University Tips

All aboard

By Ajarn Helen Jandamit

University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the university entrance examination.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Traffic and Transportation Department is building new piers in preparation for the launch of a new canal boat service. The service, from Saen Saeb Canal to Min Buri, is due to start in 2010.

Department director Jumpol Sampaopol said that 14 out of 16 piers along the Saen Saeb Canal have so far been completed. The last pier will be at Sri Bunruang Temple near Min Buri Market. Jumpol said that the last two piers will be the largest.

The BMA also plans to develop three park-and-ride areas for boat service passengers. They will be under the Eastern Ring Road and at the parking lots of Big C Min Buri and Bampen Nua Temple. Commuters will be able to park their cars there and catch a boat into central Bangkok.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has plans to promote boat-related tourism along the new canal boat service route. Jumpol said that the extension of BMA boat services will help to increase tourism.

The BMA and the Association of Thai Boat Operators are encouraging local people to set up an association of Saen Saeb operators to run services along the route. Jumpol said that if local people cannot form an association to offer services themselves, his department will select private operators to run the services.

SECTION 1

Read the story. Then, answer the following true or false questions.

1. BMA stands for the Bangkok Metropolitan Association.

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2. The BMA Traffic and Transportation Department has already built 14 piers along Saen Saeb canal.

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3. Jumpol Sampaopol is the director of the BMA's Traffic and Transportation Department.

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4. People will be able to drive their cars onto the canal boats.

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5. The two uncompleted piers will be the largest ones.

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6. People who drive their cars to the canal route will be able to park at three places and catch a boat from there to central Bangkok,

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7. The BMA is working with the Tourism and Sports Ministry to develop the new canal boat service.

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8. The new canal boat service will be privately run by the Tourism and Sports Ministry.

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SECTION 2

Read the story. Then, answer the following reading comprehension questions.

9. Where will the park and ride areas be located?

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10. Where is Sri Buaruang Temple?

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11. Who plans to promote boat-related tourism along the new canal boat service route?

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12. Who is being encouraged to set up an association of Saen Saeb operators?

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13. What will the BMA Traffic and Transportation Department do if local people cannot form an association to offer canal boat services?

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SECTION 3

The following words are taken from the story. Each word has several meanings. Choose the definition that best fits the word as it is used in the story.

14. launch
a. to start an activity
b. to put a boat or ship into the water, especially one that has just been built
c. to jump forwards with a lot of force

15. park
a. a piece of land for playing sports, especially baseball
b. to leave a vehicle that you are driving in a particular place for a period of time
c. an area of public land in a town or a city, where people go to walk, play and relax

16. catch
a. to stop and hold a moving object, especially with your hands
b. to capture a person or an animal that tries or would try to escape
c. to be in time for a bus, plane, train, etc. and get on it

SECTION 4

Read the story. Then, answer the following multiple-choice questions

17. When will the new canal boat service start?
a. In 2009.
b. In 2010.
c. In 2008.

18. Who is building piers for the new canal boat service?
a. Big C.
b. The Tourism and Sports Ministry.
c. The Association of Thai Boat Operators.
d. The BMA Traffic and Transportation Department.

19. What is the route of the new canal boat service?
a. Saen Saeb Canal to Min Buri.
b. Saen Saeb Canal to Big C.
c. Saen Saeb Canal to Eastern Ring Road.
d. Saen Saeb Canal to the Traffic and Transportation Department.

	pier (n): a long low structure built in a lake, river or the sea and joined to the land at one end, used by boats to allow passengers to get on and off commuter (n): a person who travels into a city to work each day, usually from quite far away promote (v): to help something to happen or develop extension (n): the act of making something longer or larger encourage (v): to persuade somebody to do something by making it easier for them and making them believe it is a good thing to do