UNIT 7: URBAN LIFE

I.       TÓM TẮT LÝ THUYẾT

1.        Nội dung

Function: Introduce a story to discuss problems in your city and solutions to them; Describe problems in cities and their future impacts; Talk about problems in a city

Grammar: The Past Continuous; Adverbial clauses of result

Pronunciation: Sounds: /d^/; Sentence stress: Adverbial clauses of result

Listening and Speaking Skills:

• Listening: (for main idea / details) … two students planning a presentation
• Speaking: Telling a story and discussing problems and solutions to city problems; Discussing what the future results of a city’s problems will be
• Conversation Skill: Asking for clarification

Reading and Writing Skills:

• Reading: (for main idea / details) … a blog post about creative solutions to problems in cities
• Writing: … a passage about problems in a city and their solutions

II.   BÀI TẬP ÁP DỤNG

Lesson 1

Pronunciation

a. Circle the word that has the underlined part pronounced differently from the others.

1.

A. village
B. grocery
C. giraffe
D. energy

2.

A. guard
B. manager
C. garage
D. luggage

b. Circle the ward that has a stress pattern different from the others.

3.

A. amazing
B. expensive
C. exciting
D. terrible

4.

A. impressive
B. dangerous
C. popular
D. wonderful

5.

A. fantastic
B. difficult
C. relaxing
D. exciting

Vocabulary

a. Choose the correct options.

1. I would often jog along the sidewalk / crosswalk in our neighborhood in the morning.

2. Some people from rural areas often struggle / encourage to find affordable houses in the city.

3. The city is trying to improve the crosswalks /pedestrians so that drivers can see through better.

4. To reduce traffic jams, the city decided to involve / ban certain types of vehicles traveling into the city center during specific hours.

5. The sudden heavy rain caused a (n) traffic jam / accident in the area for t wo hours.

b. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the words in brackets.

6. We agree with the ____________ an the use of mobile phones while driving on the streets. (ban)

7. There was a sudden traffic jam because a (n) ____________ car breakdown. (accident)

8. The city received a lot of ____________ for improving the roads and traffic signs (encourage)

9. To make the project successful, it needs the ____________ of businesses and residents (involve)

10. To reduce pollution, the city council needs to ____________ the use of cars for short-distance commuting. (encourage)

Grammar

a. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets.

1. I he workers ___________ (paint) the crossroads all yesterday morning.

2. Matt ___________ (talk) with a pedestrian about the traffic jam at 8:00 this morning.

3. The pedestrian ___________ (get) hit by a car while he was crossing the street.

4. What was Mia doing while his husband ___________ (struggle) to find a better house?

5. I was walking on the sidewalk when I ___________ (meet) Kevin.

b. There is ONE mistake in each sentence. Underline and correct it

6. My uncle runs around his neighborhood yesterday morning.

7. What were you doing while your cousin Kevin picked up litter in the park?

8. I was writing an essay when my computer suddenly turns off.

9. We were wailing for the subway to come while it began lo rain.

10. The workers was fixing the traffic lights all day yesterday.

Reading

a. Read the text about safety solutions. Circle the correct options.

In the past, there were major safety issues for pedestrians in the town where I lived. 1) _____________ people found it challenging to walk and cross the streets without fear. In some areas, there weren’t enough sidewalks and crosswalks, which made it very dangerous for people 2) _____________ town. To reduce these dangers, the city council made rules to stop cars from driving on some streets at certain times. These rules improved these areas for pedestrians 3) _____________ have to worry about getting hit by a car while they 4) _____________. The local council also planned to build more sidewalks and crosswalks throughout 5) _____________ whole town with the aim of providing pedestrians with clear pathways and safe crossing points, thereby enhancing overall safety.

1.

A. Much
B. Little
C. Many
D. A little

2.

A. walk
B. walked
C. to walk
D. to walking

3.

A. but
B. still
C. however
D. because

4.

A. walk
B. walks
C. are walking
D. were walking

5.

A. 0
B. the
C. an
D. a

b. Read the blog post about a traffic problem. Fill in each gap with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text.

