Giới Thiệu
Chủ đề về nền kinh tế chia sẻ (sharing economy) và tác động của nó đến các mô hình kinh doanh truyền thống đã trở thành một trong những đề tài phổ biến trong IELTS Reading những năm gần đây. Sự xuất hiện của các nền tảng như Uber, Airbnb, hay Grab đã thay đổi hoàn toàn cách chúng ta tiêu dùng dịch vụ, đồng thời tạo ra những thách thức lớn cho các doanh nghiệp truyền thống. Chủ đề này thường xuất hiện ở cả ba passages với các góc độ khác nhau: từ giới thiệu khái niệm cơ bản đến phân tích sâu về tác động kinh tế và xã hội.
Trong bài viết này, bạn sẽ được trải nghiệm một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với:
- Ba passages có độ khó tăng dần (Easy → Medium → Hard) với tổng cộng hơn 2500 từ
- 40 câu hỏi đa dạng bao gồm 7-8 dạng câu hỏi khác nhau giống thi thật
- Đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích cụ thể về vị trí thông tin và cách paraphrase
- Từ vựng học thuật được tổng hợp theo từng passage với phiên âm và ví dụ
- Kỹ thuật làm bài thực chiến từ kinh nghiệm giảng dạy hơn 20 năm
Đề thi này phù hợp cho học viên từ band 5.0 trở lên, đặc biệt là những bạn đang nhắm đến band 6.5-7.5 và muốn làm quen với chủ đề kinh tế – xã hội hiện đại.
Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading
Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test
IELTS Reading Test bao gồm 3 passages với tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi cần hoàn thành trong 60 phút. Điều quan trọng là bạn phải tự quản lý thời gian hiệu quả vì không có thời gian nghỉ giữa các passages.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1: 15-17 phút (độ khó thấp nhất)
- Passage 2: 18-20 phút (độ khó trung bình)
- Passage 3: 23-25 phút (độ khó cao nhất)
Lưu ý rằng mỗi câu trả lời đúng được tính 1 điểm, không có điểm âm cho câu sai. Vì vậy, hãy cố gắng trả lời tất cả các câu hỏi, ngay cả khi bạn không chắc chắn.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Đề thi mẫu này bao gồm các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice (Trắc nghiệm)
- True/False/Not Given (Đúng/Sai/Không được đề cập)
- Yes/No/Not Given (Có/Không/Không được đề cập)
- Matching Headings (Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn)
- Sentence Completion (Hoàn thành câu)
- Summary Completion (Hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt)
- Matching Features (Nối thông tin)
- Short-answer Questions (Câu hỏi trả lời ngắn)
IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – The Rise of the Sharing Economy: A New Way of Consuming
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
Over the past decade, a revolutionary economic model has emerged, fundamentally changing how people access goods and services. The sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption, refers to peer-to-peer exchanges where individuals share access to products, services, or skills, typically facilitated through digital platforms. This model has grown exponentially, with companies like Airbnb, Uber, and TaskRabbit becoming household names in many countries.
The concept behind the sharing economy is relatively simple. Instead of owning assets such as cars, homes, or tools, people can temporarily access them when needed. For instance, rather than purchasing a car that sits idle for most of the day, individuals can use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft. Similarly, homeowners can rent out spare rooms through Airbnb instead of leaving them empty. This approach maximizes the utilization of existing resources and reduces waste.
Several factors have contributed to the rapid growth of the sharing economy. First, technological advancement, particularly the widespread adoption of smartphones and mobile internet, has made it easier for people to connect and transact with each other. User-friendly applications allow consumers to find, book, and pay for services within minutes. Second, the global financial crisis of 2008 created economic pressure on households, making people more interested in supplementing their income or finding cheaper alternatives to traditional services. Third, there has been a cultural shift, especially among younger generations, toward valuing experiences over ownership. Millennials and Generation Z consumers are more willing to share resources and less attached to the idea of owning things.
The benefits of the sharing economy are numerous and varied. For consumers, it offers greater convenience and often lower costs compared to traditional options. A person traveling to a new city can find accommodation through Airbnb at a fraction of the cost of a hotel room, while also enjoying a more authentic local experience. For service providers, the sharing economy creates flexible earning opportunities. Someone with a spare car can become an Uber driver on weekends, while a skilled craftsperson can offer services through platforms like TaskRabbit. This flexibility is particularly valuable for people seeking to supplement their primary income or those preferring non-traditional work arrangements.
Environmental benefits are another significant advantage. By promoting shared use of resources, the sharing economy can reduce overconsumption and waste. When multiple people use the same car through car-sharing services, fewer vehicles need to be manufactured, resulting in lower carbon emissions and reduced demand for parking spaces in urban areas. Some researchers estimate that each shared car can replace up to 15 privately owned vehicles, leading to substantial environmental improvements.
However, the sharing economy is not without its challenges. One major concern is the lack of regulation. Traditional businesses, such as taxi companies and hotels, must comply with strict safety standards, licensing requirements, and quality controls. In contrast, many sharing economy platforms operate in regulatory gray areas, raising questions about consumer protection and safety. There have been numerous reports of problems, from unsafe vehicles to unsanitary accommodation, highlighting the need for appropriate oversight.
Another issue involves worker rights and protections. Most people working through sharing economy platforms are classified as independent contractors rather than employees. This classification means they typically do not receive benefits such as health insurance, paid leave, or retirement contributions. Critics argue that sharing economy companies are exploiting workers by avoiding the costs and responsibilities associated with traditional employment, while the companies themselves maintain that they simply provide a platform for independent entrepreneurship.
