Taller: Reading workshop: International transport

Read the article Methods of international transport taken from the website
Exportiamo.it and complete the following reading comprehension tasks:

1. 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

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 Business
Efficient Effective
Requirement Demand
Risk Dander
Send Transport
Customer Consumer
Suitable Indicated
Delay Tardiness
Deliver Provision
Currency Cash
Insurance Consolidated

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. 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 Rail transport
transport

he main cities have It is an when it is less expensive

airports economical and geographically than other
flexible feasible means of
Advantages When the shipment is alternative transport
very small and does by truck it is
not meet the ocean freight is less expensive
minimum size generally less
requirements for a expensive than
shipment via truck or air transport
ocean

Transportation time
and wait is shorter

Air freight is more Ocean small shipments lack of

expensive than other shipments can that fit inside a infrastructure
modes of transport take 30-45 days trailer
Disadvantages the
you can not merchandise
The shipment is send perishable are exposed to
sensitive to goods many vibrations
vibrations and
movement