In this blog post, I would like to talk about the problem of heavy traffic in Mountain Roads, the town I live. I will offer some suggestions for making the town a better place to live. Mountain Roads always has too much traffic. It is so bad that cars, motorbikes or even pedestrians find it hard to get around. Pedestrians are always annoyed because of it. For this problem, I suggest the council find ways to reduce the number of cars on the roads. They could do this by encouraging people to use public transportation, like buses or subways instead of their private vehicles, like cars or motorbikes. When more people use public transport, there will be less traffic. It’s also a good idea to encourage people to cycle, which can help traffic and the environment. Another suggestion is to introduce stricter traffic rules. For example, it will break the rules when drivers make U-turns in certain places, like near schools or hospitals. This can improve the traffic in the town and make people feel safer. By implementing these ideas, we can turn our town into a place where everyone wants to live because they feel safe.

6. __________ is the biggest problem in the writer’s town.

7. The problem in the town makes pedestrians __________.

8. The writer suggests the council discourage people from using __________.

9. Traffic and the environment in the town will be better if people __________.

10. __________ traffic rules can be the solution to the problem.

Speaking

Complete the conversation using the sentences/clauses in the box.

Nick: Hey, Clara! Did you see that accident on our way to school today?

Clara: 1. _____________ It was scary. The pedestrian wasn’t paying attention, and a motorbike didn’t stop at the crosswalk.

Nick: I couldn’t believe it. She kept looking at her phone and didn’t notice the motorbike coming. 2. _____________

Clara: Absolutely! 3. _____________. Did you do anything to help?

Nick: Yeah, I ran over to her immediately.

Clara: 4. _____________

Nick: Thanks, Clara. The accident made me realize that we need stricter traffic rules. 5. _____________ It’s just too dangerous.

Clara: I completely agree!

Writing

a. Make sentences using the prompts.

1. Emma / go / art class / last Tuesday.

2. you I watching / I V I living room / 5 p.m. / last week?

3. I / go I school / while / sister / watch / movie / yesterday.

4. They / have / picnic / when / it / start / rain / this afternoon.

5. What / you / do / while / I / fix my bike / all / yesterday / morning?

b. Make questions for the underlined words.

6. I was cycling with my friends while my sister was playing in the park.

7. Jim was walking on the sidewalk when he saw his teacher.

8. The workers were repairing the bridge at 8:00 yesterday morning.

9. They were repairing the road at 3:00 yesterday afternoon.

10. My sister was picking up trash in the neighborhood all morning yesterday.

Lesson 2

Pronunciation

a. Circle the word that has the underlined part pronounced differently from the others.

1.

A. control
B. solution
C. pollution
D. congestion

2.

A. homeless
B. old
C. closer
D. complaint

b. Circle the word that has a stress pattern different from the others.

3.

A. attract
B. direct
C. control
D. lower

4.

A. result
B. traffic
C. subway
D. owner

5.

A. government
B. business
C. accident
D. congestion

Vocabulary

a. Complete the sentences with the words in the boxes.

1. The traffic policeman is working hard to _____________ traffic and clear the jam.

2. My dad is a police officer. He is _____________ ensuring the safety of residents in my town.

3. Rising rent costs in the urban area arc causing a lot of difficulties for business _____________

4. I raffia jams _____________ a lot because the city expanded the streets.

5. The drought lasted so long that it affected the corn _____________ in our village.

b. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the words in brackets.

6. The park manager added more exercise equipment to __________ more people to come and exercise here. (attraction)

7. We are collecting food and blankets for the__________. (home)

8. The government plans to expand the lanes on certain streets to reduce __________. (congested)

9. They are building more affordable houses to solve the problem of __________. (homeless)

10. Many people dream that they can __________ a home in an urban city one day. (owner)

Grammar

a. Choose the correct options.

1. The city’s public transportation system is so / such affordable that many residents prefer using it.

2. The population of the city is rising so quickly / quick that there aren’t enough jobs.

3. The environment is getting so / such polluted that we will have serious health problems.

4. Tho traffic jams was so serious / seriously that the city decided to widen streets.

5. Homelessness is such / so a serious problem that the city has to take action to solve it.

b. Circle ONE mistake in each sentence.

6. The factory is polluting the rivers so serious that the city has to fire it heavily.

1. polluting
2. so
3. serious
4. heavily.