The impact on traditional businesses has also been significant and sometimes controversial. Hotels have seen their market share eroded by Airbnb, while taxi drivers in many cities have protested against Uber and similar services, claiming unfair competition. These traditional businesses argue that sharing economy platforms have an unfair advantage because they avoid many of the costs and regulations that established companies must bear.
Despite these challenges, the sharing economy continues to grow and evolve. Experts predict that it will expand into new sectors, including healthcare, education, and professional services. As the model matures, there are likely to be increased calls for appropriate regulation that balances innovation with consumer protection and worker rights. The key will be finding ways to preserve the benefits of the sharing economy—convenience, efficiency, and flexibility—while addressing its shortcomings.
In conclusion, the sharing economy represents a fundamental shift in how people access and consume goods and services. While it offers numerous benefits, including cost savings, convenience, and environmental advantages, it also raises important questions about regulation, worker rights, and impacts on traditional industries. As this economic model continues to develop, societies will need to adapt their legal frameworks and social norms to ensure that the sharing economy works for everyone involved.
Nền kinh tế chia sẻ hiện đại với các ứng dụng di động kết nối người dùng trong IELTS Reading
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
1. The sharing economy is primarily characterized by:
A. Government-owned services
B. Peer-to-peer exchanges
C. Traditional business models
D. Corporate ownership of assets
2. According to the passage, which factor was NOT mentioned as contributing to the growth of the sharing economy?
A. Technological advancement
B. Economic pressure from the 2008 financial crisis
C. Government subsidies
D. Cultural shifts among younger generations
3. The passage suggests that the sharing economy benefits the environment by:
A. Eliminating all private car ownership
B. Increasing the production of new vehicles
C. Reducing the number of vehicles needed
D. Requiring all users to walk instead of drive
4. One of the main concerns about the sharing economy is:
A. It is too expensive for consumers
B. Lack of appropriate regulation
C. Too many government restrictions
D. Limited availability of services
5. Workers in the sharing economy are typically classified as:
A. Full-time employees
B. Government workers
C. Independent contractors
D. Temporary staff with benefits
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
Write:
- TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
- FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
- NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
6. The sharing economy began more than twenty years ago.
7. Millennials are more interested in experiences than in owning possessions.
8. Each shared car can replace exactly 15 privately owned vehicles.
9. All sharing economy platforms have been successfully regulated worldwide.
Questions 10-13: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
10. The sharing economy is also referred to as __ consumption.
11. Sharing economy platforms are often described as operating in __ areas.
12. Traditional taxi drivers have complained about __ competition from ride-sharing services.
13. Experts believe the sharing economy will expand into new sectors including healthcare, education, and __ services.
PASSAGE 2 – Disrupting Traditional Business: The Economic Impact of Platform-Based Models
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The emergence of the sharing economy has precipitated what economists describe as a paradigm shift in business operations, challenging long-established commercial frameworks and forcing traditional enterprises to fundamentally reassess their strategies. This transformation extends far beyond simple market competition; it represents a comprehensive restructuring of how value is created, exchanged, and captured in modern economies. Understanding these changes requires examining both the mechanisms through which platform-based businesses operate and their multifaceted impacts on conventional industry players.
A. The Platform Business Model
At the heart of the sharing economy lies the platform business model, which differs fundamentally from traditional linear business models. Conventional companies create value by controlling a supply chain: they acquire raw materials, manufacture products, and sell them to consumers through proprietary distribution channels. Platform businesses, by contrast, create value by facilitating exchanges between independent producers and consumers. They do not own the assets being shared; instead, they provide the technological infrastructure and governance mechanisms that enable transactions to occur efficiently and safely.
This asset-light approach offers significant advantages. Platform companies can scale rapidly without the capital-intensive investments required by traditional businesses. Airbnb, for example, became the world’s largest accommodation provider without owning a single property. This scalability allows platform businesses to expand into new markets quickly and respond dynamically to changing consumer demands. Moreover, network effects—whereby the value of the platform increases as more users join—create powerful competitive advantages that can be difficult for traditional businesses to counter.
B. Financial Implications for Traditional Industries
The financial impact on established businesses has been substantial and, in some cases, existential. Research by the Harvard Business School examined the effect of Airbnb’s entry into the Texas accommodation market and found that hotels experienced an 8-10% decline in revenue, with budget hotels and those not catering to business travelers being disproportionately affected. Similarly, studies of the taxi industry in major American cities revealed that the introduction of Uber was associated with a significant decrease in taxi ridership and a corresponding reduction in the value of taxi medallions—the licenses required to operate taxis, which had traditionally been considered valuable assets.
However, the impact varies considerably across different market segments. Premium hotels and those offering unique amenities or targeting business travelers have proven more resilient to sharing economy competition. This differential impact reflects a crucial insight: platform-based competitors tend to excel at providing standardized services efficiently but may struggle to replicate the specialized offerings or premium experiences that distinguish high-end traditional businesses.
C. Strategic Responses from Traditional Businesses
Faced with these challenges, traditional businesses have adopted various strategic responses. Some have chosen to compete directly by improving their own digital capabilities and customer service. Hotel chains, for instance, have invested heavily in mobile applications, loyalty programs, and personalized services to differentiate themselves from Airbnb. Others have opted for collaboration, partnering with platform companies or creating their own platforms. Several major hotel groups have launched their own home-sharing services, attempting to combine the authentic experiences consumers seek with the reliability and standards associated with established brands.
