Actividad de aprendizaje 6

Evidencia 5: Reading workshop: International transport

Durante la vida académica, es muy común enfrentarse a todo tipo de textos en los
que usualmente se presenta información de carácter técnico relacionada con el
área de estudio en la que nos desempeñamos. Gran parte de este compilado de
información se encuentra escrito en lengua inglesa por ser esta una de las más
utilizadas en las comunidades científicas y académicas a nivel internacional.

Por lo anterior, es importante que desarrolle habilidades de comprensión de

lectura que le permitan relacionarse con textos académicos y técnicos escritos en
la lengua extranjera con facilidad. Tenga en cuenta que la lectura de estos textos
no se limita al solo reconocimiento de palabras, sino que debe ejercitar habilidades
más complejas que le permitan, por ejemplo, extraer ideas principales y
secundarias, hacer inferencias, encontrar argumentos y opiniones, así como
identificar vocabulario e información específica.

Con el propósito de ayudarle a desarrollar estas habilidades, se ha propuesto la

presente evidencia de aprendizaje la cual consiste en realizar la lectura de un
texto sobre métodos de transporte internacional y desarrollar los ejercicios de
comprensión de información que se proponen en el taller de lectura denominado
Reading workshop: international transport.

Para realizar esta evidencia, debe:

• Leer el texto Methods of international transport que se encuentra disponible en

el material complementario.
• Una vez realizada la lectura, desarrolle el taller Reading workshop: international
transport.
• Complete los ejercicios propuestos en el taller y guarde el documento
correspondiente en formato .pdf o .doc.
• Envíe el taller totalmente diligenciado a su instructor por medio de la plataforma
de aprendizaje, en la evidencia relacionada.
Nota: para el desarrollo de esta evidencia se deben tener en cuenta el material de
formación “Means of transportation” y los materiales complementarios
pertenecientes a esta actividad de aprendizaje.

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

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 deal
Ensure consolidate
Efficient Effective
Requirement condition
Quick soon
Risk exposition
Send refer
 Customer buyer
Suitable convenient
Delay delay
Deliver give
Currency money
Insurance safeguard

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

Based on the article, make a concept map or mind map with information related to
modes of transport. Remember to complete the diagram by writing on it only main
ideas and key information from the reading passage that deals with methods of
international transport.
 You can use the following graphic organizer model or the one you feel more
comfortable with. Try using the resources available on the following websites:

Methods of international
transport

Air transport Sea transport Road transport Rail transport

ADVANTAGES

• deliver items quickly over Low cost routes and timetables

long distances
• give high levels of
security for sensitive items
• be used for a wide range
of goods
• possibility to ship large
volumes at low costs
• shipping containers
can also be used for
further transportation
by road or rail
available can be inflexible,
Extensive road networks
especially in remote regions
Possibility to schedule
can be more expensive than
transport and tracking
road transport
the location of goods
mechanical failure or
Safe and private delivery
industrial action can disrupt
services

DISADVANTAGES

• air transport can involve
higher costs than other
options, and is not
suitable for all goods
• flights are subject to
delay or cancellation
• there are taxes to be
paid in each airport
• shipping by sea can
be slower than other
transport systems and
bad weather can add
further delays
• routes and timetables
are usually inflexible
• tracking the goods’
progress is difficult
• port duties and taxes
long distances overland routes and timetables
can take more time available can be inflexible,
especially in remote regions
there can be traffic
delays and breakdowns can be more expensive than
road transport
there is the risk of
goods being damaged, mechanical failure or
especially over long industrial action can disrupt
distances services
toll charges are high in
some countries
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.

Headings

 Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

 Rail transport uses
 Means of transportation
 Factors that influence company’s decision on which type of transport to use
 Rail transport benefits
 Difficulties of transporting goods by rail

Paragraph 1: Factors that influence company’s decision on which type of

transport to use

Road, sea, rail and air are four ways of import and export. As a first step the
company has to consider all part of their project, firstly, it is important what has to
be distributed including size, weight and which type of goods. For example, for the
transportation of foods or fruits, speed is important and it’s important to choose the
shortest and quickest way. Sending cost is another element very important and
depends on the agency. Destination, countries’ law, value of goods, risk of
transport are other elements to be considered and depend on company, country of
destination and customers’ requirements. So who wants to deal with international
transportation has to balance quality, cost, time and conditions.
Paragraph 2: Difficulties of transporting goods by rail

Risks for rail transport:

 routes and timetables available can be inflexible, especially in remote regions

 can be more expensive than road transport
 mechanical failure or industrial action can disrupt services
 further transportation may be needed from a rail depot to the final destination,
increasing costs and affecting delivery schedules

Paragraph 3: Legal requirements needed to carry goods by road

The international transport of dangerous goods by road is subject to international

legislation, in particular the European Agreement on the International Carriage of
Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods
must hold an ADR training certificate in handling dangerous goods. All commercial
vehicles that carry dangerous goods must pass the ADR test, and some of them
need to be built with special standards.

Paragraph 4: Rail transport benefits

Rail transport is a cost-effective and efficient way to move goods. It offers the
following advantages: fast rail network throughout Europe. It is environmentally
friendly compared with other transport systems.
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 Rail transport

transport

• deliver items • possibility to • Low cost Rail transport is

quickly over ship large •Extensive a cost-effective
long volumes at road and efficient
Advantages distances low costs networks way to move
• give high • shipping • Possibility goods. It offers
levels of containers to schedule the following
security for can also be transport and advantages:
sensitive used for tracking the fast rail network
items further location of throughout
• be used for transportation goods Europe. It is
a wide range by road or rail •Safe and environmentally
of goods private friendly
delivery compared with
other transport
systems.
• air transport • shipping by long routes and
can involve sea can be distances timetables
higher costs slower than overland can available can be
Disadvantages than other other take more inflexible,
options, and transport time especially in
is not suitable systems and there can remote regions
for all goods bad weather be traffic can be more
• flights are can add delays and expensive than
subject to further delays breakdowns road transport
delay or • routes and there is the mechanical
cancellation timetables are risk of goods failure or
• there are usually being industrial
taxes to be inflexible damaged, action can
paid in each • tracking the especially disrupt services
airport goods’ over long further
 progress is distances transportation
difficult toll charges may be needed
are high in from a rail
some depot to the
countries final
destination,
increasing
costs and
affecting
delivery
schedules

Pasos para enviar la evidencia:

1. Clic en el título de la evidencia.

2. Clic en Examinar mi equipo y buscar el archivo previamente guardado.
3. Dejar un comentario al instructor (opcional).
4. Clic en Enviar.

Nota: esta evidencia es de carácter individual. Recuerde revisar la guía de

aprendizaje con el fin de verificar que ha realizado todas las evidencias
propuestas, saber cómo desarrollarlas y entregarlas correctamente.

Criterios de evaluación
 Puede extraer información adecuada y precisa y tomar nota de una
conversación, programa, clase, etc., referido a su profesión.
 Puede completar frases basado en información leída previamente en un
texto.
 Puede relacionar textos en inglés con imágenes o con títulos que le sean
adecuados.
 Interpreta un texto sencillo y puede construir un mapa conceptual basado en
el mismo.