A place where nobody is too many.
Anonymous.
Recommended grammar:
Passive Voice.
BUILDING-UP YOUR VOCABULARY
A town is a large number of houses, schools, hospitals, theatres, factories, _____ and other buildings built near each other. All these buildings are divided into _____ of streets. Short narrow streets that join larger ones together called lanes. On one side of the streets the buildings have ____ numbers, on the other – _____ numbers. The main streets are usually paved with stone or asphalt. Along the streets run carts, cars, _____ and trolley-buses. In large towns tramways are laid down wider streets, along which tramcars rattle with great noise. On both sides of the streets there are raised _____ on which people walk.
In very large towns, which are generally called ______, countless pedestrians walk along foot-pavements forming two smoothly-flowing ceaseless currents. In England walkers keep to the right, while vehicles on the road keep to the ____.
People usually cross the streets at special places, called _____ . When the traffic is very heavy, the policeman, who regulates the movement of the cars and buses, has to stop the never-ending stream by raising one hand, thus affording the pedestrians a chance of crossing the street. On the foot-paths, close to the gutter, there are dust-bins, into which refuse is put.
The ground floors and the first storeys of the houses, that line the principal streets, usually consist of _____. These shops present most attractive features. The windows are very large and beautifully decorated. It is interesting to look at the shop-windows where the articles on sale are displayed.
In the centre and in important parts of a large town, there are squares, gardens and market places.
A town is generally situated near or on a river across which ______ are built. In almost all towns there are places of interest, which a stranger would be invited to see – monuments, cathedrals, museums and ________.
A town is governed by a council, the head of which is called ______.
General places in town:
town centre/downtown (AmE), healthcare centre, law courts, registry office, citizen’s advice bureau, (tourist) information centre, job centre (employment bureau), chemist’s/drugstore (AmE), garden centre, police station, post office, bank, Town/ City Hall, suburbs/outskirts, shopping centre/ emporium/ mall (AmE), department store, bookstall/news-stand (AmE), telephone box, estate agency, housing estate;
General constructions:
bridge, square,apartment block/apartment house (AmE), tower block/ skyscraper (AmE);
Sports ventures:
swimming pool, sports centre, golf course, tennis court, football pitch, skating rink;
Cultural places:
theatre, opera house, concert hall, radio station, art gallery, convention centre;
Religious places:
church (Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, Presbyterian), synagogue, mosque, chapel, cathedral, cemetery;
Educational places:
school, college, university, library, adult educational centre, museum (of modern art, of folk art, of primitive art, of fine arts, of applied art);
Places providing catering, accommodation and night-life:
(fast-food) restaurant, nightclub, disco, café, food court, hotel, B&B (bed and breakfast), youth hostel;
Transport:
railway station, bus station, bus stop, underground/subway (AmE)/ Tube (London) station, taxi rank/ taxi stand (AmE), car hire, car park/ parking lot (AmE), parking meters, petrol station/gas station (AmE), garage, airport, seaport, pavement/sidewalk (AmE), (pedestrian) crossing/crosswalk (AmE), pelican crossing, zebra crossing, crossroads/intersection, junction, T-junction, roundabout/rotary (AmE), flyover, fork, cycle path, motorway/expressway (AmE), subway/underpass (AmE), by-road/by-way (AmE), by-pass/ detour, ring road, traffic lights, traffic jam;
Vehicles:
bus, coach, tram/streetcar/trolley (AmE), trolley-bus, taxi/cab, saloon car/sedan, estate car/station wagon, sport utility vehicle (SUV), lorry/truck (AmE), van, ambulance, fire engine, motor bike, scooter, bicycle, train, plane, airliner, ship, ocean liner, ferry, boat, motor boat, rowing boat, canoe, yacht, hydrofoil/ hovercraft;
Others:
litter, bottle bank, litter bin/ trash bin (AmE), street cleaner/ janitor (AmE), bench, lamp post.
| ___________ 1. ___________ museum ___________ __leisure___ 2. __________ center __________ ___________ 3. ___________ college ___________ | ___________ 4. ___________ court ___________ ___night____ 5. ___________ club ___________ ___________ 6. ___________ agency ___________ |
Where in Town?
in the middle ofa park on the other side oftown
acrossthe street pastthe crossing
roundthe corner at/on(AmE) the corner of the street
atthe traffic lights oppositethe hotel
in front of the railway station nearthe airport
by/next to/besidethe seaport in/on(AmE) the high street/main street(AmE)
in the same street asthe post-office behindthe tower block throughthe subway/underpass underthe bridge
Text 1. On the Road
· You must give wayat a give-way sign. On the roundabout, traffic coming from your right has the right of way (= is allowed to go before other traffic). Sounding/ horning/tooting your horn is prohibited except in emergencies. Jumping (=not stopping at) a red signal light is a serious offence. Reckless driving (=very dangerous driving, without any care for others) is also a very serious offence.
· Drink-driving may result in a heavy fine or imprisonment. You may be asked to take a breathalyzer (=instrument you breathe into to measure an alcohol level) test. Hit-and-run (=running over or into someone and not stopping) accidents are extremely serious and could result inban (=removal of one’s driving license) for several years and/or imprisonment. Less serious offences may result in penalty points (=negative points on your license which are added up over time). On-the-spot fines (=given at the scene of the offence) may be issued for careless driving and other offences.
· Exhaust emissions(=waste gases produced by the vehicle) must meet government standards, and the car must be roadworthy (=in a condition that it can be driven safely), which includes a minimum depth of tyre/tire tread (=the depth of the grooves in the tyre/tire rubber).
Text 2. Traffic problems
1) It was rush hour, and there was a long tailback (=a line of slow or stopped traffic) on the motorway.
2) There was a pile-up (=crash between several or many cars) involving ten cars, because of the fog, so the road was closed and we were diverted (=directed away from our road) onto a narrow country lane.
3) I had stupidly parked in a tow away zone(=area where your car may be taken away if you park illegally) and came back to find my car had gone!
4) I just parked for a few minutes outside the station, but when I came out, my car had been clamped (=fitted with a metal device on the wheel to prevent it from moving).
5) I saw two men fighting next to their cars. I think it was a case of road rage. (=anger or violence between drivers because of difficult driving conditions)
6) The road was wet and I skidded (=lost control of the steering) on the bend and almost crashed.
7) There was a head-on collision (=two vehicles hitting each other directly in the front) on the main road between here and the next village last night. Luckily, both cars had air bags and the drivers survived.
1. We can’t park here; it’s a __________ zone.
2. There was a five-mile _______ on the motorway because of road works.
3. Fog caused a number of _______, one of which involved 15 cars.
4. If it’s a _________ sign, you don’t have to stop if the road is clear, but if it’s a stop sign, then you must always stop.
5. Who has the __________ at the corner in your country? Cars or pedestrians?
6. It was a ________ accident, but the police have a description of the car.
7. The permitted level of __________ is to be lowered in an attempt to reduce air pollution in big cities.
8. He was given a __________ test and it was discovered he had consumed a huge amount of alcohol. He was charged with ________ and fined £500.
9. In some countries drivers _________ their _________ just because they get frustrated. As a result, the city streets are incredibly noisy.