A third approach involves seeking regulatory intervention. Traditional taxi companies have lobbied governments to impose stricter regulations on ride-sharing services, arguing that all transportation providers should be subject to the same safety standards and licensing requirements. This strategy has achieved mixed results: some cities have implemented new regulations that level the playing field, while others have maintained a relatively hands-off approach, allowing market forces to determine outcomes.
D. Labor Market Transformations
The sharing economy’s impact extends beyond competition between businesses to affect labor markets fundamentally. The proliferation of gig economy opportunities has created new forms of work that blur traditional boundaries between employment and self-employment. For workers, this shift presents both opportunities and challenges. On the positive side, platform-based work offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing individuals to work when and where they choose. This flexibility is particularly valuable for students, parents, and others who need to balance work with other responsibilities.
However, this flexibility comes at a cost. Gig workers typically lack the employment protections and benefits—such as minimum wage guarantees, health insurance, and retirement savings—that traditional employees receive. Research indicates that while some gig workers earn competitive incomes, many struggle with income volatility and financial insecurity. Furthermore, the classification of these workers as independent contractors rather than employees has sparked intense legal and political debates in numerous jurisdictions, with courts and legislators grappling with how to apply labor laws designed for traditional employment relationships to these new working arrangements.
E. Societal and Urban Implications
Beyond economic impacts, the sharing economy has prompted significant societal and urban changes. The rise of short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb has transformed residential neighborhoods in popular tourist destinations. In cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, and San Francisco, the conversion of residential properties into de facto hotels has contributed to housing shortages and rising rents, as property owners find short-term rentals more lucrative than long-term leases to residents. This phenomenon has led to community tensions and prompted some cities to implement restrictions on short-term rentals.
Similarly, the proliferation of ride-sharing vehicles has affected urban transportation patterns and infrastructure. While proponents argue that ride-sharing reduces the need for private car ownership and parking, critics contend that it has increased traffic congestion in dense urban areas as drivers circulate waiting for passengers. Studies have produced conflicting findings, suggesting that the net impact depends on local conditions and how ride-sharing integrates with public transportation systems.
F. Future Trajectories
Looking ahead, the relationship between sharing economy platforms and traditional businesses is likely to evolve further. Some analysts predict consolidation, with a few dominant platforms emerging in each sector, while others anticipate fragmentation as specialized platforms serving niche markets proliferate. What seems certain is that the hybrid models—combining elements of traditional business approaches with platform strategies—will become increasingly common as companies seek to leverage the advantages of both approaches.
The regulatory landscape will also continue to develop, with governments attempting to create frameworks that balance innovation with consumer protection, worker rights, and community interests. The challenge will be designing regulations that are flexible enough to accommodate new business models while ensuring fair competition and adequate protections for all stakeholders. How successfully societies navigate these challenges will largely determine whether the sharing economy fulfills its promise of creating more efficient, sustainable, and equitable economic systems.
{width=1024 height=1024}
Questions 14-26
Questions 14-18: Matching Headings
The passage has six sections, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for sections B-F from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. The evolution of worker classification
ii. How platforms differ from traditional businesses
iii. Revenue losses in the hospitality sector
iv. Neighborhood transformation in tourist cities
v. Strategic options for established companies
vi. The uncertain future of business competition
vii. Employment flexibility versus security
viii. Effects beyond the business world
ix. The growth of digital infrastructure
Section A: ii (This one has been done for you as an example)
14. Section B
15. Section C
16. Section D
17. Section E
18. Section F
Questions 19-22: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the passage?
Write:
- YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
- NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
- NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
19. Platform businesses require the same level of capital investment as traditional businesses.
20. Premium hotels have been less affected by sharing economy competition than budget hotels.
21. All traditional businesses have responded to sharing economy competition by creating their own platforms.
22. The impact of ride-sharing on traffic congestion varies depending on local conditions.
Questions 23-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
The sharing economy operates through a platform business model that is fundamentally different from 23 __ business models. These platforms create value by facilitating exchanges rather than controlling supply chains. This approach allows them to scale rapidly without 24 __ investments. However, their growth has caused significant challenges for traditional businesses, particularly in terms of 25 __ and changes to residential neighborhoods. The future will likely see the emergence of 26 __ that combine both traditional and platform-based strategies.
PASSAGE 3 – Theoretical Frameworks and Policy Implications: Reconciling Innovation with Social Welfare
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The ascendancy of the sharing economy represents more than a mere evolutionary step in commercial practice; it constitutes a fundamental challenge to the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary economic regulation and social policy. As platform-based business models continue to proliferate and permeate diverse sectors, policymakers, legal scholars, and economists find themselves grappling with questions that expose the inadequacies of existing regulatory frameworks. This predicament necessitates a rigorous examination of the normative assumptions embedded in traditional approaches to market regulation and a recalibration of policy instruments to address the sui generis characteristics of platform-mediated exchanges.
The Regulatory Dilemma: Between Innovation and Protection
Central to the policy debate surrounding the sharing economy is a fundamental tension between fostering innovation and safeguarding public interests. Classical economic theory has long recognized the need for government intervention to correct market failures—situations where unfettered markets produce suboptimal outcomes from a societal perspective. Traditional justifications for regulation include addressing information asymmetries, ensuring public safety, protecting consumers from predatory practices, and preventing negative externalities that impose costs on third parties.
