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Reading Worksheet

The Future of Getting Around

B2 Future with Will: Expert Predictions Transport and Environment 30 minutes
Before You Read

Discuss these questions with a partner before you read.

  • How do you normally travel around your city? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of that method?
  • Do you think people will still drive their own cars in 2050? Why or why not?
  • Have you ever been on a high-speed train? How did it compare to flying?
  • What do you think is the most environmentally damaging form of transport? What could replace it?
Key Vocabulary
Word Definition Example
autonomous (adj.) able to operate without human control Autonomous electric vehicles will operate as urban taxis.
hyperloop (n.) a high-speed transport system using sealed tubes Hyperloop technology will connect some cities in minutes.
propulsion (n.) the force that drives something forward Ships will use hydrogen propulsion instead of diesel.
carbon tax (n.) a charge on fossil fuels based on their carbon output Fuel flights will be more expensive due to carbon taxes.
sceptical (adj.) doubtful about whether something will happen Not all experts are equally optimistic — some are sceptical.
infrastructure (n.) the basic systems a society needs Walking and cycling infrastructure will improve significantly.
Reading Text
Magazine Article ~335 words

The Future of Getting Around

How will people move around in 2050? Transport experts, engineers, and climate scientists have been developing their predictions for years — and while they don't always agree, several clear patterns are emerging. The way we travel will change more in the next thirty years than it did in the previous hundred.

In aviation, short-haul flights will be replaced by high-speed rail across much of Europe and Asia. Electric planes will be commercially available for short routes, though the technology for long-haul electric flights remains some years away. Fuel-based long-haul flights will still exist, but passengers will pay significantly more for them as carbon taxes increase. Flying will become a considered choice rather than a routine one.

Urban transport will look dramatically different. Personal car ownership in cities will decline significantly as shared transport becomes more practical and affordable. Most urban journeys will be completed in electric autonomous vehicles operating as on-demand taxis. Walking and cycling infrastructure will be vastly improved in most major cities, and underground and light rail systems will expand considerably. The private car will not disappear entirely, but its dominance in urban centres will end.

For long-distance travel, hyperloop technology will connect some major cities within thirty minutes — a journey that currently takes several hours by road or rail. Hydrogen-powered trains will replace diesel rail services across much of Europe by mid-century.

At sea, cargo shipping will continue to dominate global trade, but ships will rely on wind-assisted and hydrogen propulsion systems rather than diesel engines. The environmental cost of global trade will fall significantly as a result.

Not every expert, however, shares this optimism. Dr Amara Diallo, a transport researcher at University College London, urges caution. "Previous generations predicted flying cars by the year 2000," she notes. "They did not arrive. We will probably overestimate how quickly some of these changes happen — but we will definitely underestimate others. The safest prediction is that the future will surprise us."

Notice the Grammar

Look back at the article. Find three 'will' prediction sentences. Then find one sentence with a passive 'will' construction (will be + past participle). How is it different from an active 'will' sentence?

1 Reading for Gist

Answer each question in a few words.

  1. What is the main topic of the article?
  2. How many different areas of transport does the article cover?
  3. What is the overall tone of the final paragraph?
2 Reading for Detail

Write short answers based on the article.

  1. What will replace short-haul flights in Europe and Asia, according to the article?
  2. Why will fuel-based long-haul flights become more expensive?
  3. What will urban transport mainly consist of in the future?
  4. What does Dr Amara Diallo warn about predicting the future of transport?  a) That all predictions about technology are wrong. b) That we will probably overestimate the speed of change, but may underestimate some changes. c) That transport will not change significantly by 2050. 
  5. What will ships use instead of diesel engines in the future?
3 True, False, or Not Given

Write T (True), F (False), or NG (Not Given) for each statement.

  1. Short-haul flights will be replaced by high-speed rail in Europe and Asia.
  2. Personal cars will completely disappear from cities by 2050.
  3. Hyperloop technology has already been tested between two major cities.
  4. Hydrogen-powered trains will replace diesel services across Europe by mid-century.
  5. Dr Amara Diallo is confident that all the predictions in the article will come true.
4 Vocabulary in Context

Answer these questions about vocabulary from the article.

