Cross-text multiple matching
You are going to read four short texts on the same theme. For questions 1-4, choose the text (A–D) which matches each statement.
The impact of remote work on cities and community life
Compare viewpoints across four writers
City-centre business owner
Remote work has hollowed out downtown economies and the social buzz they once created.
I’m not nostalgic for crowded trains, but I am for the steady rhythm they brought to the city centre. Since remote work became normal, the lunchtime rush has turned into a trickle, and it’s not just my café feeling it. The bookshop next door now opens fewer days, and the small gym upstairs has switched to appointments because walk-ins have vanished. People say this is simply “market adjustment”, yet the loss is more than financial: it’s the informal interactions that made the area feel like a community rather than a collection of offices. I’ve tried adapting—hosting evening events, shifting to delivery, partnering with local makers—but the underlying problem remains that footfall is unpredictable. If cities want vibrant centres, they need a plan that goes beyond hoping workers will return.
Which writer argues that simply waiting for office staff to come back is not a realistic strategy for keeping the city centre lively?
Which writer reasons that remote work risks increasing unfairness in cities unless policies are updated to match new travel and spending patterns?
Which writer acknowledges concerns about the city centre but maintains that what’s happening is better understood as daily life becoming more locally focused rather than simply deteriorating?
Which writer disagrees with the idea that being in the office automatically leads to effective teamwork, and explains why office time should have a specific purpose?
0 of 4 answered