Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand’s taxi trade played a major role in the country’s tourism industry, which the Thai economy relies on heavily. When the pandemic first began to spread around the world in 2020, Thailand was one of the countries that was relatively successful at keeping the virus at bay. However, major outbreaksin 2021 have led to new regulations, and the country’s taxi drivers in particular have been hit hard.
In early 2021, as tourism ground to a halt and restrictions on residents’movements were imposed, many taxi drivers found themselves out of work. Furthermore, taxi companies struggled to stay afloatfinancially. Hundreds of taxis throughout Bangkok were abandoned and left to rust, resulting in the emergence of so-called taxi graveyards.Two Bangkok-based taxi firms, Ratchapruk and Bovorn Taxi, had only around 500 taxis between them operating on the city’s streets, while more than 2,000 cars were left to sit in the graveyards unused.
Nevertheless, these problems have led to an unexpected phenomenon. Out-of-work taxi drivers have begun using the roofs of these abandoned taxis as platforms to set up small vegetable gardens. They do so by using a combination of bamboo framesand large garbage bags to hold soil. Unfortunately, these gardens are no solution to the problem of lost earnings; however, the food they produce can be used to feed both the drivers and their family members. In addition, the gardens serve as a means of peaceful protes, given that the city’s taxi service providers are receiving no financial support from the government.
Although the world now appears to be slowly recovering from the worst phasesof the pandemic, the taxi trade in Thailand has never been hit so hard before, and thus the impact will likely be felt for years to come.
1. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
(A) The pandemic has led to a declinein Thailand’s tourism.
(B) Tourism has been very important to Thailand’s economy.
(C) Taxi drivers in Thailand didn’t receive help from the government.
(D) Thailand failed to get COVID-19 under control in the very beginning.
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “emergence” in the second paragraph?
(A) Unexpected destruction.
(B) Dangerous situation.
(C) Appearance.
(D) Capacity.
3. Which of the following is NOT true about the taxi rooftop gardens?
(A) They help to feed the drivers’ families.
(B) They offer a source of income.
(C) They are a method of protest.
(D) They provide food.
4. Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude toward the future of Thailand’s taxi industry?
