(IELTS GRENOVA) Hackers IELTS Reading (528 pages)

READING PASSAGE 1

are based You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are

on Reading Passage 1 on the following pages.

Questions 1-6

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G.

below Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B-G from the list of headings bel

Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

Implications of foreign investors avoiding regulations

ii. Government investment leads to jobs for locals ii. The impact of tourism on real estate prices iv. Competition presents challenges for local businesses

v. The problem of unequal income

vi. Non-economic consequences for communities vii. Tourism as a fast way to grow the economy vii. Widespread degradation of the environment ix. Impact of neglecting the development of other industries

Example Answer ParagraphA vii

1 Paragraph B

2 Paragraph C

3 Paragraph D

4 Paragraph E

5 Paragraph F

6 Paragraph G

Tourism Development: A Blessing or a Curse?

In developing countries, collectively referred to as the Global South, tourism is seen as a A

fast and effective means of economic development. This is especially true for countries

that lack exportable natural resources, but possess plenty of natural attractions, such as DT beaches, mountains, lush forests, and jungles. As a means of maximising the economic

benefits for their citizens, such countries are encouraged to capitalise on these attractions

by promoting tourism and developing a suitable tourist infrastructure. Many countries

are taking up this opportunity and there has been a noticeable tendency tor developing

nations to invest heavily in expanding their tourism industries.

In reality, however, tourism can cause extensive damage to the natural world. It can therefore B

bring more harm than good to the communities it is supposed to serve. Ecotourism, for

example, is designed to take advantage of a locale's natural beauty to attract 'green' travellers

but ironically the environment is often sacrificed to accommodate them. Every year, hordes of

tourists flock to St. Lucia to take in its gorgeous scenery, scuba dive among the coral reefs in

its clear waters, and explore the rainforests of the island's interior. While well-managed scuba

diving trips and excursions into the rainforest may not directly disturb the native wildlife and

flora, the resorts built to accommodate eco-tourists have caused significant increases in beach

erosion, and the demand for boating transport has resulted in the loss of mangrove swamps

and increased pollution of the marine environment (Nagle, 1999)

Another problem is the income disparity that almost always occurs as a resut of tourism

in underdeveloped nations. It starts with governments investing heavily in infrastructure

such as roads, airports, public transportation and the like. The money to fund these

projects comes out of taxpayers' wallets, with the idea that the investment will create jobs

and opportunities for the local population, but that is rarely the case. Contracts to build

hotels, resorts, parks, and restaurants are often given to wealthy businesspeople who

exploit local laborers in order to increase profit margins. Then, when the establishments

open, the same pattern occurs with hired staff who work for wages barely above the

minimum wage. Thus, the rich get richer while the increasing wealth gap forces the lower

socioeconomic classes into deeper poverty.

D Moreover, overseas investors make it impossible for small, local businesses to compete.

International chains are the first in line to bid for spaces on beachfront property in almost

every country of the world. They pay premium prices to secure their stronghold in

developing tourist sectors. This has happened in Costa Rica, where foreign individuals

or companies own 65 per cent of hotels in the country. Therefore, although tourism

constitutes around 12.5 per cent of Costa Rica's GDP, local businesses have not benefited

from …