pollution and consumerism.
• The police were opposed to the initiatives
• The council rejected ('turned down') the plan.
• 'The bicycle belongs to the past'
• That mentality has totally changed.
• By 1999, people had become more environmentally conscious.
• The system, however, was prone to vandalism and theft.
• The Parisian bike-sharing programme now boasts more than 20000 bicycles.
• Amsterdam is regarded as one of the two most cycle-friendly captials in the world.
• Today everybody longs for cities that are not dominated by cars.

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See you next weekend,

All the best

Fiona