Use of English PRO

The incredibly (0) USEFUL (USE) mobile phone app, Uber, which allows people to hire private cars rather than official taxis for short trips, has been one of the most (1) ............ (CONTROVERSY) businesses of the 21st century. Uber drivers use their own cars, and need only pass a simple background check before picking up passengers. An Uber user (2) ............ (LOAD) the app onto their smartphone, which they can then use to summon an official Uber driver and track their order. The company has been widely (3) ............ (CRITIC) by taxi drivers who allege that it has allowed unlicensed drivers to steal their business, (4) ............ (THREAT) their livelihood and the safety of customers. The company has also been subjected to legal action by their own drivers, who say they are employees of the business without any of the protection or benefits guaranteed by employment law. A greater threat comes from (5) ............ (GOVERN) that find it difficult to control Uber's internet-based operations. Uber claims it is not a taxi service and so should not be subject to the same controls. The company is currently involved in disputes with several national and local (6) ............ (AGENCY) and has been banned in Spain since 2014. Uber is involved in research into self-driving cars, street-level mapping projects, and even Uber Elevate, which is researching 3D transport (which, in other words, means (7) ............ (FLY) cars). It seems as though Uber has its eye on the future and ambition to change the world, (8) ............ (HOPE) for the better.