However, the sharing economy complicates this calculus in several ways. First, platform technologies have dramatically reduced certain types of information asymmetries that previously justified regulatory intervention. Reputation systems, wherein users rate their experiences and these ratings become publicly visible, create market-based mechanisms for quality assurance that can, in principle, substitute for government-mandated standards. Empirical research has demonstrated that these peer-review systems significantly influence consumer choices and provider behavior, suggesting they may serve as effective governance mechanisms in some contexts.
Nevertheless, critics argue that relying exclusively on market-based solutions is inadequate for several reasons. Behavioral economics research has revealed that humans exhibit systematic biases in evaluating risks and making decisions, particularly regarding low-probability, high-severity events. While a hotel guest might find a property’s average rating useful for assessing cleanliness or amenities, reputation systems may not adequately address concerns about fire safety, structural integrity, or other hazards that are inherently difficult for consumers to assess. Furthermore, algorithmic bias in platform recommendation systems can perpetuate or even amplify existing societal inequalities, raising concerns about distributive justice that purely market-based approaches fail to address.
Labor Relations in the Platform Economy: Redefining Employment
Perhaps no aspect of the sharing economy has generated more contentious debate than the question of worker classification and labor rights. The traditional employment relationship, characterized by a bilateral contract between employer and employee, served as the conceptual foundation for twentieth-century labor law. This framework established clear delineations between employees, who receive comprehensive protections and benefits, and independent contractors, who enjoy greater autonomy but forgo such protections.
Platform-based work defies these binary categorizations. While sharing economy companies characterize their workforce as independent contractors, critics contend that the degree of control these platforms exercise over workers—through algorithmic management, rating systems, and pricing mechanisms—more closely resembles traditional employment relationships. This classificatory ambiguity has spawned extensive litigation in multiple jurisdictions, with courts reaching divergent conclusions about whether gig workers should be considered employees.
The normative stakes of this debate extend beyond legal technicalities to encompass fundamental questions about the social contract and the distribution of economic risks. The traditional employment model, while often criticized as paternalistic and inflexible, provided mechanisms for risk pooling and social insurance that protected workers from the vicissitudes of market fluctuations. By shifting risks onto individual workers—who must bear the costs of income volatility, equipment, and lack of benefits—the gig economy model may erode the social safety net that industrialized nations constructed over the past century.
Some scholars have proposed intermediate categories that would grant platform workers certain protections without full employee status, or portable benefits systems that would decouple benefits from specific employers, allowing workers to accumulate benefits across multiple platforms. Others advocate for extending traditional labor protections to all gig workers, arguing that the flexibility that platforms offer need not be incompatible with basic worker rights. These debates reflect broader ideological divisions regarding the appropriate balance between labor market flexibility and worker security.
Market Structure and Competition Policy
The sharing economy also raises novel questions for antitrust policy and competition regulation. Platform businesses exhibit strong network effects, wherein each additional user increases the platform’s value to all other users. While these network effects can generate substantial consumer benefits by improving matching efficiency and reducing transaction costs, they also create barriers to entry that may lead to market concentration and reduced competition over time.
This phenomenon has manifested in several sharing economy sectors, where early entrants have consolidated dominant market positions. Economic analysis suggests that markets characterized by strong network effects may exhibit “winner-take-all” dynamics, resulting in monopolistic or oligopolistic market structures. Such concentration raises concerns about market power: dominant platforms might exploit their position by extracting excessive fees from service providers, reducing service quality, or stifling innovation.
However, applying traditional antitrust frameworks to platform businesses is fraught with challenges. Conventional competition analysis focuses on consumer prices as the primary indicator of market power, but many platforms offer services to consumers for free or at heavily subsidized prices, instead generating revenue from service providers or other sources. This multi-sided market structure complicates the assessment of competitive harm. Moreover, the contestability of platform markets—the potential for new entrants to challenge incumbents—remains a subject of debate, with some arguing that low technical barriers to entry and dynamic competition “for the market” rather than “in the market” mitigate concerns about concentration.
Recent regulatory initiatives in various jurisdictions have attempted to address these concerns through different approaches. The European Union has proposed ex ante regulations that would impose specific obligations on large platforms designated as “gatekeepers,” including requirements for data portability and interoperability. These measures aim to lower barriers for competitors and prevent platforms from leveraging their dominance in one market to gain unfair advantages in adjacent markets.
Toward Adaptive Governance Frameworks
The heterogeneity of challenges posed by the sharing economy suggests that no single regulatory approach will prove adequate across all contexts. Instead, policymakers must develop adaptive governance frameworks that can accommodate the distinctive characteristics of platform-based businesses while maintaining essential public protections. This requires moving beyond the binary choice between deregulation and traditional command-and-control regulation toward more nuanced, context-sensitive approaches.
One promising direction involves regulatory experimentalism, wherein governments authorize limited trials of new business models or regulatory approaches, carefully monitoring their effects and adjusting policies based on empirical evidence. Such approaches acknowledge the inherent uncertainty surrounding these novel business models and create opportunities for iterative learning and policy refinement.
Another key element involves multi-stakeholder governance, bringing together platforms, service providers, consumers, workers, and government representatives to develop industry standards and best practices. This collaborative approach can leverage the domain expertise of various participants while ensuring that diverse interests are represented in governance structures.
