Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an extremely mountainous city, so horizontal movement is limited.
It took urban planners a while to fi nd a solution to this problem. Finally, in 1993, they opened the Central-Mid-Levels escalator and moving walkway system.
It connects the lower Central district of Hong Kong Island with the higher Mid-Levels district.
At 800 meters (2,600 feet) long, it is the largest outdoor covered escalator and moving walkway system in the world. It is lined with shops and restaurants, so it is not only a practical way to move people around, it is also a huge tourist attraction. In fact, it has been called one of the world’s coolest commutes.
Medellín
In Medellín, Colombia, the problem was slightly different. Urban planners needed to fi gure out how to help people who lived on the steep hills around the city. These people had a hard time making it down to the main part of the city for shopping, school, and work because there were so few public buses.
The solution turned out to be the Metrocable gondola system. Opened in 2004, this transportation system connects people on the hillsides with other public transportation options in the city. It has already made a huge difference. The fi rst line, Line K, carries about 30,000 people every day, and greatly reduces their commuting time. The city continues to add new lines to the system in order to increase the number of people it serves.
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Central-Mid-Levels escalator and moving walkway system
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Metrocable gondola system
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LESSON
84 UNIT 7
4
ELENA RUBIO
@ElenaR
Can you imagine getting on an escalator that is 800 meters long?
READ ABOUT UNIQUE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
UNIT 7 T-84
LESSON 4 READ ABOUT UNIQUE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Choose a warm-up activity from the Warm-Up Activity Bank on page xxii.
• Read the lesson title aloud. Ask, What does unique mean? (being the only one of something, being unlike anything else) What is something unique about yourself? Accept any reasonable answers.
• Read the social media message aloud. Ask, What do you think this experience would be like? Accept any reasonable answers. If necessary, refer them to the picture of an escalator in the reading passage.
EXTENSION Some Ss may not be familiar with the metric system or vice versa. Let them know that 800 meters is approximately 2,600 feet. Have Ss look up some common metric conversions. Ask, What does Celsius convert to? (Fahrenheit) Or, give some specific problems. If it is 23 degrees Celsius, what temperature is that in Fahrenheit? (73.4 degrees) Metric
conversions include kilograms to pounds; kilometers to miles; hectares to acres; liters to gallons or pints.
1 BEFORE YOU READ
• Ask, What are some of the ways you have traveled?
Invite volunteers to share their ideas with the class.
Give them time to discuss which of those ways are more unusual. Have Ss report back to the class after talking with their partners.
EXTENSION If further discussion practice is desired, have Ss conduct some online research for unusual ways to travel around the world. A quick online search should lead Ss to things like suspension railways (Germany, Japan, United States), “jeepneys”
(Philippines), dolmus taxis (Turkey), maglev trains (China, Japan, South Korea), cycle rickshaws or auto rickshaws (many countries). Show images or have Ss show images and report on what they find.
• Have Ss preview the vocabulary before listening.
Tell them to circle any terms they are unfamiliar with.
In pairs, have them share and compare their previous knowledge about the words they do know.
• Tell Ss to listen to the vocabulary, and then listen again and repeat. Play the audio.
• List the words on the board and ask the class what each word means. Write Ss’ ideas on the board.
EXTENSION In order to gain a deeper understanding of the vocabulary, play a vocabulary tic-tac-toe game.
Have Ss make a grid with nine squares. Tell them to choose words from this page or from page 82 and write one word per box. Read the definitions aloud. If they have the word, they put an X through it. When Ss get three in a row (either down, across, or diagonally), they call out tic-tac-toe. To win, they have to repeat the definitions of the words.
• Remind Ss they can go to page 145 for further clarification and practice.
2 READ
• Bring Ss’ attention to the pictures. Read the title aloud.
Ask, What do you think this article will be about? Have Ss discuss in pairs. Elicit answers.
• Ask Ss to now focus on the subheadings. Read the title of the article again. Ask, How is the article organized?
Do the subheadings affect your prediction? What do you think the article is about now? Have Ss make predictions with a partner. Give Ss time to share their answers with another pair.
TEACHING TIP Ss might not be familiar with the three places the article discusses. Consider bringing a map or projecting a map on the screen. Have Ss point to where Hong Kong, Medellín (Colombia), and Quebec City (Canada) are on the map.