7. The city improved the public transportation so good that people chose to use it more often.

1. improved
2. so good
3. use
4. it

8. Overpopulation is so a serious issue that the city is striving to provide more housing for its residents.

1. so
2. a serious
3. provide
4. for

9. Traffic jams happen such often that the city is considering changing school hours.

1. Traffic jams
2. such
3. often
4. changing

10. The solutions were so effectively that they helped greatly improved farmers’ crops.

1. so
2. effectively
3. greatly
4. improved

Listening

a. Listen to two people talking about their city. Write T (true) or F (false).

1. The city needs new buses because the current ones are aging. ___

2. A subway system could help improve the traffic in the city. ___

3. There are a lot of job opportunities in the city right now. ___

4. A lot of young people are working in the area at the moment. ___

5. The city needs to improve its necessary amenities to attract young workers. ___

b. Listen to a lecture about problems and solution in cities. Fill in each gap with ONE WORD.

6. Drivers and __________ often feel annoyed because of serious congestion.

7. There are more __________ people now than before in cities.

8. Good __________ and improved public transportation can reduce traffic jams.

9. Job training programs provide the homeless with the __________ necessary to           get a job.

10. Cities should provide short-term shelters, like __________ or tiny houses for homeless people.

Speaking

Complete the conversation using the phrases in the box.

David: What about expanding the city, Adam?

Adam: How would that help, David?

David: We will have more space to 1) _____________

Adam: I see what you mean. The government will need to 2) _____________ for         industrial factories then.

David: That’s right! And I think it’s a good idea to 3) _____________

Adam: David, what for?

David: Well, we will 4) _____________while walking in the city. I’m scared of getting hit by a car every time I 5) _____________

Adam: Well, that reminds me of an accident I saw last month. Luckily, nobody was hurt.

Writing

a. Combine the sentences using so … that or such … that.

1. The accident rate is high. People are afraid to drive.

2. The pollution level is high. It is affecting people’s health.

3. The city has bad traffic. It takes hours to travel even a short distance.

4. I find public transportation is so unreliable. Many people are using their own vehicles.

5. Air pollution is a big problem. The government is planning to improve the air quality.

b. Rewrite the sentences without changing their meanings. Use the words in brackets.

6. The park is so green and clean that it attracts residents to come more frequently.  (such … that)

7.  Noise pollution is such a serious problem that the government has to ban karaoke singing at night. (so… that)

8. The waste treatment method was so effective that it greatly reduced water pollution. (such … that)

9. The smoke level is so high that the city has to take action to deal with air pollution. (such … that)

10. The water pollution is causing such a bad health impact on nearby residents that the city has to work with the factory owners. (so … that)

Lesson 3

Vocabulary

a. Complete the conversations using the words in the box.

1. Alice:  Did you hear about the killing in our neighborhood last night?

    Hob:  Yes, it’s very concerning. I hope the police officers will catch the __________ It’s dangerous if they might still be around.

2. Lana:    I spend so much time stuck in traffic. What are the __________ streets   in the city?

    Harry:   I think the government needs to expand the roads as well as build a subway system.

3. Mia:     The __________ equipment in our clinic needs regular care. Can                 you contact the service in town?

    Linda:   Certainly.

4. Emma: The government plans to __________ some solutions to reduce                 traffic congestion.

    Lea:       Great, that should help make traveling much easier.

5. Alex:     What is the biggest problem in that city, Sue?

  Sue:   It’s the high rate of crime. This is causing life for normal people there to begin to __________.

b. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the words in brackets.

6. The rate of ____________ in our neighborhood dropped to 10 percent this year.      (criminal)

7. My uncle volunteered to work as a ____________ practitioner in a remote hospital in the country. (medic)

8. The city is focusing on the ____________ of solving the congested street problem. (implement)

9. I see Laura has a lot of health improvements after taking the ____________ now (medical)

10. There is an increase in ____________ activities in my neighborhood. I think the lack of police officers is one oi the reasons. (crime)

Listening

a. Listen to Ben and Mark talking about pollution. Answer the questions.

1. What is the problem Ben and Mark are talking about? ________

2. What type of noise is the cause of the problem? ________

3. According to Ben, how does the constant noise make us feel? ________

4. What health problems can loud noise cause? ________

5. What means of transportation does Mark suggest to reduce the problem? ________

b. Listen to a talk about noise pollution. Fill in each gap with ONE WORD.