  1. In paragraph 2, flying will become 'a considered choice rather than a routine one'. What does this contrast suggest?  a) People will think carefully before flying, instead of flying automatically and often. b) People will fly more frequently than they do today. c) Flying will become impossible for most people. 
  2. In paragraph 3, 'dominance' is used. What does this mean in the context of the private car in cities?
  3. Find a word in paragraph 6 that means 'to advise someone to be careful before acting'. 
  4. Dr Diallo says: 'The safest prediction is that the future will surprise us.' What do you think she means by 'safest prediction'?
5 Grammar in Context

Complete these activities about 'will' for future predictions.

  1. Find four 'will' predictions and one 'won't' prediction from the article. Write all five.
    a) will:  b) will:  c) will:  d) will:  e) won't: 
  2. The article says 'Short-haul flights will be replaced by high-speed rail.' This is a passive will-sentence. What is the active version?
  3. The sceptical expert says 'We will probably overestimate...' Which word shows this is NOT a certain prediction?  a) will b) overestimate c) probably 
  4. Write these as confident predictions using will: (a) 'Personal car ownership in cities (decline)' (b) 'Hydrogen trains (replace) diesel rail in Europe'
  5. Write 3–4 sentences predicting how people in your city will travel in 2050. Use will, won't, and at least one probability marker (probably, definitely, might).
Personal Response — Discuss with a partner

Discuss with a partner. Share one idea with the class.

  1. Dr Diallo warns that past predictions about flying cars were wrong. Do you think the predictions in this article are realistic, or are they too optimistic?
  2. The article says flying will become 'a considered choice rather than a routine one'. How do you feel about that? Do you think it is a necessary change?
  3. If you could design the transport system of 2050 for your city, what would you include? What would you get rid of?

Answer Key

The Future of Getting Around — B2 — Future with Will: Expert Predictions

Exercise 1 — Reading for Gist

  1. How transport will change by 2050, according to experts.
  2. Four: aviation, urban transport, long-distance travel, and sea transport.
  3. Cautious or sceptical — a warning not to be too confident about predictions.

Exercise 2 — Reading for Detail

  1. High-speed rail.
  2. Because of increasing carbon taxes.
  3. Electric autonomous vehicles operating as on-demand taxis, plus improved walking and cycling infrastructure.
  4. b)
  5. Wind-assisted and hydrogen propulsion systems.

Exercise 3 — True, False, or Not Given

  1. T — Para. 2: 'Short-haul flights will be replaced by high-speed rail across much of Europe and Asia.'
  2. F — Para. 3: 'The private car will not disappear entirely, but its dominance in urban centres will end.'
  3. NG — The article mentions hyperloop connecting cities but says nothing about current tests or trials.
  4. T — Para. 4: 'Hydrogen-powered trains will replace diesel rail services across much of Europe by mid-century.'
  5. F — Para. 6: She urges caution and points to past failed predictions — 'flying cars by the year 2000.'

Exercise 4 — Vocabulary in Context

  1. a)
  2. The fact that cars currently control or dominate urban space — roads are designed around them. This dominance will end, but cars won't vanish entirely.
  3. urges
  4. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. e.g. The one prediction that is most likely to be correct — because history shows us that the futur

Exercise 5 — Grammar in Context

  1. Any four will-sentences plus one won't-sentence, e.g. (will) 'Short-haul flights will be replaced by high-speed rail.' / 'Personal car ownership in cities will decline significantly.' / 'Hydrogen-powered trains will replace diesel rail services.' / 'Ships will rely on wind-assisted and hydrogen propulsion systems.' / 'The environmental cost of global trade will fall significantly.' (won't) 'The private car will not disappear entirely.' / 'Fuel-based long-haul flights won't disappear but will cost more.'
  2. High-speed rail will replace short-haul flights.
  3. c)
  4. (a) Personal car ownership in cities will decline. (b) Hydrogen trains will replace diesel rail in Europe.
  5. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Check for: will/won't + infinitive, at least one probability marker (probably, definitely, might). e.

Notice the Grammar — suggested answers

Accept any five correct examples from the article that use the target grammar. Students should be able to explain why the grammar is used in each case.

Personal Response

Answers will vary. This section is for spoken discussion or short written response. There are no single correct answers.