[E] City Life or The Suburbs

LET'S UNLOCK WORDS AND PHRASES 🔐

lifestyle

[ ˈlahyf-ˌstahyl ]

noun

- the way people choose to spend their time; the way people live

Regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.

urban

[ ˈur-buhn ]

adjective

- related to a city

Crime rates are significantly higher in urban areas.

patio

[ ˈpat-ee-ˌoh ]

noun

- an area outside a house, often paved, for relaxing

They had a barbecue on their patio on Sunday.

settle down

phrase

- to start living in a place where you intend to stay for a long time; start a new normal life

He should get a house and settle down.

peace and quiet

phrase

- a calm environment

Your brother needs peace and quiet because he's working.

LET'S READ! 📖

Direction: Read the passage aloud. Then, read it silently.

City Life or The Suburbs

Before you settle down in any new place, you need to take a look at your lifestyle. Are you a city person? Do you like to be within walking distance of everything you need? If you enjoy a quick walk down the block to buy a newspaper and coffee, and you like being with lots of people, then urban life may be for you. The upside of life in the city is convenience. It's nice to be close to all the things you enjoy: museums, shopping, movies, libraries . . . and work. And the mass transit system in a city makes it simple to get around.

On the other hand, life in the suburbs is often part of the white-picket-fence American Dream. Suburbs are areas just outside the city where homes are usually larger, and there's more open space. Instead of stores within walking distance, there are shopping malls you drive to. Homes often have large yards for flower and vegetable gardens. Many houses have patios to enjoy outdoor living.

Apartments in the suburbs are usually larger, too, and there are often areas for playgrounds, parking, and cooking out. Suburbs where there are many commuters who travel to jobs in the city are sometimes called "bedroom communities." People work in the urban areas, but they return to their suburban homes to sleep. The upside of suburban life is the space and privacy from nearby neighbors. The downside is that people often need a car to get around.

If you really want to get away from it all, you may decide that life in the country is for you. Picture the rolling hills and miles of farmland. Listen to the sounds of birds. Ahh, peace and quiet! But unless milking cows is your idea of the dream job, you may want to think carefully about living in the country.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 🧠 A. Direction: Choose the correct answer to the following questions.

COMPREHENSION CHECK

What should you consider before settling down in a new place?
a. The location of transportation.
b. Your lifestyle and preferences.
c. Your parents' choice.
d. Your friend's location.
What are some characteristics of urban life?
a. Convenience, very close to amenities like museums, shopping, and work, and easy access to public transportation.

b. Very far from family and friends

c. Everything is not accessible.

d. There are a few people living in the area.
How would you describe life in the suburbs?
a. Suburban life often includes high taxes and heavy traffic jams.

b. Suburban life often includes smaller apartments and costly products.

c. Suburban life often includes high crime rates.

d. Suburban life often includes larger homes, more open space, shopping malls, and the need for a car to get around.
What is a "bedroom community" in the context of suburbs?
a. It's a suburb where people live but mainly work in urban areas, returning home to sleep.

b. It's an urban area where people work but return home after working.

c. It's a suburb where people sleep and return home after.

d. It's an urban area where people live but return home after working.
What are some advantages of suburban life?
a. smaller and more costly apartments

b. more space but a noisy environment

c. more space, privacy, and larger apartments or homes

d. bigger houses but a noisy environment

B. Direction: Answer the following questions based on the article.

What are some disadvantages of suburban life?
What is described as the ideal country setting in the text?
Why does the text suggest that living in the country might not be suitable for everyone?
What is the term "white-picket-fence American Dream" referring to?
What makes urban life convenient in terms of transportation?

C. Direction: Match the words in column A with their synonyms in column B.

A	B
1. buy	A. advantage
2. convenience	B. have in mind
3. upside	C. drawback
4. decide	D. purchase
5. downside	E. satisfaction