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 city life and local communities
Compare viewpoints across four writers
city-centre café owner
Remote work has hollowed out the weekday economy, and cities need practical measures to bring people back.
Before remote work became normal, my busiest hour was the mid-morning rush: office workers grabbing coffee and a sandwich, chatting about meetings. Now Mondays and Fridays feel like a long winter. People still come in, but they drift through at odd times, and the predictable rhythm that kept small businesses afloat has gone. I don’t blame anyone for valuing flexibility; I’d take it too. But a city centre can’t run on occasional footfall and weekend treats. The council talks about ‘reimagining’ the high street, yet rent and business rates are the same as when the pavements were packed. If we want lively streets, we need incentives for mixed-use buildings, cheaper short-term leases, and events that make weekdays worth leaving home for. Otherwise, the centre becomes a postcard you visit, not a place you live.
Which writer argues that local authorities need to change the financial conditions for city-centre businesses, rather than just talking about new visions for the area?
Which writer warns that flexible working could deepen inequality because some employees can keep it while others bear the economic consequences?
Which writer implies that the biggest loss from working remotely may be the reduction in everyday, unplanned social interaction rather than the decline of cities themselves?
Which writer believes hybrid working succeeds only when companies decide deliberately which activities require being together, instead of leaving arrangements unclear?
0 of 4 answered