What Is A Port City? — IELTS Reading Answers

Paragraph B

“They remain different kinds of places from non-port cities and their port functions account for that difference”

Paragraph B says port cities remain different kinds of places from non-port cities because their port functions account for that difference.

Paragraph C

“Port functions, more than anything else, make a city cosmopolitan. A port city is open to the world. In it races, cultures, and ideas, as well as goods from a variety of places, jostle, mix and enrich each other and the life of the city”

Paragraph C says port functions more than anything else make a city cosmopolitan, mixing races, cultures, ideas and goods from many places.

Paragraph D

“Sea ports have been transformed by the advent of powered vessels, whose size and draught have increased. Many formerly important ports have become economically and physically less accessible as a result.”

Paragraph D explains that powered vessels grew in size and draught, making many formerly important ports less accessible and turning them into economic backwaters.

Paragraph E

“Most of any city's population is engaged in providing goods and services for the city itself. Trade outside the city is its basic function. But each basic worker requires food, housing, clothing and other such services. Estimates of the ratio of basic to service workers range from 1:4 to 1:8”

Paragraph E explains that most of a city's population serves the city itself, giving estimates of the ratio of basic to service workers.

required considerable harbour development

“Madras and Colombo are examples of harbours expensively improved by enlarging, dredging and building breakwaters”

Madras and Colombo are examples of harbours expensively improved by enlarging, dredging and building breakwaters.

began as ports but other facilities later dominated

“Many of the world's biggest cities, for example, London, New York, Shanghai, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Jakarta, Calcutta, Philadelphia and San Francisco began as ports - that is,”

Istanbul and Jakarta appear in the list of cities that began as ports but grew disproportionately so port functions are no longer dominant.

lost their prominence when large ships could not be accommodated

“Sea ports have been transformed by the advent of powered vessels, whose size and draught have increased. Many formerly important ports have become economically and physically less accessible as a result.”

Plymouth and Melaka are named among formerly important ports bypassed because larger powered vessels could no longer use them.

maintain their business centres near the port waterfront

“This proximity to water is also true of Boston, Philadelphia, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Yokohama, where the commercial, financial, and administrative centres are still grouped around their harbours even though each city has expanded into a metropolis”

Singapore and Yokohama are listed where commercial, financial and administrative centres are still grouped around their harbours.

Cities cease to be port cities when other functions dominate.

“Many of the world's biggest cities, for example, London, New York, Shanghai, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Jakarta, Calcutta, Philadelphia and San Francisco began as ports - that is,”

Cities whose port functions are no longer dominant remain different kinds of places from non-port cities, so they do not cease to be port cities.

In the past, many cities did more trade within their own country than with overseas ports.

“What evidence we have suggests that domestic trade was greater at all periods than external trade”

The text says what evidence we have suggests domestic trade was greater at all periods than external trade.

Most people in a port city are engaged in international trade and finance.

“Most of any city's population is engaged in providing goods and services for the city itself. Trade outside the city is its basic function. But each basic worker requires food, housing, clothing and other such services. Estimates of the ratio of basic to service workers range from 1:4 to 1:8”

Most of any city's population is engaged in providing goods and services for the city itself, not international trade and finance.

Ports attract many subsidiary and independent industries.

“Port cities become industrial, financial and service centres and political capitals because of their water connections and the urban concentration which arises there and later draws to it railways, highways and air routes”

Port cities become industrial, financial and service centres because water connections draw railways, highways and air routes to them.

Ports have to establish a common language of trade.

“In it races, cultures, and ideas, as well as goods from a variety of places, jostle, mix and enrich each other and the life of the city”

The text describes races, cultures and goods mixing in port cities but never mentions establishing a common language of trade.

Ports often have river connections.

“The centre of New York is in lower Manhattan between two river mouths, the City of London is on the Thames, Shanghai along the Bund”

The text places New York between two river mouths, London on the Thames and Shanghai along the Bund, showing river connections.