Modern mega-cities

Let’s look intently at the cities, where the majority of us live. Most of the world’s cities are dirty and polluted places facing grave social problems.

Observing a city “landscape” one can see steaming smoke-stacks¹ of different factories, endless streams of cars. As a result the level of contamination of the air, water and soil increases every year. Every day a huge number of factories release acids in the atmosphere of big cities. They damage buildings and constructions; as a result the facades need to be repainted very often. A lot of smoke and petrol fumes make the air dirty and harmful for health.

There is also too much litter on the streets. Some steps could be taken to introduce a recycling scheme. This would mean that less rubbish would be burned and therefore there would be less black smoke over the city.

Heavy traffic is another serious problem of large cities. The growing number of cars contributes to a dangerously high level of air pollution. Besides, every day, particularly in the rush hour, the streets get so packed with traffic that travel is very slow or even comes to a standstill. This may be particularly stressful for the people. Then there is also the problem of road accidents which are the most common cause of accidental death.

Grave social problems such as violent crime, drug trafficking, unemployment, and homelessness are also concentrated in large cities.

National governments are aware of the threats posed by these problems but the efforts the authorities make haven’t radically changed the situation so far. The world of cities is as diverse as the world of nature and it needs protection, too. People should take better care of the places they live in. They should save both natural values and masterpieces of human hand.

________

¹smoke-stack /'smqVkstxk/ – дымовая труба

Task 33. Find the English equivalents for the following word combinations; memorize them.

1. столкнуться с серьезными социальными проблемами

2. уровень загрязнения воздуха

3. повреждать здания и сооружения

4. вредный для здоровья

5. замереть, остановиться

6. вызывать у людей стресс

7. торговля запрещенными наркотиками

8. осознавать угрозу

9. радикально изменить ситуацию

10. нуждаться в защите

11. шедевры, созданные руками человека

Task 34. Read the suggestions and match them to the results, then make up sentences as in the example.

• make the factories out of the city - people have more oxygen

(кислород)

• put bins on every street corner - not be so much rubbish everywhere

• have more green areas - people not drop litter in the

streets

• improve public transport - people leave cars at home

• people use bicycles - children be able to play

safely

• people recycle things - cities be less polluted

• have more parks - air be cleaner to breathe

Example: If the authorities improve public transport, people will leave their cars at home.

Task 35. Speak on the present day problems of large cities. Use the following outline:

• pollution

• the problem of transport

• traffic jams

• road accidents

• crime

Task 36. Practise the following for pronunciation.

helmet /'helmIt/ immigrants /'ImIgrqnts/

dominate /'dPmIneIt/ Queen /kwJn/

headquarters /"hed'kwLtqz/ Buckingham /'bAkINqm/

Parliament /pRlqmqnt/ ceremony /'serqmqni/

monarch /'mPnqk/ panorama /"pxnq'rRmq/

Westminster /'wesmInstq/ complete /kqm'plJt/

area /'eqrIq/ mixture /'mIksCq/

financial /faI'nxnSl/ decline /dI'klaIn/

Task 37. Read and translate the text

London

London is a capital city of countless different moods, periods, memories, traditions, sights and sounds – because London is really a lot of different localities and communities crammed into one vast capital.

The London atmosphere has something to do with the colour of the buses or the shape of the policemen’s helmet – you’ve only to be in London a few minutes to understand it is different from other cities.

London (the largest city in Europe) dominates Britain. It is home for the headquarters of all government departments, Parliament, the major legal institutions and the monarch. It is the country’s business and banking centre and the centre of its transport network¹. It is about seven times larger than any other city in the country.

The original walled city of London was quite small. (It is known colloquially today as “the square mile”.) It did not contain Parliament or the royal court. It was in Westminster², another “city” outside London’s walls, that these national institutions met. Today both “cities” are just two areas of central London. In the old days even the Tower of London³, the open history book of England, stood outside the official City limits. Nowadays the “square mile” is home for the country’s main financial organizations. During the daytime, nearly a million people work there, but less than 8,000 people actually live there.

Two other well-known areas of London are the West End and the East End. The former is known for its many theatres, cinemas and expensive shops. The latter is known as the poorer residential area of central London. Last century large numbers of immigrants have settled there.

The centre of Royal London is the Queen’s residence – Buckingham Palace. One of London’s most colourful everyday ceremonies is the Changing of the Guard. If you want to know whether the Queen is at home, watch for the Royal Standard flying high from the Palace flagpole.

Among the new architectural features in London’s panorama is the new Post Office Tower⁴. It is one of the tallest buildings in Britain. People can go to the top of it and get a bird’s eye view of the city. One of the great attractions is the revolving restaurant. It turns two complete circles every hour and allows people in the restaurant to see a complete view of London.

Like many big cities, London has problems with traffic and pollution. Over 1.000.000 people a day use the London Underground, but there are still too many cars on the streets. The air isn’t clean, but it is cleaner than it was 100 years ago. Until the Clean Air Act in 1956, London was famous for its fog, or “smog” which is a mixture of smoke and fog.

In recent years it has been claimed that London is in decline. In comparison with many other western European cities it looks rather dirty and neglected. Nevertheless its popularity among tourists is still growing.

____________

¹transport network –транспортная сеть

²Westminster – Вестминстер (район в центральной части Лондона, где находится здание парламента)

³The Tower of London – Тауэр (старинная крепость на берегу р. Темзы в Лондоне; одна из главных достопримечательностей города. В разное время была королевской резиденцией, тюрьмой для государственных преступников, монетным двором и обсерваторией; сейчас это музей; здесь хранятся королевские регалии)

⁴The Post Office Tower – башня Управления почт и телеграфа (радиотелевизионная башня, в которой находится центральная телеграфная станция города; в верхней части – закрытая смотровая галерея и вращающийся ресторан; высота 176 м.; открыта в 1965)

Task 38. Give Russian equivalents for the following English ones; memorize them.

1. to be 7 times larger than …

2. the open history book of England

3. to be home for …

4. to be known for something

5. to get a bird’s eye view of something

6. a great attraction of the city

7. to see a complete view of London

8. to be famous for something

9. to look dirty and neglected

10. in comparison with

Task 39. Complete the following sentences; translate them into Russian.

1. The City of London is known as a) look dirty and neglected.

2. The centre of many cities is always b) “the square mile”.

nice and clean, but the suburbs often c) the Queen is at home

3. The British Museum is known for d) its enormous library.

4. There are special sites in some of the e) an open history book of

skyscrapers (небоскребы) in New England

York that allow people f) you may go to the top

5. The Tower of London is known as of the Post Office Tower.

6. Being the capital of the country g) to get a bird’s eye view

London is the home for of the city.

7. If the Royal Standard flies high from h) monarch, Parliament and

The Palace flagpole it means that government departments.

8. If you want to get a bird’s eye view

of London

Task 40. Practise the following for pronunciation.

sightseeing /'saIt"sJIN/ architectural /"RkI'tekCqrql/

monument /'mPnjVmqnt/ ballet /'bxleI/

magnificent /mxg'nIfIsnt/ admire /qd'maIq/

outstanding /aVt'stxndIN/ diversity /daI'vE:sqti/

administrative /qd'mInIstrqtIv/ church /CE:C/

economic /"Jkq'nPmIk/ cathedral /kq'TJdrql/

educational /"eGV'keISnql/ variety /vq'raIqti/

cultural /'kAlCqrql/ citizen /'sItIzqn/

Task 41. Read and translate the text.