Living in the city

Study the words and expressions

advantage - преимущество

disadvantage – недостаток

choice - выбор

own - собственный

all in all – в общем

variety – разнообразие

feel bored – чувствовать скуку

however – однако

unless – если не

well-paid - хорошо оплачиваемая

to afford – позволить себе

particularly – особенно

accommodation – жильё, размещение

crowded – переполненный

rush hour – час пик

city-dweller – городской житель

last of all – наконец

despite – несмотря на

lonely – одинокий

in conclusion – в заключение

to appeal – обращаться

excitement – волнение

ARead the text quickly and put the following sentences in the correct order.

a Living in the city is not cheap.

b Some people prefer the life full of variety, others like the peace of the

countryside.

c Everyone wants isolation and fresh air from time to time.

d You are never bored in a big city.

e You can always find something really exciting.

Living in a city has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, it is often easier to find work, and there is usually a choice of public transport, so you don’t need to own a car. Also, there are a lot of interesting things to do and places to see. For example, you can eat in good restaurants, visit museums, and go to the theatre and to concerts. What is more, when you want to relax, you can usually find a park where you can feed the ducks or just sit on a park bench and read a book. All in all, city life is full of bustle and variety and you need never feel bored.

However, for every plus there is a minus. For one thing, you might have a job, but unless it is very well-paid, you will not be able to afford many of the things that there are to do, because living in a city is often very expensive. It is particularly difficult to find good, cheap accommodation. What is more, public transport is sometimes crowded and dirty, particularly in the rush hour, and even the parks can become very crowded, especially on Sundays when it seems that every city-dweller is looking for some open space and green grass. Last of all, despite all the crowds, it is still possible to feel very lonely in a city.

In conclusion, I think that city life can be particularly appealing to young people, who like the excitement of the city and don’t mind the noise and pollution. However, many people, when they get older, and particularly when they have young children often prefer the peace and fresh air of the countryside.

B Read the text again and choose the correct answer a, b, c or d for questions 1-4.

1 What are the advantages of living in the city?

a You can choose what to do.

b Sometimes you feel lonely in a city.

c You want fresh air.

d You can live in a good accommodation even if you don’t have

a well- paid job.

2 When you want to relax

a you can go to the countryside.

b it is impossible to find an open space and green grass in the parks.

c you can easily find a quiet place to read a book.

d you must drive about 100 miles away from the city.

3 If you have a well-paid job

a you can live in the country and go to the city when you are bored.

b and a good cheap accommodation, living in the city is very pleasant.

c you can afford a lot of things.

d then city life is particularly appealing to you.

4 The disadvantage of living in the city is

a city life can be boring.

b there is no public transport.

c you can feel lonely.

d there are too many people and everything is dirty.

5 When people get older

a they don’t mind noise and pollution.

b they can’t afford many things.

c living in the city becomes very expensive.

d they often prefer the peace and fresh air of the countryside.