NSC Languages English FAL Comprehension: Read BOTH TEXT A and TEXT B and

Question

Read BOTH TEXT A and TEXT B and answer the set questions.

TEXT A

GEAR UP FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

1        Globally, there are about 10 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads – but only 1 509 of them are in South Africa. The South African national target is to have three million electric cars by 2050. According to a recent study, China tops the list of countries with the most registered electric vehicles with more than four million of these cars on its roads. It is followed by the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Norway.

2        Currently, South Africa’s 11 million cars fill up at 5 000 petrol stations. Cars are responsible for 10% of the country’s carbon emissions and toxic pollutants released in densely populated cities. These emissions and pollutants contribute to air pollution and global warming.

3        Local experts believe that South Africa needs to speed up its move into the electric vehicle industry. This move will benefit the economy, motorist and the environment as car ownership is rising, demand for electric cars will very likely increase dramatically.

4        The Department of Trade and Industry has drawn up the Strategy for Policy Direction Promoting Green Transport Technologies in South Africa, better known as the green transport strategy, which aims to establish the country as a leader of the electric vehicle environmentally friendly technology.

5        The world’s climate changes say there are more than three million electric vehicles on the road by 2050, with 8.5 trillion litres of fuel being consumed. These two numbers are now being discussed in the Department of Trade and Industry, giving the South African government a sense of urgency that compulsory electric vehicles will be needed mainly by 2030 to save the environment and the economy.

6        uYilo, an e-mobility programme, was established in 2013 to facilitate electric vehicle development in South Africa. The name, uYilo, is taken from isiXhosa, which means ‘to create’. The director of this programme, Hiten Parmar, said the government and industry have been having discussions about electric vehicles for quite some time.

7        So far, owners of electric cars in South Africa do not pay fuel tax or contribute to the Road Accident Fund. However, the choice of these vehicles is limited, with only a few models available. The BMW i3, Jaguar I-Pace and Nissan Leaf top the list. The limited options and the lack of competition contribute to the high price of EVs. With such few buyers of EVs, nobody in the business sector is keen to invest in charging stations. The country only has about 170 electric charging stations.

8        Since there is limited interest from the business sector to invest in charging stations for EVs, the South African government has set aside an investment of R6.1 trillion. Taken from agencies such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, this investment will help fund green transport initiatives. Eighteen projects have been rolled out already, dedicated to working out the practicalities of electric vehicles. Another two projects will focus on what charging stations should look like and how they should be powered for their transition away from traditional fossil fuels.

9        Toyota has invested millions and plans to electrify vehicle production. The Toyota South Africa Motors, Andrew Kirby, believes it will be the vehicle of the future. He mentions that an electric vehicle is an environmentally friendly option for South African motorists.

10      Worldwide, the market for electric vehicles is expected to grow substantially, with the global electric vehicle market increasing from 6.65 million units in 2021 to approximately 26.3 million units by 2030. Rapid investments are being made in the automotive industry, which will shape the future by ensuring vehicles can become easier and more affordable. Electric vehicles are anticipated to be between 20% and 30% of total sales by 2030 and fleets should also be moving in cars that do not harm their environmental health.

GLOSSARY:
* fossil fuel: a natural fuel such as coal or gas formed from the remains of living organisms
* wind turbine: a modern windmill for providing electrical power

Read BOTH TEXT A and TEXT B and answer the set questions - Languages - NSC English FAL - Question 1 - 2023 - Paper 1

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Read BOTH TEXT A and TEXT B and answer the set questions - Languages - NSC English FAL - Question 1 - 2023 - Paper 1

Refer to paragraph 1. 1.1.1 How does South Africa compare to other countries as far as electric vehicles are concerned?

Refer to paragraph 1. 1.1.2 Why is the following statement FALSE? America has the largest number of registered electric vehicles in the world.

Refer to paragraph 2. 1.2.1 Why does the writer refer to '11 million cars'?

Refer to paragraph 2. 1.2.2 Quote TWO consecutive words which show that there are too many inhabitants in some areas of South Africa.

Refer to paragraph 3. 1.3 Why does South Africa need to 'speed up its move into the electric vehicle industry'?

Refer to paragraph 3. 1.4 What is the strategy referred to as the 'green transport strategy'?

Refer to paragraph 4. 1.5.1 Choose the CORRECT answer to complete the following sentence: 'In paragraph 4, your answer must be in years.'

Refer to paragraph 4. 1.5.2 How will the introduction of electric vehicles reduce unemployment?

Refer to paragraph 6. 1.6.1 Using your OWN words, explain why the uYilo e-mobility programme was created.

Refer to paragraph 6. 1.6.2 What do the words 'established in 2013' suggest about the uYilo e-mobility programme?

Refer to paragraph 7. 1.7.1 Identify TWO advantages of owning an electric vehicle in South Africa.

Refer to paragraph 7. 1.7.2 In the context of this passage, why is 'Leaf' a suitable name for a Nissan electric vehicle?

Explain why the writer includes 'minibus taxis' in paragraph 8.

1.9 Do you agree with Andrew Kirby's views in paragraph 9? Substantiate your answer.

1.10 Discuss the suitability of the title, 'GEAR UP FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES'.

According to TEXT B, what type of toothbrush is recommended? Substantiate your answer.

What message does TEXT B convey?

1.12 In your opinion, do the visuals make the text easier to understand? Give a reason for your answer.

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