Ultimately, the challenge facing contemporary policymakers is to craft regulatory frameworks that preserve the genuine innovations and efficiencies that platform businesses offer while mitigating their potential to exacerbate inequality, undermine worker protections, or concentrate market power. This delicate balancing act will require not only technical expertise in economics and law but also normative judgments about the kind of economic system and social arrangements we wish to create. As the sharing economy continues to evolve, these questions will remain at the forefront of policy debates, demanding ongoing critical engagement from scholars, practitioners, and citizens alike.
Khung chính sách quản lý và điều tiết nền kinh tế chia sẻ cân bằng đổi mới và quyền lợi người lao động
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
27. According to the passage, traditional justifications for government regulation include all of the following EXCEPT:
A. Correcting information asymmetries
B. Ensuring public safety
C. Maximizing corporate profits
D. Preventing negative externalities
28. The passage suggests that reputation systems in the sharing economy:
A. Completely eliminate the need for government regulation
B. Can serve as effective governance mechanisms in some contexts
C. Are always superior to government-mandated standards
D. Have no influence on consumer behavior
29. The main issue with worker classification in the sharing economy is:
A. All workers want to be classified as employees
B. Platform work defies traditional binary categorizations
C. There are too many employees in the gig economy
D. Independent contractors earn more than employees
30. Network effects in platform businesses:
A. Only benefit consumers without any drawbacks
B. Always lead to perfect competition
C. Can create barriers to entry and market concentration
D. Have no impact on market structure
31. The passage’s overall argument regarding regulation of the sharing economy is that:
A. All sharing economy platforms should be banned
B. Complete deregulation is the best approach
C. A nuanced, context-sensitive approach is needed
D. Traditional command-and-control regulation is sufficient
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match each concept (32-36) with the correct characteristic (A-H) according to the passage.
Concepts:
32. Reputation systems
33. Algorithmic management
34. Network effects
35. Multi-sided markets
36. Regulatory experimentalism
Characteristics:
A. Increases platform value as more users join
B. Completely replaces government oversight
C. Involves limited trials of new regulatory approaches
D. Complicates assessment of competitive harm
E. Proves traditional employment relationship
F. Eliminates all market failures
G. Exercises control over platform workers
H. Guarantees worker benefits
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
37. What type of systems do platforms use where users rate their experiences publicly?
38. What does behavioral economics research show that humans exhibit when evaluating risks?
39. What term describes the unclear classification of platform workers between employees and contractors?
40. What type of governance involves bringing together multiple parties to develop industry standards?
Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- B
- C
- C
- B
- C
- FALSE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- FALSE
- collaborative
- regulatory gray / gray areas
- unfair
- professional
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- iii
- v
- vii
- viii
- vi
- NO
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- YES
- linear
- capital-intensive
- revenue decline / financial impact
- hybrid models
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- C
- B
- B
- C
- C
- A
- G
- A
- D
- C
- reputation systems / peer-review systems
- systematic biases
- classificatory ambiguity
- multi-stakeholder governance
Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: B – Peer-to-peer exchanges
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: sharing economy, characterized by
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, câu thứ 2
- Giải thích: Câu “The sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption, refers to peer-to-peer exchanges where individuals share access to products, services, or skills” nêu rõ đặc điểm chính của nền kinh tế chia sẻ là giao dịch peer-to-peer (ngang hàng). Các đáp án khác không được đề cập như đặc điểm chính.
Câu 2: C – Government subsidies
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice (NOT)
- Từ khóa: factors, growth
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3
- Giải thích: Đoạn 3 liệt kê ba yếu tố: technological advancement (A), financial crisis (B), và cultural shift (D). Government subsidies (trợ cấp chính phủ) không được đề cập trong bài.
Câu 3: C – Reducing the number of vehicles needed
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: environment, benefits
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 5, câu cuối
- Giải thích: “Each shared car can replace up to 15 privately owned vehicles” cho thấy lợi ích môi trường là giảm số lượng xe cần thiết. Đây là paraphrase của đáp án C.
Câu 6: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: began, twenty years ago
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, câu đầu
- Giải thích: “Over the past decade” (trong thập kỷ qua) có nghĩa là khoảng 10 năm, không phải hơn 20 năm như câu hỏi nêu. Do đó câu này là FALSE.
Câu 7: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Millennials, experiences, ownership
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, câu cuối
- Giải thích: “Millennials and Generation Z consumers are more willing to share resources and less attached to the idea of owning things” và “cultural shift…toward valuing experiences over ownership” xác nhận Millennials đánh giá trải nghiệm cao hơn sở hữu.
Câu 10: collaborative
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: sharing economy, also referred to as
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, câu 2
- Giải thích: “The sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption” – từ cần điền là “collaborative”.
Câu 13: professional
- Dạng câu hỏi: Sentence Completion
- Từ khóa: expand, new sectors, healthcare, education
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 9, câu thứ 2
- Giải thích: “…expand into new sectors, including healthcare, education, and professional services” – từ cần điền là “professional”.
Ví dụ các dạng câu hỏi True False Not Given trong IELTS Reading về nền kinh tế chia sẻ
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: iii – Revenue losses in the hospitality sector
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Vị trí: Section B
- Giải thích: Section B thảo luận chi tiết về “financial implications” và đề cập cụ thể đến “8-10% decline in revenue” của khách sạn và sự giảm giá trị của taxi medallions. Đây chính là nội dung về tổn thất doanh thu.
