Pedestrians only
How traffic-free shopping streets developed
[1]
A. The concept of traffic-free shopping areas goes back a long time. During the Middle Ages, traffic-free shopping areas known as souks were built in Middle Eastern countries to allow people to shop in comfort and, more importantly, safety. As far back as 2,000 years ago, road traffic was banned from central Rome during the day to allow for the free movement of pedestrians, and was only allowed in at night when shops and markets had closed for the day. In most other cities, however, pedestrians were forced to share the streets with horses, coaches and, later, with cars and other motorised vehicles.
[2]
B. The modern, traffic-free shopping street was born in Europe in the 1960s, when both city populations and car ownership increased rapidly. Dirty exhaust fumes from cars and the risks involved in crossing the road were beginning to make shopping an unpleasant and dangerous experience. Many believed the time was right for experimenting with car-free streets, and shopping areas seemed the best place to start.
[3]
C. At first, there was resistance from shopkeepers. They believed that such a move would be bad for business. They argued that people would avoid streets if they were unable to get to them in their cars. When the first streets in Europe were closed to traffic, there were even noisy demonstrations, as many shopkeepers predicted they would lose customers.
[4]
D. However, research carried out afterwards in several European cities revealed some unexpected statistics. In Munich, Cologne and Hamburg, visitors to shopping areas increased by 50 percent. On Copenhagen's main shopping street, shopkeepers reported sales increases of 25-40 percent. Shopkeepers in Minneapolis, USA, were so impressed when they learnt this that they even offered to pay for the construction and maintenance costs of their own traffic-free streets.
[5]
E. With the arrival of the traffic-free shopping street, many shops, especially those selling things like clothes, food and smaller luxury items, prospered. Unfortunately, it wasn't good news for everyone, as shops selling furniture and larger electrical appliances actually saw their sales drop. Many of these were forced to move elsewhere, away from the city centre. Today they are a common feature on the outskirts of towns and cities, often situated in out-of-town retail zones with their own car parks and other local facilities.
Match the headings below with paragraphs A-E in the passage.
List of Headings
1. Facing local opposition
2. Some reasons for success
3. Winners and losers
4. A need for change
5. An experiment that went wrong
6. An idea from ancient history
7. North America learns from Europe
A - An idea from ancient history >
Information: “The concept of traffic-free shopping areas goes back a long time. During the Middle Ages, traffic-free shopping areas known as souks were built in Middle Eastern countries to allow people to shop in comfort and, more importantly, safety. As far back as 2,000 years ago, road traffic was banned from central Rome during the day to allow for the free movement of pedestrians”
Đoạn văn nói về khái niệm khu vực mua sắm không có xe cộ lưu thông, tương tự như phố đi bộ thời hiện đại, có từ thời xa xưa như thế nào. Có thể kể đến các khu chợ thời Trung cổ và việc hạn chế giao thông đường bộ ở trung tâm Rome hơn 2.000 năm trước để tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho việc di chuyển của người đi bộ.
B - A need for change
Information: Dirty exhaust fumes from cars and the risks involved in crossing the road were beginning to make shopping an unpleasant and dangerous experience. Many believed the time was right for experimenting with car-free streets, and shopping areas seemed the best place to start.
Đoạn văn nhấn mạnh những thách thức mà người đi mua sắm phải đối mặt, chẳng hạn như ô nhiễm từ khói thải ô tô và sự nguy hiểm khi băng qua đường. Họ tin rằng đã đến lúc cần phải thay đổi. “time was right”
C - Facing local opposition
Information: “At first, there was resistance from shopkeepers.” “there were even noisy demonstrations, as many shopkeepers predicted they would lose customers.”
Các chủ cửa hàng phản đối ý tưởng này vì sợ rằng nó sẽ ảnh hưởng tiêu cực đến hoạt động kinh doanh của họ. Đoạn văn đề cập đến mối lo ngại của các chủ cửa hàng về việc mọi người sẽ không đi vào phố nếu họ không thể đi ô tô vào, dẫn đến các cuộc biểu tình phản đối những đề xuất này.
D - North America learns from Europe
Information: Shopkeepers in Minneapolis, USA, were so impressed when they learnt this that they even offered to pay for the construction and maintenance costs of their own traffic-free streets.
Đoạn văn nói về những thành tựu của các khu mua sắm ở Châu u và hành động của các chủ cửa hàng ở Minneapolis, Mỹ khi biết được thành tựu ở Châu u thì họ đã đề nghị trả chi phí xây dựng và bảo trì những con đường không có xe cộ qua lại của chính họ. Hành động này là học hỏi từ thành tựu của Châu u.
E – Winners and losers
Information: With the arrival of the traffic-free shopping street, many shops, especially those selling things like clothes, food and smaller luxury items, prospered. Unfortunately, it wasn't good news for everyone, as shops selling furniture and larger electrical appliances actually saw their sales drop. Many of these were forced to move elsewhere, away from the city centre.
Trong khi các cửa hàng bán các mặt hàng như quần áo, thực phẩm và các mặt hàng xa xỉ nhỏ hơn phát triển mạnh nhờ sự ra đời của phố đi bộ (Winner)
Thì những cửa hàng bán đồ nội thất và thiết bị điện lớn hơn lại có doanh thu giảm. (Loser)
Kết quả là, một số doanh nghiệp này buộc phải di dời đến vùng ngoại ô của các thị trấn và thành phố.