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ListentoaninterviewonSustainableCitiesaboutCuritibainBrazil. Optionalexercise (Theanswersareatthebottomofthepage). Putthesepointsintheordertheyarementioned. Subject Cyclepaths Freeeducationalcentres Transportsystem Pedestrianareas Publicparticipation Treeplanting Housebuilding Order

Presenter:ThisweekseditionofSustainableCitiesgoestoBrazil.HeresourcorrespondentSergioNascimentototellus aboutaplacethatfoundadifferentwaytomeetsomeofthechallengesofmodernlifewaybackinthe1970s. Correspondent:Hello.Ivecometosomewherethathascollectednumerousawardsforitsinnovativeapproachtourban livingCuritiba. Presenter:Manygovernmentsareonlynowputtingpeoplebackattheheartofcitycentreplanning.Curitibaconvinced peopletostoprelyingontheircarsseveraldecadesago.Howdidtheydoit,Sergio? Correspondent: Well,itstartedwithaninspiredandfarsightedMayor,whowithafewcolleaguescreatedwhatmustbe oneofthefastestpedestrianisationschemesinhistory.Overthecourseofaweekendtheyblockedoffsomeofthecity centrestreetsandstartedplantingflowerswiththehelpoflocalchildren.Thisovercametheoppositionoftheshopkeepers whothoughttheirbusinesseswouldsuffertheysoonsawthecentrecouldbringinfarmorecustomersthantheydhad before.Popularsupportforamorepeoplefriendlycitygrewfromthere. Presenter:ThecityitselfhasgrownconsiderablysincethosedaysIbelieve. Correspondent:Itsupportsapopulationofmorethantwoandahalfmillionpeopletoday,anditsharestheproblemsof manydevelopingurbanareasinSouthAmericaimmigrationfromthecountryside,thepressureforhousingandsoon.Yetit hasfoundsomeveryoriginalsolutions.Forexample,insteadofputtingpeopleintoanonymoushousingprojects,ithelped themtobuildtheirownhomes. Presenter:Really! Correspondent:Byrecognisingthatmanypeoplealreadyhadtheskillsneededforconstructionwork,itgavethemsupport intheformofmaterialsandadvicefromarchitectsandthenletthemgetonwiththejob.Thatway,peoplehaveareal investmentinwheretheylive,andreallywanttolookaftertheplaceonceitsbuilt. Presenter:Isittruethatthecityhasoneofthemostextensiveandefficienttransportsystemsanywhereintheworld? Correspondent:Thatsright.Theresawholenetworkofdifferenttypesofbusesthatrunintoandaroundthecityintheir owndedicatedbuslanes.Itscoordinatedbythecitycouncil,butprivatelyfinanced.Theymanagedtogettransport companiestoprovidesuchacomprehensiveservicebypayingthemforthenumberofkilometrestheycover,notthe numberofpassengerstheycarry.Therearebuseseveryminuteintherushhoursothesystemcancarrysomethinglike2 millionpeoplethatsmorethaninNewYork. Presenter:Andtheyconnecteverywheretoeverywhereelse Correspondent:neighbourhoodstoworkplacestohospitalstotouristattractions.Nearly70%ofalljourneysarebybus. Thewholesystempaysforitself,anditsbeendevelopedlargelyontheexistingstreetswithoutknockingdownbuildings,so thecharacteroftheneighbourhoodsismaintained.

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2007 TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.

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SPOTLIGHTONBRAZILAUDIOSCRIPT

Presenter:Havetheyforgottenaboutcyclists? Correspondent:No,theresanetworkofabout150kmofcyclepathsaroundthecity.Andparalleltothetransportsystems theyvedevelopedanetworkofFarisdeSaberorLighthousesofKnowledge. Presenter: Whatarethey? Correspondent:Theyrefreeeducationalcentresplacedaroundthecity,whichhavelibraries,Internetaccess,andother culturalresources.Peoplecangethelpwithjobtraining,socialwelfareandaccesstoeducationalprograms.Anotherthing theyrekeenonarethetreeplantinginitiativesandthedevelopmentofgreenspaces.Theyevenusesheeptokeepthe grassdown!Itismuchcheaperandithelpsregeneratethesoil. Presenter:Andthesecrettoallthisisplanning? Correspondent:Itsnotonlyplanning,itsinvolvinglocalpeopleindecisionmakingfromthestart.Publicparticipationhas ensuredthatthesystemhascontinued,eventhoughthemanwhostarteditallisnolongerMayor. Presenter:Fascinating.Nowtellusabouttherecyclingprogrammes,Sergio

Answers
Cyclepaths Freeeducationalcentres Transportsystem Pedestrianareas Publicparticipation Treeplanting Housebuilding 4 5 3 1 7 6 2

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2007 TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.