Câu 15: v – Strategic options for established companies
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Vị trí: Section C
- Giải thích: Section C mô tả các “strategic responses” của doanh nghiệp truyền thống bao gồm: compete directly, collaboration, và seeking regulatory intervention. Đây là các lựa chọn chiến lược.
Câu 16: vii – Employment flexibility versus security
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Vị trí: Section D
- Giải thích: Section D thảo luận về “labor market transformations”, nhấn mạnh sự đối lập giữa “unprecedented flexibility” và việc thiếu “employment protections and benefits”. Đây chính là xung đột giữa flexibility và security.
Câu 19: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: platform businesses, capital investment
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A
- Giải thích: “This asset-light approach offers significant advantages. Platform companies can scale rapidly without the capital-intensive investments required by traditional businesses” – điều này mâu thuẫn trực tiếp với câu hỏi, do đó đáp án là NO.
Câu 20: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: Premium hotels, less affected
- Vị trí trong bài: Section B, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: “Premium hotels and those offering unique amenities or targeting business travelers have proven more resilient to sharing economy competition” – từ “resilient” (bền vững, chống chịu tốt) đồng nghĩa với “less affected”.
Câu 22: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: ride-sharing, traffic congestion, local conditions
- Vị trí trong bài: Section E, đoạn cuối
- Giải thích: “Studies have produced conflicting findings, suggesting that the net impact depends on local conditions” – câu này khẳng định tác động phụ thuộc vào điều kiện địa phương.
Câu 23: linear
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: business models, different from
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: “differs fundamentally from traditional linear business models” – từ cần điền là “linear”.
Câu 26: hybrid models
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Từ khóa: combine, traditional, platform-based
- Vị trí trong bài: Section F
- Giải thích: “hybrid models—combining elements of traditional business approaches with platform strategies—will become increasingly common” – cụm từ cần điền là “hybrid models”.
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: C – Maximizing corporate profits
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice (EXCEPT)
- Từ khóa: traditional justifications, regulation
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Đoạn văn liệt kê: “addressing information asymmetries, ensuring public safety, protecting consumers from predatory practices, and preventing negative externalities”. Maximizing corporate profits không được đề cập như một lý do cho sự can thiệp của chính phủ.
Câu 28: B – Can serve as effective governance mechanisms in some contexts
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: reputation systems
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, cuối
- Giải thích: “research has demonstrated that these peer-review systems significantly influence consumer choices and provider behavior, suggesting they may serve as effective governance mechanisms in some contexts” – câu này khớp chính xác với đáp án B, thể hiện quan điểm cân bằng (không tuyệt đối).
Câu 29: B – Platform work defies traditional binary categorizations
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: main issue, worker classification
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4
- Giải thích: “Platform-based work defies these binary categorizations” – đây chính là vấn đề chính được nhấn mạnh trong section về Labor Relations.
Câu 31: C – A nuanced, context-sensitive approach is needed
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice (Overall argument)
- Từ khóa: regulation, overall argument
- Vị trí trong bài: Phần “Toward Adaptive Governance Frameworks”
- Giải thích: “policymakers must develop adaptive governance frameworks” và “moving beyond the binary choice…toward more nuanced, context-sensitive approaches” thể hiện rõ quan điểm chính của tác giả.
Câu 32: A – Increases platform value as more users join
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Vị trí: Đoạn về Market Structure
- Giải thích: “network effects, wherein each additional user increases the platform’s value to all other users” – đây là định nghĩa chính xác về reputation systems được đề cập liên quan đến network effects.
Câu 33: G – Exercises control over platform workers
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Vị trí: Section về Labor Relations
- Giải thích: “the degree of control these platforms exercise over workers—through algorithmic management, rating systems, and pricing mechanisms” – algorithmic management được mô tả như công cụ kiểm soát người lao động.
Câu 37: reputation systems / peer-review systems
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: users rate experiences publicly
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2
- Giải thích: “Reputation systems, wherein users rate their experiences and these ratings become publicly visible” – có thể dùng “reputation systems” hoặc “peer-review systems” (được đề cập ngay sau đó).
Câu 38: systematic biases
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: behavioral economics, humans exhibit
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3
- Giải thích: “Behavioral economics research has revealed that humans exhibit systematic biases in evaluating risks and making decisions”.
Câu 40: multi-stakeholder governance
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer
- Từ khóa: bringing together, develop industry standards
- Vị trí trong bài: Phần Adaptive Governance, đoạn cuối
- Giải thích: “Another key element involves multi-stakeholder governance, bringing together platforms, service providers, consumers, workers, and government representatives to develop industry standards”.
Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| revolutionary | adj | /ˌrevəˈluːʃəneri/ | mang tính cách mạng | a revolutionary economic model | revolutionary change/idea |
| peer-to-peer | adj | /pɪə tə pɪə/ | ngang hàng, trực tiếp giữa các cá nhân | peer-to-peer exchanges | peer-to-peer network/lending |
| collaborative consumption | n phrase | /kəˈlæbərətɪv kənˈsʌmpʃən/ | tiêu dùng hợp tác | also known as collaborative consumption | collaborative economy/effort |
| maximize utilization | v phrase | /ˈmæksɪmaɪz ˌjuːtɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ | tối đa hóa việc sử dụng | maximizes the utilization of existing resources | maximize efficiency/profit |
| supplement income | v phrase | /ˈsʌplɪmənt ˈɪnkʌm/ | bổ sung thu nhập | interested in supplementing their income | supplement diet/budget |
| authentic | adj | /ɔːˈθentɪk/ | chân thực, đích thực | a more authentic local experience | authentic experience/culture |
| flexible | adj | /ˈfleksəbl/ | linh hoạt | flexible earning opportunities | flexible working/schedule |
| carbon emissions | n phrase | /ˈkɑːbən ɪˈmɪʃənz/ | khí thải carbon | lower carbon emissions | reduce/cut carbon emissions |
| regulatory gray areas | n phrase | /ˈreɡjələtəri ɡreɪ ˈeəriəz/ | khu vực xám về quy định | operate in regulatory gray areas | regulatory framework/compliance |
| independent contractor | n phrase | /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt kənˈtræktə/ | nhà thầu độc lập | classified as independent contractors | independent business/worker |
| unfair competition | n phrase | /ʌnˈfeə ˌkɒmpəˈtɪʃən/ | cạnh tranh không lành mạnh | claiming unfair competition | unfair advantage/treatment |
| legal framework | n phrase | /ˈliːɡəl ˈfreɪmwɜːk/ | khung pháp lý | adapt their legal frameworks | legal system/basis |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| paradigm shift | n phrase | /ˈpærədaɪm ʃɪft/ | sự thay đổi mô hình tư duy | precipitated a paradigm shift | paradigm change/transformation |
| asset-light | adj | /ˈæset laɪt/ | ít tài sản, không sở hữu nhiều tài sản | asset-light approach | asset-light model/business |
| scalability | n | /ˌskeɪləˈbɪləti/ | khả năng mở rộng quy mô | this scalability allows | business scalability/solution |
| network effects | n phrase | /ˈnetwɜːk ɪˈfekts/ | hiệu ứng mạng lưới | network effects create advantages | strong/powerful network effects |
| disproportionately | adv | /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃənətli/ | không cân xứng, quá mức | disproportionately affected | disproportionately high/large |
| resilient | adj | /rɪˈzɪliənt/ | bền vững, có khả năng phục hồi | proven more resilient | resilient economy/system |
| proliferation | n | /prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃən/ | sự gia tăng nhanh chóng | the proliferation of gig economy | nuclear proliferation/rapid proliferation |
| gig economy | n phrase | /ɡɪɡ ɪˈkɒnəmi/ | nền kinh tế làm việc tự do | opportunities in the gig economy | gig worker/platform |
| income volatility | n phrase | /ˈɪnkʌm ˌvɒləˈtɪləti/ | sự biến động thu nhập | struggle with income volatility | market/price volatility |
| conversion | n | /kənˈvɜːʃən/ | sự chuyển đổi | conversion of residential properties | conversion rate/process |
| lucrative | adj | /ˈluːkrətɪv/ | sinh lợi, có lợi nhuận cao | more lucrative than long-term leases | lucrative business/deal |
| traffic congestion | n phrase | /ˈtræfɪk kənˈdʒestʃən/ | tắc nghẽn giao thông | increased traffic congestion | traffic congestion/jam |
| consolidation | n | /kənˌsɒlɪˈdeɪʃən/ | sự hợp nhất | analysts predict consolidation | market consolidation/debt consolidation |
| leverage | v | /ˈliːvərɪdʒ/ | tận dụng, khai thác | leverage the advantages | leverage technology/resources |
| hybrid model | n phrase | /ˈhaɪbrɪd ˈmɒdl/ | mô hình kết hợp | hybrid models will become common | hybrid approach/system |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| theoretical underpinnings | n phrase | /ˌθɪəˈretɪkəl ˌʌndəˈpɪnɪŋz/ | nền tảng lý thuyết | challenge to the theoretical underpinnings | theoretical framework/basis |
| proliferate | v | /prəˈlɪfəreɪt/ | gia tăng nhanh, lan rộng | continue to proliferate | proliferate rapidly/widely |
| grappling with | v phrase | /ˈɡræplɪŋ wɪð/ | vật lộn với, đối mặt với | grappling with questions | grapple with problems/issues |
| inadequacies | n | /ɪnˈædɪkwəsiz/ | sự không đầy đủ, thiếu sót | inadequacies of existing frameworks | inadequacy of resources/system |
| sui generis | adj (Latin) | /ˌsuːi ˈdʒenərɪs/ | độc nhất, đặc thù | sui generis characteristics | sui generis nature/status |
| market failures | n phrase | /ˈmɑːkɪt ˈfeɪljəz/ | thất bại thị trường | correct market failures | market failure/intervention |
| information asymmetries | n phrase | /ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən əˈsɪmətriz/ | bất cân xứng thông tin | addressing information asymmetries | information gap/imbalance |
| predatory practices | n phrase | /ˈpredətəri ˈpræktɪsɪz/ | hành vi trục lợi, bóc lột | protecting from predatory practices | predatory pricing/lending |
