Luyện ngữ pháp - English Collocations in Use - Intermediate - (Unit 4: Topics: Travel and the environment)


Towns and cities

Towns and cities and their problems

Here are some descriptions of the more negative aspects of towns and cities.
Some of the inner-city areas are an urban wasteland1 and are somewhat dangerous for visitors. In fact some streets have become no-go2 areas, with high crime. Many streets are strewn with litter and there are numerous run-down3 buildings. There are some deprived4 areas round the city centre with huge social problems. The industrial zones which lie on the edge of the city are grey and polluted.

1 a city area which is empty and in a bad condition
2 where the police and other authorities are afraid to enter
3 in very bad condition
4 not having the things that are necessary for a pleasant life, e.g. enough money, good living conditions

Triope is a sprawling5 city with bumper-to-bumper6 traffic all day long. The exhaust fumes can be a nightmare. The volume of traffic has increased in recent years and the incessant roar7 of trucks and buses makes the city centre an extremely noisy place. The comfortable suburbs8 away from the city centre contrast sharply with the poor shanty towns9 one sees on the way to the airport.

5 spread over a large area (slightly negative)
6 so many cars and so close that they are almost touching each other
7 very loud noise which never stops
8 a place from which many people travel in order to work in a bigger town or city
9 very poor houses made of discarded materials (e.g. tin, cardboard, plastic, etc.)

- Lesson 16: A. Describing towns and cities for visitors - Lesson 16: Exercise 16.1


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