Spark Study Buddy (Explorer): Hong Kong to upgrade 13,000 traffic signals by 2027
Content provided by British Council
[1] The transport authorities in Hong Kong plan to replace 13,000 electronic traffic signals that make audible sounds throughout the city. The new models will feature functions for the visually impaired by the end of 2027. The Transport Department said last month that the renewal of pedestrian traffic lights would be implemented in phases across 2,000 junctions. The exercise is expected to cost the department HK$98 million.
[2] 'The existing electronic audible traffic signals have been used for over 20 years, exceeding their normal lifespan. We have noticed that problems are rising and causing higher maintenance costs,' said Gordon Kwok Ka-chun, chief engineer of traffic control at the department. 'So we would like to replace the ageing signals and at the same time include some new functions that are more applicable to the users.'
[3] The existing devices have two main functions. One is an audible sound that indicates the crossing status. The other is a button underneath that vibrates to convey the crossing status. Karl Lee Kai-tak, a visually impaired Hongkonger, said the old system was not clear enough.
[4] 'When we listen to the sound, the most important thing is to hear where the sound source is,' said Lee, who requires a cane to walk. 'The sound was a bit scattered in the old system; it was difficult to hear the sound of the source. The new one can make us hear the sound more clearly. This is a big difference.'
[5] The new models have five new functions for the visually impaired. These features include a light at a lower height for individuals with poor vision, a tactile map on the side with crossing layout information, and voice messages that provide the names of the streets near the crossing. The messages will be in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
[6] The voice messages are accompanied by a special nighttime volume adjustment function so that residents are not disturbed. People can use a new wireless device or the HKeMobility app to adjust the volume when they need to cross. The pedestrian push button installed in the traffic lights will also become touchless to reduce hygiene concerns, according to the department.
Source: South China Morning Post, May 20
Questions
1. How many junctions will have the new traffic signals installed, as stated in paragraph 1?
2. According to paragraph 3, Lee does not … well.
A. see
B. hear
C. walk
D. none of the above
3. Based on paragraph 5, the new traffic signals do not have …
A. voice messages in multiple languages.
B. tactile maps.
C. automatic traffic light changes.
D. lower height lights.
4. What is the purpose of the special nighttime volume adjustment function mentioned in paragraph 6?
5. People can now change the traffic signals' volume … a wireless device or the 'HKeMobility' app.
A. use
B. using
C. uses
D. usable
6. Circle the correct answer. (3 marks)
Lee says the new system will be much / most clearer because the sound will be least / less scattered and a lot / little easier to hear compared to the existing one.
The new features for the signals will include tactile maps and multilingual voice messages.Photo: Elson Li
Answers
1. 2,000
2. A
3. C
4. to decrease the volume of the voice messages in order not to disturb residents
5. B
6. much; less; a lot
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong needs route for taxis, ride-hailing firms to co-exist: lawmakers
Hong Kong should find a way to allow the taxi trade and ride-hailing services to compete and complement each other, even though cab owners blame competition from unregulated platforms for lowering the value of their licences, lawmakers have said. Debate on the way forward for the trade followed calls from some industry leaders for the government to buy back their taxi licences for HK$5 million (US$637,100) each, an idea Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu ruled out on Tuesday Owners argue that their licences have consistently depreciated because of the rise of online ride-hailing platforms such as Uber. The number of taxi licences has remained constant at 18,138 since the government stopped issuing them in 1994. However, licences can be transferred and traded, leading some drivers and investors to use them as a form of speculative asset. The price of a licence and a taxi dropped from a record high of HK$7.66 million in 2009 to HK$2.02 million this month, resulting in significant potential financial losses for owners. The value also fell sharply in 2019 as social unrest rocked the city, dropping from HK$6.02 million to HK$4.96 million.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong leader rejects taxi licence buy-back amid ‘irreversible' ride-hailing trend
Hong Kong's leader has rejected a proposal from the taxi industry for the government to repurchase licences that have depreciated in recent years due to competition from online ride-hailing services, claiming that the licences had always given cabbies exclusive rights. Advertisement Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also said online ride-hailing was an 'irreversible trend', as he pledged to provide a regulatory framework for such platforms as soon as possible while urging taxi drivers to improve their services amid public criticism. Some leaders within the taxi trade had recently called on the government to repurchase licences for HK$5 million (US$637,100) each. They contended that its value had consistently depreciated with the rise of online ride-hailing platforms like Uber. The value of a licence has plummeted from a historic high of HK$7 million to below HK$3 million in recent months, resulting in significant financial losses for owners. 'We must be very cautious when it comes to using public funds,' Lee said when asked if he would consider the suggestion. Advertisement Lee argued that the licenses had given the sector an 'exclusive privilege' to operate the vehicles, such as using the taxi ranks, picking up passengers in designated restricted areas and getting customers from the street. 'These usages of the taxis, which are granted for a long time under the exclusive privileges of the license, have led to a direct profit on these licenses. It has also allowed taxis to gain profits under this form of operation for a long time,' he said.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Geely to stop building new car plants amid severe global overcapacity: Li Shufu
Geely Auto , the mainland's second-largest carmaker, will not build new plants amid excess capacity worldwide, a move that is likely to ripple across the sector as most Chinese companies are finding it difficult to make profits. Chairman Li Shufu told the Chongqing Auto Show over the weekend that the company would avoid building excess capacity and instead focus on improving its technological capabilities to become a key player in the future of mobility. 'The global automotive industry is mired in severe overcapacity woes, [so] we have decided to stop building new car plants,' he said in a video clip posted online. His comments came as carmakers were mired in a brutal price war on the mainland. Leading players such as BYD , Geely and start-up Leapmotor slashed prices of 70 models by as much as 20 per cent in the last week of May to retain market share, according to the 21st Century Business Herald newspaper. Geely Auto chairman Li Shufu told the Chongqing Auto Show over the weekend that the company will stop building new car plants. Photo: Handout Chinese carmakers' discounts more than doubled to a record 16.8 per cent in April from 8.3 per cent in 2024, according to a JPMorgan Chase report in May.