6. Noise pollution has the greatest impact on ______________.

7. Noise pollution can affect the animals’ ______________.

8. The ______________ noise causes whales or dolphins to avoid the areas they   usually find food.

9. Birds stop laying eggs or even leave their ______________ because of loud noise.

10. Animals get stressed because they feel ______________.

Reading

a. Read the text about overcrowding. Circle the best options.

Overcrowding occurs when there are so many people living 1) ___________ a small area. This causes many problems to the people who live there. Take Mumbai, a big oily India, as an example. Ihe city has a papulation of 21,000 people per square kilometer. When 2) ___________ city becomes overcrowded, various problems might happen. One problem is there is not enough space for everyone 3) ___________ comfortably. Heavy traffic congestion is another problem. The streets become so crowded with cars, buses and motorbikes, 4) ___________ it is difficult for people to gel around. I his con make travel times longer and people feel annoyed. Also, overcrowding can have a negative impact on the city’s resources, including water, electricity, 5) ___________ healthcare facilities. Overall, overcrowding is a significant problem that presents serious challenges requiring effective solutions.

1.

A. on
B. in
C. at
D. by

2.

A. 0
B. a
C. an
D. the

3.

A. live
B. lives
C. living
D. to live

4.

A. this
B. that
C. which
D. who

5.

A. but
B. for
C. and
D. yet

b. Read the text about problems and their solutions in a city. Circle the best answers.

The city where we live is facing two major problems – crime and littering. Crime, such as motor theft or pickpocketing, violates the law’ and can make people feel unsafe in their environment. First, the city needs more police officers to prevent crime or catch criminals. They will patrol various areas and ensure there are no dangers or serious issues. They will also take quick action to any emergencies. Second, it’s necessary to make laws and punishments for the people who do not obey the law.

Another problem is littering, ‘where trash is discarded on the ground instead of in bins. This behavior makes the city look filthy and causes harm to the environment. To solve this problem, we need to raise people’s awareness. This means we will educate people the importance of maintaining cleanliness and the negative impact of littering. There should be more trash bins in public areas, which encourages proper disposal of waste. Regular clean-up campaigns that involve community participation will also contribute to solving the problem.

By implementing these solutions, our city will become cleaner and safer, improving the quality of life for its residents.

6. What does the text mainly discuss?
A. The importance of keeping the city clean
B. The need for more police officers on the streets
C. The solutions to the problems of crime and littering
D. The need for more trash bins and clean-up campaigns

7. What does the word They in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. criminals
B. police officers
C. crime and littering
D. laws and punishments

8. Which term is defined in paragraph 1?
A. crime
B. criminal
C. motor vehicle theft
D. pickpocketing

9. Which word has the CLOSEST meaning to the word filthy in paragraph 2?
A. clean
B. good
C. fresh
D. dirty

10. Which term is defined in paragraph 2?
A. littering
B. awareness
C. importance
D. campaigns

Speaking

Complete the conversation using the sentences in the box.

Eve:    Hey, don’t you see the traffic is getting worse in the city?

Don:   Yes, I do. I hate going out these day. 1) ________________

Eve:    Yeah! the council needs to do something about that now.

Don:   Yeah! Well, I think they need to get new buses. 2) ________________

Eve:    You’re right. When more people take the bus, 3) ________________

Don:   Is it a good idea to build a subway system?

Eve:    That’s great! But I don’t think we can afford to have a subway. 4)           ________________

Don:   It looks likes the only thing we can expect is to have new buses.

Eve:    5) ________________

Writing

a. Complete the text using the phrases in the box.

A. private vehicles

B. big challenges

C. potential solutions

D. public transportation

E. serious health problems

Bangkok has many different problems that need solutions to improve the quality of life. In this essay, I will discuss the problems and 1) _________________.

One problem is that the traffic is always congested in the city. For this reason, the government should limit the use of 2) _________________

Another problem is that the air pollution is getting worse. Because of this, many people might have 3) _________________.  To tackle this problem, the government will need to encourage people to use more 4) _________________, such as buses or subways.

To conclude, the traffic congestion and air pollution are 5) _________________ in Bangkok. However, the government can implement the solutions to create a better environment for the people living there.

b. Write a passage about a problem in your city and its solution. Write 100-120 word.