re City life A 132 _Engksh Vocabulary in Use (preitarmediate & intermediate) Buildings and places Here are som of the things you will find in most towns and cities. commercial centre (= area with lots of banks and comm shopping centre {= place with many shops, either indoors or outdoors) cear parks (= places to leave many cars} factories (= buildings where you make/manufacture things € skyscrapers/high-tise buildings (= buildings wish many floors} libraries (= places where you can borrow books} suburbs (= areas outside the centre of town where people live) People on the move For many people, the worst time of day is the rush hour (= the time when people travel to ‘and from work, eg. 7-9 in the morning). At this time of day the public transport system trains and buses) has to cope with (= manage something which is difficult) the people who live in the city, and also commuters (= people who live in the country but travel into the city for work). The roads get congested (= busy and full of cars} and people are always in a hurry {= want to get to another place very quickly). For many, this is very stressful (= makes you nervous and anxious) Going out (= going to places for social reasons) Tlive and work in the suburbs, but I usually go into town (= the town cenere) two oF three times a week. In the evening, itis pretty lively (= lots of people and lots of things happening), and there's plenty to do (= lots of possibilities, e.g. bars, discos, ete}. One problem is that there’s nowhere to park in the centre, so I usually get/take a bus into town and take/get a taxi home if I'm lace There are many common phrases using this construction: there's plenty to dos there’: nothing to do; there’s plenty to sees there's nowhere to go; there's nowhere to park, ete. Advantages and disadvantages “The best thing about living in a city is that” There's good nightlife. (= places to go at night, e.g. bars, discos, cinemas) “There's a wide range of shops. (= many shops selling different things) You can get whatever you want. (= buy everything and anything you want) ‘There are lots of cultural activities. (e,g. museums, concerts, films) 1s cosmopolitan. (= full of people from many different countries and cultures) ‘There are more job opportunities. (= easier to find work) “The worst ching about living in a city is that It’s very crowded. (= full of people) People are more aggressive. (= seem angry and very unfriendly} Tecan be noisy (opp quiet) and dangerous. (opp safe) “The streets are often dirty (opp clean) and ies polluted. (= dirty air) “There's traffic congestion (= too many cars) and parking is difficult. There's a high crime rate. (= number of crimes) You have a higher cost of living, (e.g. houses are more expensive, so is transport}65.1 65.2 65.3 65.4 65.5 Exercises Combine words from the left and right to form common compound words and phrases. 1 rush a building 2 traffic b life 3 night © rate 4 cost hour 5 crime e park 6 shopping fof living 7 high-rise g congestion 8 car h centre Complete the dialogues in a suitable way. Each gap is one word. 1 A: The town is full of people from different countries and cultures. ms Yes, it’s very ...sasesopalitaa, There are cinemas, theatres, museums, art galleries and everything, Yes, know, there are lors of There's @ ann of shops. Oh yes. You can buy you want. : There’s plenty to do in the evening, 1 Yes, the is great. There's a better chance of finding work. Yes, there are more job ‘The transport system has to -onsuuue With the people who live in the country but work in town, bs Yes, I know, there are too many Complete this table of opposites. towns and cities villages in the countryside quiet and peaceful clean aie safe not much traffic nothing to do in the evening, Puta tick / beside each answer you agree with, and a x beside each answer you don't. Think of your journey to school, college or work. How many of these do you see or pass? acar park a factory a museum commuters skyscrapers alibrary suburbs a railway station lots of traffic a shopping centre Do you live in a big town o city? If so, answer questions 1a-b. If not, answer 2a-b. 1a. For me, the best thing about living in a big town/city is that 2 1b The worst thing about living in a big town/city i8 that 2a For me, the best thing about not living in a big town/city is that 2b ‘The worst thing about not living in a big townleity is that on... English Vocabulary in Use (presintermediate & intermediate) 133,Life in the country ee f A Surrounded by nature Mla | grew up (= spent my childhood) in a rural eaves area (= an area in the country; opp an urban branches. area). It was quite a remote area in area far from towns), and we lived in an old cottage = a type of house, often small, you find in the country). My sister and I played a lot in the woods (= an area of trees like a small forest), not far from the nearest village (= a place smaller than a town). I loved being in the country, (vor Hovec-to-be-in-the nate.) plants grass roots B Working in the country ‘A lot of land in the country/countryside (both words are used) is used for agriculture! farining, Some farms grow crops (e.g. wheat, apples and potatoes) and some keep animals (eg, cows, sheep and pigs). When I was younger, I worked on a farm during my school holidays. river tractor ‘© Advantages and disadvantages ‘The best thing about living in the country is that:’ ae You get peace and quiet. (a common phrase to describe a place that is quiet and calm) —— You get fresh air. (= air outside a building or town which is clean) eer ‘You're surrounded by lovely scenery and you can walk in the countryside. Coreapou fing) ThE pace of life (= the amount of activity in life) is slower and more relaxed. is very ‘The worst thing about living in the country is that:” ‘commen (opp There isn’t much nightlife. you don’t Public transport (= buses and trains) is hopeless. (= terrible) get). ‘You don't get many shops. There isn’t much privacy (- private life) because everyone knows what you are doing,66.1 66.2 66.3 66.4 66.5 Exercises You find these thing: they? in nature and they all grow, but the words are jumbled. What are 1 seret tes 4 mpsal 2 sargs 5 cores 3 velase 6 woserlf Fill the gaps with the correct adverb or preposition. 1 Have you ever lived the country? 2 I grew in a small village. 3. Have you ever worked a farm? 4 It’s wonderful to be surrounded nature, 5 Llove the pace owe life in a small village. 6 The best thing, the countryside is that people are very friendly. Study the picture in 66B on the opposite page for one minute, then cover it and complete this text. ‘We opened the (1) 2 , said ‘hello” go the man on the (2)... . and then followed the (3) : across the (4) and down into the (5) wow « We stopped and had a picnic by the river. Afterwards we walked up through the (6) and came to a (7) where we stopped and bought some bread. Fill the gaps with a suitable word. 1 Another word for the “country” is the 7 2. Another word for ‘farming’ is 3. Wheat, rice and potatoes are all examples of that farmers grow. 4 The opposite of an ‘urban area’ is a area SA place smaller than a town is called a 6 An area where trees grow, smaller than a forest, is called a TB cononeon i often quite small, and it’s the type of house you find in the country. 8 Buses and trains are examples of public Fill the gaps with a suitable word. The best (1) about living in the country is that: * there’s peace and (2) * you get (3) air * youare (4) by nature © the (5) of life is slower and more relaxed The (6) thing about living in the country is thats + there are no cinemas and discos, so there isn’t much (7) + everyone knows what you are doing, so there isn’t much (8) Can you add more things to each list?