Question 4
They want to abolish the bus route you always use to get to work. What can you do to keep the bus route?
German original: Man will die Buslinie abschaffen, mit der Sie immer zur Arbeit fahren. Was können Sie machen, um die Buslinie zu erhalten?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- I participate in a citizens' initiative to preserve the bus route or start one myself. — Correct answer
- I become a member of a sports club and train cycling.
- I contact the tax office because as a taxpayer I have a right to the bus route.
- I write a letter to the forestry office of the municipality.
Explanation
In Germany, citizens can actively participate in politics through civic initiatives (Bürgerinitiativen). These are informal groups that advocate for a specific local goal, such as keeping a bus line running.
Key terms in this question
- can / to be able to — Expresses that someone has the ability or possibility to do something. It is a modal verb used together with another verb.
- work / labor — Work is an activity that people do to earn money or accomplish something. It can be physical or mental in nature.
- to make / to do — To produce, perform, or carry out an action or task. It is a very common verb used in a wide variety of situations.
- to abolish / to eliminate — To abolish something means to officially end or remove a rule, law, or institution so that it no longer exists.
- elderly / old (people) — 'Alten' is the plural or declined form of the German adjective 'alt' (old). It is used to refer to elderly people or as an adjective modifying a noun, e.g. 'die alten Menschen' (the old people).
- bus line / bus route — A bus line is a fixed route along which buses travel regularly between specific stops.
- to receive / to preserve — 'Erhalten' can mean to receive or get something, or alternatively, to maintain and keep something in its current state.
- to drive / to travel — To move from one place to another using a vehicle, such as a car, bus, or train.