VOCABULARY: THE CITY

I parked in the multi-storey car VOCABULARY

park and went the rest of the way on  multi-storey car park - a large car park with several floors.
foot. The streetlights had just come  pavement - the part of the road where people walk.
on, and I could see the pavements  filthy - very dirty.
were filthy. At the entrance to the  subway - a tunnel that goes under a road or railway so people
subway, there was an old guy can walk to the other side.
begging for money. I gave him  beg - ask for food or money.
something and hurried on down.  hurry - move or do sth quickly. SYN rush.
There was the usual graffiti all over  graffiti - pictures or writing on a wall in a public place (often
the walls, and litter everywhere. I humorous or political).
came up the other side and passed a  litter - paper and rubbish that is dropped and left on the
man who was whistling quite ground in a public place.
cheerfully, but I found this part of  whistle - make a musical sound with your lips nearly closed.
the inner city so depressing that I  inner city - the part of a large city which is near the centre
wondered if my decision to walk and often poor.
had been a good idea.  depressing - making you feel sad and without hope.
 wonder - ask yourself questions about sth.
The area where I live is ideal. It’s a Vocabulary
suburb not far from the centre and  suburb: an area outside the centre of a town, where a lot of
it’s quite lively, but there’s still a people live.
feeling of space, and my block of  ideal: perfect; the best possible.
flats is surrounded by trees. It’s  lively: full of interest, and with things to do.
also a handy place to live because  space: a place or area that is empty and not used.
there are good local shops, and a bus  surrounded by sth: If a building is surrounded by sth, that
service that gets me into the centre thing is all around it.
in 15 to 20 minutes. The only  handy (informal): located near to things you need. Synonym:
disadvantage is that with the convenient.
growth in the population, it’s  local: located in the area where you live.
gradually becoming more built-up  disadvantage: a situation or thing that is not good or causes
than it used to be, which is a shame. problems. Synonym: drawback. Opposite: advantage.
 growth: an increase in size or number.
 built-up: with a lot of buildings.
 a shame: a fact or situation that makes you feel disappointed.
Synonym: a pity.

Notes:
The word area can be used for part of a town, country, or the world. A region is part of a country or the
world, e.g. a desert region. A district is part of a town or country, often with special qualities, e.g. the
financial district. A part is often used when we are talking about a town, e.g. a lovely part of the city.

Exercise 1: Correct the spelling mistakes.

1. hury → hurry 5. graffti →
2. fillthy → 6. whisle →
3. liter → 7. deppresing →
4. pavment →
Exercise 2: Complete the definitions.
1. inner city = __________ parts of a city, near the centre
2. filthy = very __________
3. rush = move or do something __________
4. pavement = place where people __________
5. litter = paper dropped on the __________
6. multi-storey = with several __________
7. beg = ask for __________ or __________
8. whistle = make a sound with your __________ nearly closed
9. graffiti = __________ on a wall in a public place
Exercise 3: Complete the sentences with a suitable word.
1. My dog comes back to me when I __________.
2. I hate people who drop __________ in the street. Why can’t they put it in a bin?
3. It’s a dangerous road, so use the __________ to get to the other side.
4. Leila says that someone in our class is getting married. I __________ who it is.
5. You’ve got lots of time – you don’t need to __________ to get the train.
6. Two men were cleaning the __________ off the walls in the subway.
7. The street was filthy and it was pouring with rain. It was very __________.
Exercise 4: Same or different? Write S or D.
Example: One of the suburbs/areas outside the centre. (S)
1. The ideal/perfect place to live. ______
2. A mountainous area/region. ______
3. We need more growth/space. ______
4. It was a pity/shame. ______
5. A handy/lively area. ______
6. It’s a commercial district/area. ______
7. It’s a real disadvantage/drawback. ______
8. It’s a large space/suburb. ______
Exercise 5: Complete the sentences with a suitable word.
1. There used to be lots of space, but now it’s a really __________ area.
2. I live in a __________ about two kilometres from the centre.
3. Unfortunately, the whole area is __________ by factories, which is a __________.
4. There are a few __________ shops just round the corner.
5. It’s very __________ because it’s close to my children’s school and the place where I work.
6. It’s a nice area with great shops; the only __________ is that the bus service is terrible.
7. We’ve found our __________ house: it has absolutely everything we want.
Exercise 6: Choose the correct answer.
1. The alley was so __________ that it was almost impossible to walk through without stepping on
trash.
A. clean B. filthy C. clear D. spotless
2. When the ancient tree was cut down, it was __________ for all the residents who loved its shade.
A. a celebration B. an honor C. a shame D. a benefit
3. Over the past decade, the quiet village has become increasingly __________ with new housing
developments.
A. rural B. isolated C. built-up D. evacuated
4. Our apartment is very __________ because it’s within walking distance to the grocery store and the
subway station.
A. inconvenient B. handy C. remote D. inaccessible
5. Even though the city center is __________ and full of people, I find it energizing rather than
overwhelming.
A. deserted B. lively C. sleepy D. abandoned
6. One major __________ of living in this area is the constant noise from the nearby airport.
A. benefit B. drawback C. advantage D. highlight
7. The new residential complex is __________ by a large park, making it a pleasant place to live.
A. isolated from B. surrounded by C. built over D. distant from
8. There’s no need to __________; we have plenty of time before the movie starts.
A. relax B. hesitate C. hurry D. wander
9. The rapid __________ of the urban area has led to a decrease in available green spaces.
A. stagnation B. growth C. decline D. reduction
10. Watching the news about the disaster was incredibly __________, leaving many people in low
spirits.
A. uplifting B. exciting C. depressing D. thrilling
11. After the festival, volunteers collected __________ from the park to keep it clean.
A. decorations B. flowers C. litter D. supplies
12. The lakeside cabin was an __________ retreat from the busy city life.
A. inconvenient B. ideal C. ordinary D. flawed
13. The cozy cottage is __________ by rolling hills and dense forests.
A. overlooked B. surrounded C. ignored D. separated
14. Due to __________ urban development, the once open field is now covered with apartment
buildings.
A. decreasing B. declining C. built-up D. deteriorating
15. The abandoned factory was a __________ in the otherwise picturesque countryside.
A. highlight B. blemish C. advantage D. benefit
16. Despite its __________ appearance, the neighborhood is very friendly and welcoming.
A. lively B. bustling C. run-down D. vibrant
17. The local grocery store is quite __________, located just a block away from my house.
A. inconvenient B. handy C. far D. inaccessible
18. One significant __________ of this location is the lack of public transportation options.
A. advantage B. feature C. drawback D. perk
19. The property is __________ by high walls, providing privacy and security.
A. surrounded B. enclosed C. overlooked D. exposed
20. The city's __________ in population has brought both economic opportunities and infrastructure
challenges.
A. reduction B. growth C. decrease D. fall

Exercise 7: ABOUT YOUR AREA. Write your answer.

1. Is your area built-up, or is there a feeling of space? _____________________________________
2. What is your home surrounded by? _____________________________________
3. What local shops do you have? _____________________________________
4. Is it a handy place to live for you? _____________________________________
5. What are the disadvantages? _____________________________________