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Where You Live

The document presents four individuals, Suraya, Vincent, Harmony, and Aki, each describing their unique living environments and the challenges they face. Suraya deals with rainy seasons and mosquitoes, Vincent adapts to desert heat, Harmony copes with extreme cold, and Aki navigates life at high altitude. Each person shares personal strategies and observations about their surroundings, highlighting the diverse experiences shaped by their environments.

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14 views2 pages

Where You Live

The document presents four individuals, Suraya, Vincent, Harmony, and Aki, each describing their unique living environments and the challenges they face. Suraya deals with rainy seasons and mosquitoes, Vincent adapts to desert heat, Harmony copes with extreme cold, and Aki navigates life at high altitude. Each person shares personal strategies and observations about their surroundings, highlighting the diverse experiences shaped by their environments.

Uploaded by

ziryab.magdi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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4

Exercise 2

Read the article about four people (A–D) who live in very different environments. Then answer
Question 10 (a)–(j).

WHAT’S IT LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE?

A Suraya

Everyone in my city knows the problems that the rainy season brings, like being trapped at school
by floods or falling over in heavy rain. At times like these, I wouldn’t recommend driving and I tend
to use trains instead. They might be late and crowded, but at least you’re safer with other people
around. Plus, you can usually find shelter at stations if you have to phone your family or wait for
the rain to stop. Another problem that bothers me is mosquitoes, which are everywhere in the rainy
season! It’s definitely advisable to cover up your arms to avoid being bitten when you go outside.
Hot, humid weather can also easily upset your stomach so I try to stick to light food and keep away
from anything that’s too oily. To be honest, I don’t like the rainy season but I know other people see
the positives, like the dramatic colours of storm clouds.

B Vincent

Where I live, I’ve noticed that the fierce desert heat does sometimes get people down. You can’t do
anything about it, so for a happy life it’s essential to change your attitude towards it. Instead of seeing
the heat as your enemy, try to appreciate the things it can offer like the beautiful wild landscapes and
the strange-looking desert plants. Yes, it’s true that life here can be difficult, but you soon learn ways
to cope. For example, it might look a bit odd, but I now always keep a towel inside my car so I can
use it to hold the steering wheel when it becomes too hot to touch. And before any long car journey,
I always check that my mobile phone is fully charged as the battery runs out quickly inside a hot car.
I must admit though, one thing I never do is wear long-sleeved shirts to keep the sun off my skin.
They’re far too hot! I’d rather stay in the shade instead.

C Harmony

Average winter temperatures here are around minus 10 degrees Celsius but it can get as cold
as minus 30 some days, so I guess everyday life is a bit different to that in other countries. One
difference is that teenagers in other countries seem to text or take photos outside with their friends
every five minutes. We definitely don’t do that here – your fingers would freeze and your phone
would probably stop working! I’ve also noticed that people here generally worry less about the latest
trends – that’s certainly the case for me. People here have come up with lots of ways to cope with
the cold. For example, every Saturday morning I get together with my neighbours to help clear the
snow from the pavement in our street. It’s quite hard work but it really warms me up.

D Aki

My city is at high altitude. Tourists coming here on holiday often rush into energetic mountain
activities before they’ve had time to get used to being so high up, but then find themselves feeling
sick and exhausted. Eating particular foods can help you feel better, but the most important thing
is to adjust slowly. It’s not only people that feel worn out though: your mechanic will have to keep
adjusting your car’s engine, but it will still lack power. Things just work differently at altitude – it’s a
fact of life here. Unfortunately though, this rule also applies in the kitchen. Food reacts differently
when you’re cooking, so beans seem to take ages to cook, cakes tend to sink and bread falls apart.
I’ve tried to get used to it, but these problems constantly annoy me.

© UCLES 2020 0510/22/M/J/20


5

10 For each question, write the correct letter A, B, C or D on the line.

Which person ...

(a) warns against using a mobile phone outdoors? ............. [1]

(b) recommends wearing long sleeves for protection? ............. [1]

(c) mentions a way for people to benefit both themselves and their
local community? ............. [1]

(d) accepts that regular vehicle maintenance is necessary? ............. [1]

(e) avoids eating certain things because of the effect on their body? ............. [1]

(f) suggests that the way they use a common object could seem surprising? ............. [1]

(g) feels irritated by an everyday activity? ............. [1]

(h) explains their reasons for using a certain type of transport? ............. [1]

(i) is unconcerned about keeping up with fashion? ............. [1]

(j) believes that it’s important to think positively? ............. [1]

[Total: 10]

© UCLES 2020 0510/22/M/J/20 [Turn over

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