EXTENSION Divide Ss into three groups and assign them one of the three locations. Give them time to conduct a short online search and find three fun facts about the place. Then let each group give a report with their facts.
• Tell Ss they are going to listen to the article about unique ways of traveling up and down rather than horizontally.
• Have Ss listen to and read the article. Play the audio and pause after the section on Hong Kong. Ask Ss comprehension questions to make sure they understand the content:
1. Why is horizontal movement limited in Hong Kong?
(It is mountainous.)
2. When was the Central-Mid-Levels escalator opened? (1993)
3. What does it connect? (the lower Central district of Hong Kong Island with the higher Mid-Levels district) 4. What is it lined with? (shops and restaurants)
• Say, We will now hear about Medellín and Quebec City.
Play the rest of the audio without pausing. As Ss listen, ask them to underline the vocabulary words from 1B.
Have them circle other words they are unfamiliar with.
• Ask, Were your predictions correct? Help explain any new vocabulary, or encourage Ss to use the dictionary.
EXTENSION Ask Ss to research another city and report back on what types of transportation are used there.
UNIT 7 T-85
3 CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
• Ask, What is the main idea of the article?
• Have Ss discuss the answer to the question in pairs.
Suggest they skim the article again if necessary.
• Review the answer as a class. Ask volunteers to explain why they feel their answer is correct.
OPTION Ask pairs to write their main ideas on an index card or piece of paper and turn them in anonymously. Read them aloud and discuss why each is correct or incorrect.
• Tell Ss to preview the exercise items and answer the ones they can. Say, Read the article one more time to answer any questions you are not sure about.
• Have Ss compare their answers in pairs.
• To review, ask the questions, and call on Ss to read the answers aloud.
EXTENSION Ask Ss to discuss these questions:
Would you try these types of transportation if you visited any of these places? Why or why not?
• Ask a volunteer to read lines 2–3 aloud for the class.
Tell Ss to circle the correct answer.
• Have Ss compare their answer with someone else.
Review the answer as a class.
EXTENSION Have Ss find other cities in the world where people use types of transportation that move up and down.
• Say, Problem and solution is a common organizational pattern used by writers. Usually the writer mentions the problem first and then tells the reader the solution.
There are certain words and phrases writers use. Read the Reading Skill aloud.
• Write on the board: Problem: Need to learn more English. Write Solution to the right of the problem.
Then ask Ss to call out solutions. Accept any reasonable answer. Make a list on the board. Say, Making a list of problems and solutions can help you organize your writing. Let’s look now at the transportation problems.
• Say, The writer of the article we read organized the writing by problem and solution. Complete the chart.
• Have Ss complete the exercise individually and then compare their answers in pairs.
• To review, draw a blank chart like the one in the book on the board. Solicit volunteers to complete the chart for one of the cities.
• Arrange Ss in same-level pairs. Ask them to retell the most important ideas in the article in complete sentences. Remind them to use their own words as they summarize.
• Challenge Ss to complete the exercise without looking at the book. Walk around and provide help as necessary.
EXTENSION Give Ss time to research the sidebar question What new transportation systems are being developed in other cities? For lower-level Ss, have them work in pairs. Consider giving them a city to research such as Sacramento, Detroit, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Los Angeles, or Seattle. To help Ss start, encourage them to type the research question into the internet browser search bar to find related articles.
4 MAKE IT PERSONAL
• Read the instructions. Say, No city has perfect
transportation. What are some of the problems we have here where we live?
• Give an example. Say, For example, it took me over an hour to drive to school today. The highways were very crowded and there were two accidents that made the traffic even worse than usual.
• Have Ss work individually to list problems and possible solutions. Encourage Ss to think of some unique solutions. Have them take notes that they can use in a discussion.
• Have Ss share their answers with a partner and discuss which they think are the best and which are the most realistic.
• Let each pair report back to the class and summarize their discussions.
OPTION Ask Ss to make a chart like the one in 3D with the problems on the left and solutions on the right. Have pairs copy their charts on the board. Hold a whole-class discussion.
EXIT TICKET Have Ss write their names on a blank card or piece of paper. Ask Ss to make a chart of the problems they have with learning English and solutions they want to try. Tell them to list at least one problem and one solution. Collect the cards as Ss leave to identify issues the Ss may want to cover in class.
3 CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Read the article again. What is the main idea?
Answer the questions, according to the article.
