The City and the Country

David: How do you like living in the big city?
Maria: There are many things that are better than living in the country!

David: Can you give me some examples?
Maria: Well, it certainly is more interesting than the country. There is so much more to do and see!

David: Yes, but the city is more dangerous than the country.
Maria: That's true. People in the city aren't as open and friendly as those in the countryside.

David: I'm sure that the country is more relaxed, too!
Maria: Yes, the city is busier than the country. However, the country is much slower than the city.

David: I think that's a good thing!
Maria: Oh, I don't. The country is so slow and boring! It's much more boring than the city.

David: How about the cost of living? Is the country cheaper than the city?
Maria: Oh, yes. The city is more expensive than the country.

David: Life in the country is also much healthier than in the city.
Maria: Yes, it's cleaner and less dangerous in the country. But, the city is so much more excitin g. It's faster, crazier and more fun than the country.

David: I think YOU are crazy for moving to the city.
Maria: Well, I'm young now. Maybe when I'm married and have children I'll move back to the country.

2. Выразите своё согласие / несогласие:

1. Maria thinks life in the city is more interesting than life in the country.

2. David says that the city is less dangerous than the country.

3. The people in the countryside aren't as open as the people in the city.

4. The country is quieter than the city.

5. The city isn't as expensive as the country.

6. The country is healthier than the city.

7. Maria thinks the city is more fun than the country.

8. David thinks Maria is crazy for leaving the country.

9. Maria says she might move back to the country when she is married and has children.

10. Life in the country isn't as hectic as life in the city.

3. Больше и больше людей отдают предпочтение жизни в городе, но многие остаются жить в деревне. Прочитайте их мнения о жизни в городе и селе.

Life is always different when you live in different places. Some people have quite distinct ideas about what type of community they prefer. Others, however, have many questions about the advantages of city life vs. country life.

City life and country life are very different in several ways, such as the social setting, air pollution, prices, transportation, education and job opportunities, and entertainment options. In general, country life is said to be more peaceful and laid back, and life in the city tends to be very fast-paced.

1) Nowadays, there’s a tendency for active young people to leave rural areas for towns and cities. That is the reason why the population of the villages is thinning down now. Only senior people stay at their country homes because they cannot adapt themselves to the frenzied rhythm of the urban life.

In my opinion, living in a city is much more preferable to living in out-of-the-way rural places. Firstly, cities have more opportunities for self-actualization. Here you can make a career as an office worker, start your own business, or devote yourself to science. Secondly, cities have more recreational facilities: parks, museums, cinemas, sports centers, etc. Thirdly, it is much easier to make new friends and spend free time socializing.

However, cities have a big minus point making some people take up residence in the country. I mean environmental problems. As a rule, cities have big factories and industrial enterprises damaging the urban environment. This adversely affects people’s health causing serious diseases like cancer, asthma, and others. Nevertheless, you can stay healthy even in bad conditions if you have a regular prophylactic medical examination, keep to a diet, do regular exercise, and lead a moderate lifestyle.

To sum it up, no doubt cities have more plus points in comparison with villages. If you want to develop yourself and have the benefit of modern progress, you should definitely choose to live in cities.

2) I just returned from visiting one of my friends in his 'boring' rural area and from what I saw it looks like he has enough to keep him busy. He just bought a house on 4 acre٭ partially wooded land. He's going to start chopping down the trees to make furniture etc as well as maintaining the house and property.

I actually intoduced him to his current girlfriend who until recently had been a Philadelphia 'city rat' whose life mostly consisted of walking or hopping buses all day long and not much else. She was an example of the 'hardcore' city type she was also limited in that she didn't drive and was used to that city life. Just in the one year they've been together I've seen so much of a transformation in her! She's doing more than she used to, including bicycling, kayaking, and even driving.

She's now abandoned her small, old, overpriced city apartment to live in the spaciousness and adventure of a 'boring' rural area.

One thing he said to me was when he would come to visit her in the city, he soon became bored because there's only so much shopping or visiting museums they could do.

( Note: an acre – 0,4 hectare)

3) I live in a rural area, but I'm an hour away from Chicago, about 45 minutes from Milwaukee and around another 'major' city. So I guess I get the best of both worlds. However, I do prefer the city, but they both have their perks and disadvantages. I believe there are just as many disadvantages to living in the country as there is to living in the city, just depends what is a bigger factor for you.

Of course I'm young, so in 10 years who knows? Maybe I'll want to live in the county. However, my mom grew up in Chicago, and moved out here when she got married. After 20 some years she's moving back to Chicago because she can't stand to be so isolated, and the job opportunities are better for her.

4) We lived in sub-urban Jacksonville, FL for years. We now live in rural Telford, TN which is much preferable. I can sit on our back deck and enjoy the Appalachian Mountains plus my big chocolate Lab loves to bark at the cows pasturing near our home. The scenery is terrific, my neighbors are very nice, and yet it's only a 10 mile drive to Johnson City for all the things a city can afford.

5) Both of them have many advantages as well as disadvantages and it depends on character of a person what is closer to him/her. Do you live in a village or in a city? Would you like to stay there or if you had more resources, would you move to the country/city? What does your ideal home look like?

6) I lived in the village most of my life, but since I began a study at university, I live mostly in the town. I prefer the country though and I plan to live in a village in the future. But it has to be close to the mountains, I would never move to the lowland. City life seems to be stressful to me, I want my children to live in a peaceful place close to the nature.

5. Суммируйте всё прочитанное и перечислите все плюсы жизни в городе и селе. Добавьте, по крайней мере, 3 пункта в каждую колонку.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20