فرنلیش - FCE listening about cycling in the city

محتوای درس

نمایش اطلاعات

Listening 2

Part 3

Multiple matching 1.55 - 1.59

1 When, if ever, do you use a bicycle?

How common is it for people to cycle in the cities in your country? How safe is it?

2 You will hear five different people speaking on the subject of cycling within a city.

For questions 1-5, choose from the list (A-H) the phrase which best summarizes what each speaker is talking about. Use the letters only once. There are three extra letters which you do not need to use.

There's a cycle path that goes right round the city, and various shorter ones within it. Now these paths are up on the pavement rather than in the road, so it's pedestrians, not motorists, that have to be careful they don't wander onto them. People have got used to the circular path and they generally keep off it when they're walking along. But it's the ones in the city centre that cause most problems, and it's here the authorities could do more to inform pedestrians, to make them aware of how it works. Every day I cycle to work and every day I get shouted at by people who still haven't caught on that it's me that has right of way, not them.

Mine's a folding bike, so I get off the train, put on my helmet and head for the office. I could take the bus or the underground, but there's no pleasure in that - they both get so crowded. On the bike I feel the wind in my face and a sense that the city's mine - I can go where I want, when I want. I can even get up on the pavement and jump traffic lights or go the wrong way down one way streets. And of course, cycling is just so healthy-I've never felt fitter. Some say it's risky too, but I find motorists tend to go more carefully when cyclists are around.

A year or two ago, someone in the town hall came up with a nice idea to promote cycling in the city. On the first Sunday in every month, a number of the main streets in the centre are closed to traffic for two hours and given over to bicycles. It's gradually grown in popularity, and there's a real festival atmosphere now, with thousands of cyclists of all ages turning out every month. It's a start, and it's certainly helped to get people out on their bikes. But there's still a long way to go. We need a whole series of additional measures to make our roads more cycle¬friendly.

Sometimes you come across some really nasty drivers in the city. I can be cycling along, minding my own business, when some car or van comes right up close to me, almost touching my back wheel. It's really dangerous - sometimes I lose my balance and nearly fall off. It seems to be worse in the evening. I've got my bike lights, my luminous cycling jacket, my reflective cycle clips - so they can see me all right. But they seem to resent the fact that I'm there. They think they own the road and they get impatient if they have to slow down for me. I get beeped and shouted at all the time - it's very unpleasant.

Cycling here is more a recreational activity than a means of transport. People don't generally use a bike to get about the city. There isn't that culture. They'll maybe rent one in one of the big central parks, or go on the cycle path that runs alongside the river. But they won't use a bike to get from A to B or to go to and from work. It's not an attractive option, really, given the quality of the air here.We're in the middle of a huge industrial area, and many pedestrians wear face masks. So people are hardly likely to expose themselves to more danger by cycling in amongst the traffic.

Question No. / 5

A a move in the right direction

B the consequences of breaking the law

C the need to educate the public

D a lack of open spaces to cycle in

E the problem of pollution

F a feeling of freedom

G the dangers of not being visible to drivers

H the intolerance of other road users

Speaker1

Speaker2

Speaker3

Speaker4

Speaker5

3 What measures can be taken by the government and/or local authorities in your country to encourage cycling?

Vocabulary 3: Phrasal verbs

1 Use the context to help you work out the meanings of the phrasal verbs in bold in these sentences from the listening.

1 I get shouted at by people who still haven't caught on that it's me that has right of way, not them.

2 I get off the train, put on my helmet and head for the office.

3 Someone in the town hall came up with a nice idea to promote cycling in the city.

4 There's a real festival atmosphere now, with thousands of cyclists of all ages turning out every month.

5 Sometimes you come across some really nasty drivers in the city.

6 People don't generally use a bike to get about the city.

2 Discuss the following questions with another student.

Where are you heading for after this class?

Did you come across any friendly people on your last holiday?

What is the best way to get about your town or city?

Word formation: Adjectives

Question No. / 8

0 There's a cycle path that goes right round the city, and VARIOUS (VARY) shorter ones within it.

1 It's pedestrians, not motorists, that have to be (CARE) they don't wander onto them.

2 And of course, cycling is just so (HEALTH) I've never felt fitter.

3 We need a whole series of (ADDITION) measures to make this a more cycle-friendly city.

4 It's really (DANGER) sometimes I lose my balance and nearly fall off.

5 They get (PATIENCE) if they have to slow down for me.

6 I get beeped and shouted at all the time - it's very (PLEASE) .

7 It's not an (ATTRACT) option, really, given the quality of the air here.

8 We're in the middle of a huge (INDUSTRY) area.

2 a Copy the following table with adjective suffixes into your notebook. Complete the table by writing the adjectives you wrote for exercise 1 in the appropriate columns.

-ous -ful -y -al -ent -ant -ive

various .... ..... ..... ...... ...... .....

b Use the appropriate suffixes from a to create adjectives from the words in the box.

You may need to make further spelling changes. Add the words to the table in your notebook. There are three words for each column.

Example: ignore - ignorant

ignore differ origin poison peace protect cloud

beauty hunger appear decide tolerate mystery finance

fog humour describe hesitate benefit succeed obey

Reading and Use of English 2

Part 3

Word formation

For questions 1-10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

Question No. / 8

Monorails

Monorail systems are (0) FREQUENTLY(FREQUENT) associated with airports, zoos and amusement parks. They can, however, also be integrated into a city's main transport infrastructure and in recent decades a (1)(SIGNIFY) number have been built around the world for this purpose. In particular, there are (2)(NUMBER) examples in Asia, with Japan leading the way. Elsewhere, Sydney, Moscow and Sao Paolo all have modern monorails. Perhaps the most (3)(USUAL) system in operation was also one of the first to be built: the 'Schwebebahn' in Wuppertal, Germany, whose trains are suspended from its track, was opened in 1901. Monorails run over short (4)(DISTANT) providing a quick and efficient method of urban transport. Supporters point to their (5)(IMPRESS) safety record and the fact that, because they are electrically powered, they have an (6)(ENVIRONMENT) advantage over other more polluting forms of city transport. They are also (7)(EXPENSE) to operate. However, among the objections to monorail systems are the high costs of construction and the unpleasant (8)(APPEAR) of the elevated tracks.