READING AND LISTENING

Megacities HIGH-SPEED
1 Look at the list of megacities. Put them in order of size
of population: 1 = the biggest.

Mumbai
New York
Shangha
Mexico City
Tokyo
Deh
rOKYO
Tokyo has a population of more than 35 million people.
It is the largest city in the world. It is also one ot the most
CDJ 10 Listen. Were you right? What is a megacity exciting. Everything moves fast here. It has one of the
What happened in 2008 biggest and busiest railroad systems in the world. EveryY
2
Lookat the photos. What can you see? day, 40 millioncommuters use it to get to and work.
from
People make the highest salaries, and they spend the most
Look at the title of each article. Which city ...
money. They wear the latest fashions and have the most
is very fasthas a mix of cultures has a lot of poverty
up-to-date phones. It is one of the most expensive cities in
3Work in three groups. the world.

Group A Read about Tokyo.

Group B Read about Mumba.
Group C Read about Mexico
City
Make notes about your city under these headings:
The city and its people
Money and business
Buildings and history

Clima tie
ransportation

4 Work withand
students frominformation
the other two groups.
Exchange compare about the cities

Listening
Old and new
5CDJ Listen to these people from the three megacities.
What do they like about their capital city? What do they Tokyo was originally a small fishing village called Edo.
The name changed in 1868 when the Emperor
Say about...? moved there.

the people the climate transportation things to do The architecture is very modern. there are not many old
a r n q u a k e and the

nal
Mako Trom Vimahl trom LOuree Tom anan i aw
ambai
many Shintoshrines and
public baths around the city.

Visiting Tolkyo
Tokyo is on the east coast of
Japan. The summers are hot
and humid. The most beautiful
Project
time of year is spring, when
Tamous
the
Research another megacity. Make some notes cherry blossOms are
o the
te t
s one satest cities in
Present your findings to the rest of the class. t
oE
the worid.

70 Unit 9 Gity living

MUMBA YMULTICULTURAL

A CITY OF EXTREMES
Mumbai is one of Indias largest cities, with a population
MEXICO CIY
Mexico City has a population
o 205 m l o n . it s the largest
of 19.7 million. It m D n North ancd South
is also Indias mONt
impTant Cuy
commercial center. Mumbai was part of the British Empire America. The Aztecs Calea
until independence in 1947. It was called Bombay until it Tenochtitlán, and it was alreaay un
1995, when it was renamed Mumbai important city when the Spanish invaded in 1521.
The country became independent in 1821.

Rich and poor lndigenous and European

Mumbai is both old and modern, rich and poor. The Mexico City ofers a variety of experiences. In the Zöcalo, |
the main square. you can see the National Palace and other
streets are full of
and cothes, or
business, seling snacks
people doing
justIivingthere. historic buildings, and a modern skyscraper. The city has
Money s everywhere in modern Mumbai. Indias most a ot and
lot museuns theacs. upe can
there.The Bollhwood hlm industrv nroae e "
ore
lhims food and indigenoushandicrafts. It is the richest city in
than Hollywood in Los Angedles Latin America. There are elegant shops selling high end
Modern and malls goods, expensive restaurants, and really cool cafés There
skyscrapers new
shopping are right Is also a lo of
mext to slums. About sixty percent of the population live poverty
with no running water, no electricity, and no sanitation.

VisitingMumbal Visiting Mexico City

Mumbai is on
the west coast.
season from lune
The wet
to September. Between November and February it is a
is Mexico Cty is in a valley in the south central area of the

cOuntry. It is surrounded by mountains.

and dryer. The rainy season is from June to October. The warmest
little cooler
The cty is best at sunrise and sunset, when the cokr of
t s afe pru and ay. nas me ATgand cheapest
us. Irains
can be crowded and dangero and visitors need to be careful, but the city offers a rich
poverty, Mumbai be a d1thcult place cultural mix.
Because of ts
Iive, but the experience is
can to

unique.

Unit 9 Gity living 71