Many people travel by car every day, especially for short trips to work or school. However, some cities are trying a different option: shared bicycles. These bicycles are placed at different stations around the city, and people can rent one for a short time using an app on their phone.

For example, a person may ride a shared bicycle for 15 minutes to get to work instead of using a car. During the ride, the person avoids traffic and does not need to look for parking. When the ride is finished, the person leaves the bicycle at another station near their destination.

This method can help reduce traffic and pollution because fewer people use cars for short trips. It can also help people stay active during the day. However, this option does not work well in every city. Some places do not have enough bicycle stations, while others have difficult streets for riding safely.

Questions

1. What is the main idea of the text?
2. How long is one example of a bicycle ride?
3. What does the person avoid during the ride?
4. What can people do when the ride is finished?
5. Why can this method help the environment?
6. What does the text say about cities where this method does not work well?