Monday 28 October 2019
Sunday 27 October 2019
Wednesday 23 October 2019
Wednesday 16 October 2019
QUORA: A FORUM COMMENT ON THE FUTURE OF CITIES
What will cities look like 40 years into the future?
Click HERE to read the whole forum.INSTRUCTIONS: Write two short comments on the forum (100 words each). One of the comments must reflect your personal views and the other one must reflect the opinion of one of the people listed below. Think of what comments these people might leave on the forum and elaborate an answer according to their profile. Use your best English.
- An apocalyptic environmentalist
- A greedy builder
- A corrupted politician
- A technological visionary
- A virtuous campaigner
- A wealthy philanthropist
- Greta Thunberg
- A scholarly & optimistic citizen
- A renowned expert
- An apathetic & pessimistic citizen
Wednesday 9 October 2019
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A REPORT ON WORLD POPULATION
A United Nations report on world population
trends has provided some interesting food for thought on the future
demographics of our planet. The world’s population is currently 6.5 billion and
is set to increase and level off to about 9 billion people. The report says
population explosions will occur in Africa and Asia, but not in the rest of the
world, “Considerable diversity exists in the expected population growth of
countries. The
population of many countries, particularly
in Africa and Asia, will increase greatly inthe
coming decades.”
Conversely, population
levels in developed countries are expected to fall, because of decreased
fertility rates caused by increased contraceptive use. The report also
indicates half of the world’s population will be city dwellers by 2007. That is
a huge jump from the figure of 30% urbanization in 1993. The five most
populated cities today are Tokyo (35 million people), Mexico City (19 million),
New York (18.5 million), Bombay (18.3 million) and Sao Paulo (18.3 million). In
1950 only Tokyo and New York had populations of more then 10 million people. By
2050 there will be 22 cities of that size.
The report concludes, “the current
population picture is one of dynamic population change, reflected in new and
diverse patterns of childbearing, mortality, migration, urbanization and
ageing. The continuation and consequences of these population trends present
opportunities as well as challenges for all societies in the twenty-first
century.”
Monday 7 October 2019
CITY LIFE OUTSIDE THE CITY
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. When did the urbanization process begin?
2. What triggered this process?
3. What three factors made people move to the cities?
4. If people could telework, what impact would that have?
5. Regarding access to services and goods, what is the current problem with delivery in rural areas?
6. How can the problem of delivering goods in rural areas be solved?
7. Regarding energy efficient houses, can living in the country be eco-friendly? 8. According to Julio Gil’s predictions, will cities disappear?
1. When did the urbanization process begin?
2. What triggered this process?
3. What three factors made people move to the cities?
4. If people could telework, what impact would that have?
5. Regarding access to services and goods, what is the current problem with delivery in rural areas?
6. How can the problem of delivering goods in rural areas be solved?
7. Regarding energy efficient houses, can living in the country be eco-friendly? 8. According to Julio Gil’s predictions, will cities disappear?
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