A Real Buzz About This Place
SPEAKING
1 Work in pairs. How many adjectives can you come up with to describe the place in the photo?
2 Work in groups. Make a list of as many advantages and drawbacks of living in this place as you can think of. Decide if you would live there or not.
3 In what ways is the place in the photo similar or different to where you live?
1. Work in pairs. Read the sentences about different cities and areas. Discuss what you think the words in bold mean.
1 There are new businesses springing up all over the place. There’s a real buzz about the place.
2 here are lots of grand houses and gated apartments in the area alongside fancy restaurants and designer shops.
3 They’ve invested heavily in the transport infrastructure, including trams and a metro system, and it all runs very smoothly.
4 The smog is awful because of the traffic and the climate. You have to wear a mask or you’d choke on the fumes.
5 There’s not a trace of rubbish on the pavements. Apparently, you can get heavily fined for littering.
6 It takes ages to get anywhere because the transport infrastructure is so poor. The traffic often just grinds to a halt and you get everyone sounding their horns.
7 It was quite working class, but it’s experiencing gentrification now, with a lot of middle-class professionals settling down there and investing in the area.
8 The city centre was once quite grand, but it’s been somewhat neglected and you see a lot of peeling paint and derelict buildings.
9 There are a lot of new residential developments springing up on the outskirts of the city as people seek more space and access to the countryside.
10 There are hundreds of blocks crammed into a small area with lots of narrow, dark and dingy streets.
2. Work in pairs. Answer the questions.
1 What other things might give a place a buzz?
2 What’s the opposite of buildings springing up?
3 What other infrastructure is essential for the smooth running of a city?
4 What else apart from traffic might grind to a halt?
5 What other signs of gentrification might there be? Why do you think it happens?
6 Why might an area become neglected? What other signs might there be?
7 Which of these words could describe each place in Exercise 1?
