Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 2...

Urbanisation today is less about skylines and more about the platform – isation of daily life: cities are being reorganised around apps that promise convenience, but quietly reshape streets, jobs, and public space. Food delivery, ride – hailing, and on – demand errands have become urban “infrastructure by subscription.” They reduce friction for customers, yet they also produce a new kind of street economy where thousands of workers circulate constantly, and the city’s rhythm is set by notifications rather than timetables.

One visible consequence is curbside congestion. In dense districts, the kerb becomes a battlefield of quick stops: delivery bikes, ride – hailing cars, private vehicles, and informal vendors all competing for the same few metres. The result is not just traffic; it is a chain reaction—blocked lanes, dangerous weaving, delayed buses, and higher emissions from idling engines. Urban design built for predictable flows struggles when demand becomes spiky and on – demand, like a heartbeat that keeps skipping.

Another trend is the rise of dark kitchens and micro – warehouses tucked inside residential blocks. These spaces make delivery faster, but they can also export noise, waste, and safety risks into neighbourhoods not designed for commercial intensity. At the same time, small street shops face a new kind of competition: not the mall, but the algorithm. When visibility is purchased through ranking and promotions, urban retail becomes less about location and more about digital placement, pushing some businesses to the margins even if they serve the community well.

The challenge for cities is to treat these services as part of the urban system, not just private convenience. That means clear curbside rules, protected lanes, fair labour standards, zoning that matches real activity, and data – sharing that helps planners see patterns. If not, the “smart city” narrative turns into a messy reality: smoother lives for some, heavier streets for everyone else. Urbanisation, in this new phase, is a negotiation between public space and platform power.

Question 23: According to paragraph 1, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a component of "infrastructure by subscription"?

A. The logistical process of delivering food to urban customers.

B. The reorganisation of daily errands through on – demand apps.

C. The adherence to traditional public transport schedules.

D. The integration of ride – hailing services into the city's fabric.

Question 24: The word "spiky" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. irregular         B. constant         C. sharp         D. declining

Question 25: The word "visibility" in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to __________.

A. obscurity         B. prominence         C. exposure         D. placement

Question 26: The word "They" in paragraph 1 refers to __________.

A. urban customers                 B. city streets and jobs         

C. platform – based services         D. infrastructure subscriptions

Question 27: Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 4: "Urbanisation, in this new phase, is a negotiation between public space and platform power."?

A. Recent urban growth is mainly driven by the prioritisation of commercial interests over the preservation of traditional communal zones.

B. The development of contemporary metropolitan areas is largely dependent on the total dominance of tech companies over shared urban territory.

C. City expansion in the current era is characterized by the absolute authority of local governments in regulating digital service providers.

D. The evolution of modern cities is defined by the ongoing struggle to balance communal areas with the influence of digital services.

Question 28: According to the passage, what is TRUE about the impact of "dark kitchens" on residential neighbourhoods?

A. They provide financial benefits that compensate for the noise they generate.

B. They introduce commercial – scale disturbances into zones not originally intended for such activity.

C. They help small street shops compete more effectively with digital algorithms.

D. They are required by law to share their operational data with city planners.

Question 29: In which paragraph does the author discuss the unintended physical consequences of on – demand transportation on city streets?

A. Paragraph 1         B. Paragraph 2         C. Paragraph 3         D. Paragraph 4

Question 30: Which paragraph argues that digital algorithms are redefining the traditional importance of a shop's physical location?

A. Paragraph 1         B. Paragraph 2         C. Paragraph 3         D. Paragraph 4