Places: Describing the City (Adjectives)

Exercise 2: Task 1

Instructions: You will hear short descriptions of people talking about their cities. For each one, circle the adjective that best describes the city being discussed.

Listen:

Options:

1. 1. 1. a) great b) boring c) small
      2. a) noisy b) crowded c) quiet
      3. a) polluted b) lovely c) clean
      4. a) dangerous b) quiet c) expensive
      5. a) large b) cheap c) small
      6. a) clean b) noisy c) lovely
      7. a) polluted b) clean c) safe
      8. a) crowded b) boring c) great

Exercise 2: Task 2

Instructions: Listen Again. For each city description below, choose the correct statement about the city.

Listen:

Listening Transcript:

1.  I just love my city! There’s a fantastic energy here. We have wonderful parks, delicious food at every corner, and concerts every weekend. People are always out and about, enjoying the nightlife and the culture.
2.  My city is quite the retreat for those who enjoy peace. There is not a lot of traffic, the neighborhoods are quiet, and you can always find a quiet spot to read a book or simply relax in the natural surroundings. It’s also a great place to raise a family.
3. I’m proud to say that our city has some of the cleanest streets and well-maintained public spaces. We have a great community that focuses on keeping our parks and streets clean.
4. Moving to this city was a bit of a shock. It’s over populated and getting from one place to another can take forever due to the traffic. It is dangerous to cross the street and there is a lot of crime.
5. Every morning I wake up to the sound of birds and the sight of mountains. It’s a very small place. There are not many stores, but the local market has everything we need. There are not many people and there are not many houses. It is very peaceful.
6. This city is known for its tall buildings and busy streets. It has a lot of international business and trade, so it tends to be quite noisy during the day. There is a lot of loud traffic. After work the people like to go out and enjoy the nightlife. They play loud music until late in the evening.
7. Our city is so dirty! I hate it! There is garbage all over the streets and the air pollution means you can’t see the beautiful mountains.
8. The town I live in is really relaxed. Maybe too relaxed. There is nothing to do. There are no concerts, bars, or dance clubs. There are very few sporting events and I really find it quite a boring place to live.

Exercise 3

Task 1: Listening for Preferences

Instructions: Listen to the audio. Which city does the speaker prefer? Circle the correct answer.

Listen:

1. a. Paris b. Rome
2. a. Tokyo b. Seoul
3. a. London b. Dublin
4. a. New York b. Toronto

Task 2: Understanding Descriptions

Instructions: Listen to the audio again. Which city is described with the following words? Write the correct city for each description.

Listen:

Listening Transcript:

1. I really love living in Europe. You can visit many countries and cities by train very easily. I have two favorite cities. I love both Paris and Rome. Paris is big and has many beautiful places to see. The Eiffel Tower in Paris is very tall and wonderful. But Rome is much older and has much more history. Rome is more interesting and I would like to spend more time there. You can see the Colosseum in Rome, which is ancient and impressive. I think Rome is more exciting because it has so many old buildings.
2. Tokyo and Seoul are two major cities in Asia. They are both big and exciting, but I think that Seoul is better for me. Tokyo is super busy and has lots of bright lights. Even though Seoul is big, it is still quieter and not as crowded. In Tokyo, things are very expensive. Seoul is a bit cheaper than Tokyo. I like cheaper things, so I prefer Seoul.
3. London and Dublin are two similar cities, but London is larger and has more people. Dublin is smaller and the streets are less busy. It rains a lot in London, but Dublin is even rainier. I don’t like rain much. However, I think Dublin is friendlier than London. The people in Dublin are very nice, so I like Dublin more.”
4. New York and Toronto are two big cities in North America. I have lived in both places, but I think that I prefer Toronto. New York is huge and the buildings are very tall. Toronto is cleaner and the air is fresher. The food in New York tastes very good, but it is not as healthy as the food in Toronto. New York is noisier too. Toronto is calmer. I enjoy quiet places, so Toronto is great for me.”