1. Why can’t transportation always move in a horizontal direction?
2. What three transportation systems are described in the article?
3. Why might urban planners have to develop new transportation systems in the future?
CLOSE READING Reread lines 2–3 in the article. Then circle the correct answer.
The three cities are examples of places that . a. can move everyone horizontally
b. can’t move everyone horizontally c. plan to move everyone horizontally
Read the Reading Skill. Then reread the article and complete the chart.
City Problem Transportation solution
Hong Kong Medellín Quebec City
PAIRS What is the article about? Retell the most important ideas. Use your own words.
4 MAKE IT PERSONAL
THINK What are some of the problems with transportation where you live? How could they be solved? What are some unique solutions?
PAIRS Share your ideas. Which solutions are the best? Which are the most realistic?
What new transportation systems are being developed in other cities?
Quebec City
In Quebec City, Canada, the problem was how to link two different parts of the city. Urban planners wanted to connect the Lower Town section with the Upper Town section. These two parts of the city are not far apart, but they are separated by a steep hill.
The Old Quebec Funicular became the solution to this problem. A funicular is a type of railroad that uses cables to move cars up and down. Serving both the residents of Quebec and tourists, it opened in 1879 as a water-powered system and switched to electric power in 1907. Despite stretching just 64 meters (210 feet), it rises 59 meters (194 feet) at a 45-degree angle, making it feel like an
amusement park ride. It gives people a fun, more relaxing way of getting from one part of the city to the other.
By 2050, experts predict that there will be 10 billion people on Earth and more than 6.5 billion of them will live in cities. This will create new challenges for the world’s current transportation systems. It is likely that urban planners will have to come up with new systems to help everyone get around.
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Old Quebec Funicular
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READING SKILL Identify problems and solutions Writers often organize a text by mentioning a problem fi rst and then giving the solution.
They sometimes introduce problems and solutions with phrases such as the problem was…and the solution turned out to be….
85 UNIT 7 I CAN READ ABOUT UNIQUE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.
Answers may vary. Possible answer: The main idea is that some cities have had to build unique transportation systems to help people get around.
Some cities don’t have the right conditions to transport everyone from side to side.
The three transportation systems are Hong Kong’s escalator and moving walkway, Medellin’s Metrocable gondola system, and Quebec’s funicular.
Urban planners may have to develop new transportation systems in the future because there will be a lot more people living in cities.
It’s very mountainous. an escalator and moving walkway system a cable car system Two parts of the city are
separated by a steep hill. a funicular It was hard for people
who lived on the steep hills to get into the main part of the city.
1 BEFORE YOU WRITE
When was the last time you sent someone a thank-you letter or email? Who was it to?
Why did you write it?
Read Elena’s emails. How are they the same? How are they different?
Dear Dr. Borck:
I want to express my sincere appreciation for your planning and hosting the recent Global Digital Marketing Trends Conference in Philadelphia. I especially want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to present on digital marketing in Latin America.
The Latin American market is growing quickly, and it was very valuable to have the opportunity to reach so many people from around the world.
You and your staff obviously took great care to make the conference a success, from choosing a convenient venue to promoting the event globally. On a personal level, I was very pleased with the room and equipment for my presentation. I also appreciated that your staff was always there to solve problems and answer questions.
If you ever plan to hold a conference in Peru, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would be more than happy to help in any way I can.
Sincerely, Elena Rubio
Subject: Global Digital Marketing Trends Conference Elena Rubio
From: To:
Hey Silvia,
Just wanted to say thanks for taking me out to lunch while I was in Philly for the conference. It was great to see you and catch up.
That little café you took me to was wonderful. I loved the Latin American music and the beautiful view of the city. Fantastic food, too! I was so surprised that they had ceviche on the menu. It was as good as my mom’s, or maybe even better. I’ll defi nitely have to go back there the next time I’m in town.
If you ever have the chance to visit Peru, let me know. I’ll take you to one of my favorite cafés. It’s near my offi ce and famous for its homemade desserts.
Anyway, thanks again and keep in touch!
Best, Elena
Subject: Great to see you!
Elena Rubio
From: To:
Dr. Cheryl Borck
Silvia Dastis
LESSON
86 UNIT 7
5
ELENA RUBIO
@ElenaR
Back from a marketing conference in Philadelphia.
Met so many smart, interesting people.