Walking London (B1)

A Before you start

Answer the questions with a partner.
1. How do you usually get to school?
2. How long does it take you?
3. If you have to make a short trip (under 2 km), do you usually walk? Why (not)?
4. When youre visiting a city as a tourist, how do you prefer to get around? (By car? By taxi? On
public transport? On foot?) Why?
B Read and answer
Read the main article and answer the questions.
1. What helps walkers to follow their maps and find their way along the walking routes?
2. Why is the name of the person in charge of the Walk England and Walk London projects
particularly appropriate?
3. When was the first London walking route created? Why?
4. How has it changed since then?
5. What makes it an easy route for people who are not used to walking long distances?
6. What are the advantages of walking around London at night?
7. Why was the Jubilee Greenway created?
8. Why does the author think its better for tourists to walk than to use public transport?
C Listen and answer (Optional)
N.B. This interview is graded as C1, so dont be discouraged if you find it difficult. Try to understand the main
points.

Read these statements. Then listen to the interview with Jim Walker, without reading, and write T
(true) or F (false).
1. According to Jim Walker, people who live in cities generally make about three trips a day.
2. He says this is quite a recent trend.
3. In most cities, the majority of trips of under one mile are done on foot.
4. Walker says that a large number of the short car journeys that are made in London every day
could be walked.
5. Other European towns have networks of paths and walking routes.
6. Other towns in Europe also have networks of public rights of way.
D Listen, read and check your answers
Listen to the interview while reading the text.(If you did Exercise C, check your answers while
reading.)
E Learn it! Use it!
Complete these sentences with words from the glossary. (You may have to adapt the expression in
some way; e.g. change from singular to plural.)
1. At 6 oclock in the evening, all the trains are full of ________ returning to their homes in the
suburbs.
2. The police gave Mike a fine of 30 because he was riding his bike on the ________.
3. We wanted to send our son to the local high school but it was already ________ ________.
4. All you need to do to create a patio in your garden is to put down a few dozen ________ of stone.
5. Sue doesnt like James so she always tries to ________ him.
6. After the show, the BBC had a constant ________ of complaints from viewers.

F Ready for PET? (Paper 1, Reading: Part 5)

Choose the correct word in brackets for each space.
The 2012 Summer Olympics 1_________ (are/were/shall/are going) based in Stratford, in the
Lower Lea Valley. The name Stratford 2_________ (signifies/translates/means/describes) ford on
the Roman road.
Stratford was important in Roman times 3_________ (since/although/but/therefore) it was
the only place where the Romans 4_________ (used/were able/could/would) cross the River Lea on
their 5_________ (way/street/travel/voyage) to Colchester. During the Industrial Revolution, the
River Lea 6_________ (has become/began/got/became) an important navigation route and
7
_________ (a lot/lots/much/many) industries grew up in the Stratford area. A walk 8_________
(over/along/through/round) the 18-mile Lea Valley route gives walkers a vivid insight into
Londons industrial past. The walk ends at Limehouse Basin, 9_________
(where/which/while/when) the River Lea flows into the Thames. Limehouse has a marina with a
large 10_________ (amount/quantity/deal/number) of boats and is the gateway to over 200 miles of
canals.
G Write about it
Think of the sights and attractions in your town or area and create a walking route for visitors.
Include:
- detailed directions;
- information about the things they will see on the way;
- where to stop for a rest or refreshments.

Answers
B Read and answer
1. There are silver discs in the pavement and glass pavement slabs that indicate the direction they
have to go. 2. Because his surnames Walker. 3. It was created in 1977 for the Queens Silver
Jubilee. 4. It was improved for the Golden Jubilee in 2002. 5. It can be divided into shorter
sections, which are all near tube stations and bus stops. 6. You can avoid the crowds and see the
main sights illuminated spectacularly. 7. To commemorate the Olympic Games and the Queens
Diamond Jubilee. 8. Because its often easier, quicker, cheaper and more scenic. Its also easier to
meet other people.
D Listen, read and check your answers
1. T 2. F He says its been the same in the Western world for thousands of years. 3. T 4. T
5. T 6. F Nobody else has this network.
E Learn it! Use it!
1. commuters 2. pavement 3. at capacity 4. slabs 5. avoid 6. stream
F Ready for PET?
1. were 2. means 3. since 4. could 5. way 6. became 7. many 8. along 9. where
10. number