English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate » Unit 26: City life

Word List
  • advantage
  • away [distance]
  • crime rate
  • crowded
  • cultural
  • culture
  • dirty
  • disadvantage
  • dull
  • exhausted
  • get stuck
  • go on [happen]
  • in a hurry
  • lively
  • mix n
  • nightlife
  • nowhere to park
  • own v
  • pollution
  • quiet
  • rush hour
  • safe
  • stressed
  • stressful
  • town centre
  • traffic jam
  • value for money
  • variety
  • you (don’t) get …
Exercises

26.1 ‣ Match the words on the left with the words on the right.

  1. town
  2. traffic _____
  3. night _____
  4. value _____
  5. crime _____
  6. rush _____
  7. car _____
  8. parking _____
  1. a) for money
  2. b) hour
  3. c) rate
  4. d) centre
  5. e) space
  6. f) jam
  7. g) life
  8. h) park

26.2 ‣ Write the opposite.

  1. It’s safe.
    It’s .
  2. It was crowded.
    It was _____.
  3. It’s very clean.
    It’s _____.
  4. It was very exciting.
    It was _____.
  5. There are advantages.
    There are _____.
  6. There’s a place to park.
    There’s _____.

26.3 ‣ Complete the dialogues with one word in each gap.

  1. A: Is there plenty to do in the evening?
    B: Yes, the is great.
  2. A: And are there lots of _____ activities in the town?
    B: Yes. There’s a cinema, theatre, concerts, and so on.
  3. A: Is it good for shopping?
    B: Yes, there’s a _____ of shops.
  4. A: Are you worried about walking home late in the evening?
    B: Yes, it can be dangerous at _____.
  5. A: Is the traffic bad?
    B: Yes, I often get _____ in traffic jams.
  6. A: Is your flat expensive?
    B: Well, it’s not cheap but I think it’s quite good _____ for money.

26.4 ‣ Rewrite the sentences without the underlined words. Keep the meaning the same.

  1. There were different types of people there.
    There was a good of people there.
  2. I was very tired.
    I was _____.
  3. I was very nervous and worried.
    I was very _____.
  4. The place is always full of activity.
    The place is always very _____.
  5. The air is dirty.
    There’s a lot of _____.
  6. They want to do everything very quickly.
    They want to do everything in a _____.
  7. There was nowhere toleave the car.
    There was nowhere to _____.
  8. There isn’t much happening here.
    There isn’t much _____ here.
  9. Poverty doesn’t exist here.
    You don’t _____ here.

26.5 ‣

Over to you

Answer the questions. If possible, compare your answers with someone else.

  1. What’s the rush hour like where you live?
    _____
  2. What’s the nightlife like in your town?
    _____
  3. Is it good for cultural activities?
    _____
  4. Is there much pollution?
    _____
  5. Is the crime rate bad?
    _____
  6. What are the advantages/disadvantages of where you live?
    _____
Answer Key
A ‣ The rush hour*

“For me, the rush hour is the worst time of day. Everywhere is busy, and everyone seems to be in a hurry1. I usually drive to work, but sometimes I get stuck2 in traffic jams3, and when I get to work I find there’s no where to park4 because the car park5 is already full. But if I get the bus, it takes me longer, and that makes the journey very stressful6. When I get home in the evenings I often feel exhausted7 – more from the travelling than from my work.”

*the time when people travel to and from work
1want to go somewhere / do something quickly
2become unable to move or go anywhere
3long lines of cars that are not moving
4no place to leave the car
5place to leave a car
6causing a lot of worry
7very tired

Common mistakes

The situation was stressful, and I was very stressed (NOT I was stressing, or it was stressing).

I couldn’t find a car park. OR I couldn’t find a parking space. (NOT I couldn’t find a parking.)

B ‣ The nightlife*

“One of the advantages of1 living in the city is the nightlife. The town centre is always lively2 in the evening, and there is a wide variety of3 bars, clubs and restaurants to go to. If you are more interested in culture and cultural activities, you can go to the cinema, the theatre, concerts, art galleries, etc.”

* places to visit in the evening for social reasons
1the positive things about a situation; opp disadvantages
2full of activity
3many different things

C ‣ Advantages and disadvantages

“Cities always seem crowded1, and they can be dirty (opp clean) and dangerous (opp safe) places to live. Pollution2 is worse in big cities, and so is the crime rate3. I only walk home at night4 if I’m with a friend. When I’m on my own, I get a taxi.

Life in cities is also more expensive. Flats cost a lot, and I think you get better value for money5 in a smaller town or village.

On the positive side, you get6 a real mix7 of people and nationalities in a big city; that makes life more interesting. I also enjoy the fact that there’s always something going on8 in a big city, so life is never dull9. ”

1full of people; opp quiet
2dirty air and water
3the number of crimes that happen
4in the period when it is dark
5If something is good value for money, you are happy with what you receive for the amount of money you pay.
6you find / there exists
7different types
8happening
9boring; opp exciting

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