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Conversational / EVERYDAY ENGLISH
Lesson 04
Daily Life in Your City
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. Use everyday vocabulary to describe your daily routine and lifestyle in your city.
2. Talk about transportation, work, and leisure activities in an urban setting.
3. Compare different aspects of life in your city with other places.
Exercise 1
News Words & Expressions
Direction: Listen and repeat after your teacher
noun / verb
commute
Similar:
convert
change
exchange
transpose
/kəˈmjuːt/
Meaning:
The daily journey from home to work or school.
- My commute takes about 30 minutes by bus.
Real Life Tip:
In many U.S. cities, people spend 30–60 minutes commuting daily.
noun
rush hour
Similar:
similarvocab2.1
similarvocab2.2
similarvocab2.3
similarvocab2.4
/ˈrʌʃ ˌaʊ.ɚ/
Meaning:
The busiest time of day on the roads or public transport.
- The subway is always crowded during rush hour.
Real Life Tip:
U.S. rush hour is usually 7–9 a.m. and 5–7 p.m.
downtown
noun
Similar:
similarvocab3.1
similarvocab3.2
similarvocab3.3
similarvocab3.4
/ˌdaʊnˈtaʊn/
Meaning:
The central business area of a city.
- Most of the offices are located downtown.
Real Life Tip:
Americans often say “downtown” to mean the main commercial area.
get around
phrasal verb
Similar:
similarvocab4.1
similarvocab4.2
similarvocab4.3
similarvocab4.4
/ɡɛt əˈraʊnd/
Meaning:
To travel within a city or area.
- It’s easy to get around New York using the subway.
Real Life Tip:
“Get around” is frequently used to describe moving around a city using public transport, walking, or driving.
Exercise 2
Conversation
Direction: First, read the conversation aloud. Then, practice by role-playing it with your tutor.
Situation: Two friends; Lena and Mark; are talking about their daily lives in the city.
How do you usually get around the city?
Lena
I take the train downtown every morning.
Mark
Oh, so your commute must be busy during rush hour.
Lena
Yeah, it is. The subway gets really crowded.
Mark
Do you usually eat out after work?
Lena
Sometimes. There are a lot of great restaurants downtown.
Mark
That’s true. I usually just cook at home; it’s cheaper.
Lena
I should do that too. Eating out all the time is expensive!
Mark
Exercise 2.1
Questions.
1. How does Mark usually get around the city?
2. What happens during rush hour?
3. Why does Lena prefer cooking at home?
Exercise 3
Practice Time
Direction: Complete the exercise by choosing the correct answer.
1. commute / daily / my / 40 / takes / minutes
a) My daily commute takes 40 minutes.
b) Takes minutes my 40 daily commute.
c) Commute 40 minutes my takes daily.
2. crowded / is / subway / the / rush hour / during
a) The subway is crowded during rush hour.
b) Subway crowded is during hour rush the.
c) Is rush hour the subway crowded during.
3. work / he / downtown / every / goes / day
a) He goes downtown every day for work.
b) He downtown every day work goes.
c) Downtown goes he every work day.
4. out / they / eat / weekends / on
a) They eat out on weekends.
b) Out weekends they on eat.
c) On weekends out eat they.
5. easy / get / the / subway / city / around / is / to
a) The subway is easy to get around the city.
b) Easy around to subway city get the is.
c) City get subway the is easy to around.
Exercise 4
Ask Your Tutor
Direction: Ask your tutor these questions. Listen carefully and learn
1. How do people usually get around in your city?
2. Is rush hour traffic a big problem where you live?
3. Do you prefer eating out or cooking at home? Why?
Exercise 5
Discussion
Direction: Use the new words and expression you learnt in this lesson to have a conversation with your tutor.
1. How long is your daily commute?
2. What’s the most common way people get around in your city?
3. Do you think public transport is better than driving? Why?
4. Where do people usually eat out in your city?
5. How busy is downtown in your city?
6. Do you like the energy of city life, or do you prefer peace and quiet?
7. What’s the biggest challenge of living in your city?
8. How do you usually spend weekends in your city?
9. If you could change one thing about daily life in your city, what would it be?
10. Do you think life in your city is stressful or enjoyable? Why?
