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E GOAL Explain What Makes a Good City
Communication
A Look at the chart. Discuss the questions below in pairs.
| City A | City B |
| • good weather, sunny days • plenty of jobs • safe • art, music, culture | • good schools, education • parks, outdoor spaces • public transportation • safe for pedestrians |
1. How does each item in the chart improve city life?
2. Which city would you rather live in? Why?
People spend time outdoors on sunny days.
And they might get more exercise.
B MY WORLD Answer the questions in pairs.
1. Which of the items from the chart in A does your neighborhood have?
2. How or why those items make city life better?
3. What can be done to improve life in your neighborhood?
Writing
| WRITING SKILLS: Topic Sentences |
| Most paragraphs in English begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence tells us: 1. the main idea (What is the topic of the paragraph?) 2. the controlling idea (What does the paragraph say about the topic?) A good topic sentence helps the reader understand your ideas. |
People rowing boats and cycling in Central Park, New York
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Read the paragraph.
main idea controlling idea
Green spaces increase the quality of life in cities. Parks, beaches, and other green spaces are good places to be active. Every morning, a lot of people go jogging, do yoga, play badminton, or walk in the park. In the afternoon, beaches are the favorite places to watch sunset for others. Playing sports and doing other kinds of recreation help people in cities stay healthy. Furthermore, these spaces give people contact with nature. Seeing green plants and hearing birds in the trees are pleasant breaks from a noisy city. Therefore, green spaces are good not only for people's physical health but also for their mental health. Moreover, because they are good places for special events, green spaces can make communities stronger. Hearing a concert in the park with friends and neighbors, for example, is a great way to enjoy city life. Though the busy life in cities may make it hard for people to know even their next-door neighbors, green spaces provide great opportunities to meet other people, while at the same time enjoying a positive atmosphere.
D Discuss the questions in pairs.
1. Where is the topic sentence located?
2. What are the three ways green spaces increase the quality of life?
3. What other details does the writer include?
E Choose the best topic sentence for the paragraph below.
a. My city has numerous good places to work.
b. The national university is located in my city.
c. Good schools are one of the best things about my city.
_____________________________________. For children, there are excellent public schools and private schools. Parents can decide which kind of school is best for their child. For older students, the national university is located in my city. It is quite large, and it attracts top professors from here and around the world. And for people who want job training, my city has several technical schools. They offer programs in everything from nursing to solar-energy technology. All of these education options help to make my city a good place to live.
WRITING NOTE
The words furthermore and moreover can show that you are moving on to the next idea.
✔️GOAL CHECK
Explain What Makes a Good City
1. In your notebook, write a passage (150-180 words). Remember to start the passage with a good topic sentence and end it with a brief conclusion.
• Choose one of the items from the chart in A.
• Explain how or why it makes city life better.
2. In pairs, share your ideas about how or why these things make city life better.