| negative externalities | n phrase | /ˈneɡətɪv ˌekstɜːˈnælətiz/ | ngoại ứng tiêu cực | preventing negative externalities | positive/negative externalities |
| behavioral economics | n phrase | /bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪks/ | kinh tế học hành vi | behavioral economics research | behavioral science/finance |
| systematic biases | n phrase | /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk ˈbaɪəsɪz/ | thành kiến có hệ thống | humans exhibit systematic biases | cognitive/unconscious bias |
| algorithmic bias | n phrase | /ˌælɡəˈrɪðmɪk ˈbaɪəs/ | thành kiến thuật toán | algorithmic bias can perpetuate | algorithmic trading/management |
| distributive justice | n phrase | /dɪˈstrɪbjətɪv ˈdʒʌstɪs/ | công bằng phân phối | concerns about distributive justice | social justice/criminal justice |
| contentious debate | n phrase | /kənˈtenʃəs dɪˈbeɪt/ | cuộc tranh luận gay gắt | generated contentious debate | contentious issue/topic |
| bilateral contract | n phrase | /baɪˈlætərəl ˈkɒntrækt/ | hợp đồng song phương | characterized by bilateral contract | bilateral agreement/trade |
| classificatory ambiguity | n phrase | /kləˈsɪfɪkətəri æmbɪˈɡjuːəti/ | sự mơ hồ trong phân loại | classificatory ambiguity has spawned litigation | legal ambiguity/moral ambiguity |
| vicissitudes | n | /vɪˈsɪsɪtjuːdz/ | biến động, thăng trầm | vicissitudes of market fluctuations | vicissitudes of life/fortune |
| paternalistic | adj | /pəˌtɜːnəˈlɪstɪk/ | có tính gia trưởng | criticized as paternalistic | paternalistic attitude/approach |
| erode | v | /ɪˈrəʊd/ | xói mòn, làm suy yếu | may erode the social safety net | erode confidence/trust |
| decouple | v | /diːˈkʌpl/ | tách rời | decouple benefits from employers | decouple from/economic decoupling |
| oligopolistic | adj | /ˌɒlɪɡəpəˈlɪstɪk/ | độc quyền nhóm | oligopolistic market structures | oligopolistic competition/industry |
| contestability | n | /kənˌtestəˈbɪləti/ | tính cạnh tranh được | contestability of platform markets | market contestability/theory |
| gatekeepers | n | /ˈɡeɪtkiːpəz/ | người kiểm soát cổng vào | platforms designated as gatekeepers | market gatekeeper/information gatekeeper |
| interoperability | n | /ˌɪntərˌɒpərəˈbɪləti/ | khả năng tương tác | requirements for interoperability | system interoperability/data interoperability |
| heterogeneity | n | /ˌhetərəʊdʒəˈniːəti/ | tính không đồng nhất, đa dạng | heterogeneity of challenges | heterogeneity of population/market |
| adaptive governance | n phrase | /əˈdæptɪv ˈɡʌvənəns/ | quản trị thích ứng | adaptive governance frameworks | adaptive management/strategy |
| regulatory experimentalism | n phrase | /ˈreɡjələtəri ɪkˌsperɪmenˈtælɪzəm/ | thử nghiệm quy định | regulatory experimentalism involves trials | regulatory approach/sandbox |
| multi-stakeholder | adj | /ˌmʌlti ˈsteɪkhəʊldə/ | nhiều bên liên quan | multi-stakeholder governance | multi-stakeholder process/dialogue |
| iterative learning | n phrase | /ˈɪtərətɪv ˈlɜːnɪŋ/ | học tập lặp lại | opportunities for iterative learning | iterative process/development |
Tổng hợp từ vựng học thuật quan trọng về nền kinh tế chia sẻ trong IELTS Reading
Kết Bài
Chủ đề về tác động của nền kinh tế chia sẻ đến các mô hình kinh doanh truyền thống không chỉ là một đề tài thời sự mà còn phản ánh sự chuyển đổi sâu sắc trong cách thức hoạt động kinh tế toàn cầu. Qua bộ đề thi mẫu hoàn chỉnh này, bạn đã được trải nghiệm ba passages với độ khó tăng dần, từ giới thiệu khái niệm cơ bản đến phân tích chuyên sâu về chính sách và lý thuyết kinh tế.
Ba passages trong đề thi này đã cung cấp đầy đủ các góc độ tiếp cận chủ đề:
- Passage 1 giúp bạn làm quen với vocabulary cơ bản và hiểu tổng quan về sharing economy
- Passage 2 đi sâu vào tác động cụ thể lên các doanh nghiệp và thị trường lao động
- Passage 3 yêu cầu khả năng phân tích cao với nội dung về chính sách và framework lý thuyết
Với 40 câu hỏi đa dạng bao gồm 8 dạng câu hỏi khác nhau, bạn đã thực hành toàn diện các kỹ năng cần thiết cho IELTS Reading: scanning, skimming, paraphrasing, và critical thinking. Đáp án chi tiết kèm giải thích đã chỉ ra chính xác vị trí thông tin trong bài và cách paraphrase giữa câu hỏi và passage – đây là kỹ năng then chốt để đạt band điểm cao.
Bộ từ vựng học thuật được tổng hợp theo từng passage không chỉ giúp bạn hiểu bài đọc tốt hơn mà còn có thể áp dụng vào Writing Task 2 khi gặp các chủ đề tương tự về business, technology, và society. Hãy chú ý đặc biệt đến các collocations và cách sử dụng từ trong ngữ cảnh học thuật.
Lời khuyên cuối cùng: Sau khi hoàn thành đề thi này, hãy phân tích kỹ những câu bạn làm sai để hiểu rõ nguyên nhân – có thể do thiếu từ vựng, không hiểu paraphrase, hay quản lý thời gian chưa tốt. Luyện tập thường xuyên với các chủ đề đa dạng và áp dụng các kỹ thuật làm bài đã học sẽ giúp bạn tự tin hơn khi bước vào phòng thi thật.
Chúc bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt band điểm mong muốn trong kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới!
