2º ESO C English

Mega cities

In 2020, according to the United Nations,

we already have 34 mega cities (cities
with more than 10 million population).
With demographic trends leaning towards
longer-lived citizens, there’ll be more
people to squeeze in. In 2030, we’re
projected to have nine more mega cities
around the world. In order to live
healthily, we can’t live in box rooms with
no real sunlight. That’s not the future of
living in an urban place.

There’ll be more focus on the outdoors, an aspect of the urban environment that we
took for granted until the pandemic in 2020.

In order to have healthy mega cities we need to really radically rethink urban design.
Expect to see more car-free spaces while configured streets will see more bicycle
lanes and walking paths.

Finally, there will be no more rush hour, because we’re going to have a work life
balance that’s no longer not exclusive to nine to five. It will be far more flexible and
we’re going to be working in a far more global way. You may not need to commute
into the world as often.

a. Answer these questions:

1. How many megacities will there be in 2030?

2. How did the pandemic change our views on urban environment?

3. What changes should we expect to see in urban design by 2030?

4. Why will rush hour disappear?

b. Here are 4 sentences from the text. Which one doesn’t refer exclusively to the future?
1. We’re projected to have nine more mega cities around the world.
2. We can’t live in box rooms with no real sunlight.
3. Streets will see more bicycle lanes and walking paths.
4. We’re going to have a work life balance

c. Are there any difference in meaning between the other 3 sentences? What are the differences?

Source: ‘Fact or fantasy? Futurists predict a better world for 2030’ by John McCarthy (29/06/2020) in The Drum. Retrieved on
28/03/2022 at https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/06/29/fact-or-fantasy-futurists-predict-better-world-2030