PREVIEW ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.

Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

Work with a partner, group, or your teacher. Do the activities below together.

PART 1 Discuss the questions below about urban life and sustainability.

1 What comes to mind when you think of sustainability?

2 Would you describe the city you live in as sustainable? Why or why not?
3 What do you think are some keys to healthier or more sustainable cities?

Discuss which tools, places, resources, or people below you think make/don’t make
PART 2
cities more sustainable. Explain your answers.

FOSSIL FUELS BICYCLES HEATING SYSTEMS LANDFILLS

AIR SENSORS SERVERS INCUBATORS RESIDENTS

PART 3 Choose the correct nouns that fit each definition below.

1 If an action, effort, or project makes huge , it makes big

steps or a lot of progress.

a. strides b. jumps c. motions

2 Carbon refers to a state of net-zero carbon dioxide

emissions.

a. capture b. neutrality c. balance

3 Smart city refer to efforts to integrate the information and

communication technology of a city.

a. initials b. initiatives c. initiations

IS COPENHAGEN THE WORLD’S Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
MOST SUSTAINABLE CITY? Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

PREVIEW DISCUSSION: Read the discussion topic

below and discuss it with your partner or teacher.

Why do you think Copenhagen specifically is

one of the world’s most sustainable cities?

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART 1 Discuss / Write short answers according to the information in the video.

0:34 1 What is the specific goal for the city of Copenhagen?

1:00 2 According to the mayor of Copenhagen, what does carbon neutrality mean?

2:50 3 What kinds of efforts, projects, or collaborations is the city of Copenhagen involved
in to achieve their goal? What have they already made huge strides in?

4:11 4 What is the “true secret” to the city’s future sustainability?

PART 2 What kind of information is given/discussed about the following topics in the video?

1:09 a. The biking infrastructure in Copenhagen

1:40 b. The harbor in Copenhagen
2:13 c. The heating/cooling systems in Copenhagen
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

PART 1 Discuss the questions about the phrasal verbs as used in the sentences below.

1 “ Copenhagen is on a mission to cancel out all of their carbon emissions.”

• What do you think it means to cancel out carbon emissions?

• What do you think about Copenhagen’s plan to cancel out their carbon
emissions? Would this plan work in your city? Why or why not?

2 “ To come up with sustainable solutions, Copenhagen collaborates with

partners across the city.”

• What do you think it means to come up with a solution?

• Can you think of any other sustainable solutions that other cities have
come up with?

3 “ To cut down on their energy consumption, Copenhagen uses one of the

world’s largest and most successful district heating systems.”

• What do you think it means to cut down on energy consumption?

• How else could a city cut down on their energy consumption? How could
people cut down on energy consumption at home?

PART 2 Write which preposition you think was used in each sentence from the video below.

1 More than half of us live in cities now, and 2050, that number jumps
to nearly 70%.

2 Copenhagen wants to become the first carbon-neutral capital city

2025.

PART 3 Read the quote from Copenhagen’s mayor out loud and then discuss the question.

“
Since I became mayor in 2010, we have had a growth rate in the number of
citizens with 20%. We have cut our emissions with 42% in the same period.

The mayor made a mistake with the preposition with in his quote above. What do
you think is the correct preposition the mayor should have used?
 POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 2 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

PART 1 Study the two examples and usages of the preposition by in the video.

When talking about Copenhagen and sustainability, the mayor says...

“ Since I became mayor in 2010, we have had a growth rate in the

number of citizens with by 20%.”

“ We want to become the first carbon-neutral capital city by 2025.”

In the first example above, the mayor of Copenhagen should have used by + 20%. We use the
preposition by + [percentage] to express how much something changes, grows, reduces, etc.
since a point in time. We also use the preposition by + [point in time] when we refer to goals,
expectations/predictions, deadlines, hopes, etc. and the point in time they will be completed.
When used in this context, by means no later than.

NEXT EXAMPLES Copenhagen has cut their carbon emissions by 42% since 2010.
More than 70% of the world population is expected to live in cities by 2050.

Write two sentences about the country/city/region where you live using the
PART 2
preposition by + [percentage]. Guess the percentage if you don’t know it exactly.

EX. Since the casino was built in my hometown, tourism has increased by 15%.

PART 3 Follow the instructions for each sentence. Use by + [point in time] in your sentences.

EX. Write an expectation / prediction you have about the environment.

More than a third of the world’s glaciers are expected to melt by 2050.

1 Write an expectation / prediction you have about the environment.

2 Write a green goal you have for yourself.

3 Write a realistic carbon neutral deadline your city should have.

POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 3 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

CITY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN:

Work with a partner or on your own. Think of the city you live in. Imagine you are a
member/members of the city council. Come up with a plan to make your city more
sustainable. Present your plan to your teacher/class. Make sure to cover the topics listed
below in your presentation.

TOPICS:

1 What kinds of sustainable solutions you have come up with

2 How your city will cancel out its carbon emissions
3 What your city has already cut down/will cut down on
4 Some smart city initiatives your city has already created/will create
5 What kinds of investments your city has already made/will make
6 Who your city will collaborate with
7 What kinds of strides your city has already made with pollution efforts

Use each by + [year] and by + [percentage] at least once in your presentation.

SPEAKING TASK:

Discuss the topics with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in
detail.

1 What kind of pollution bothers you the most personally?

What are the consequences of this type of pollution?

2 What do you know about the air quality, water quality,

and bicycle infrastructure in the city/region where you
live? Are any of these things on a good level?

3 Copenhagen has made big strides in sustainable

development over the past decade or two. What about
your city? Has your city made any big strides in innovation
or in sustainable development in recent years?
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
Is Copenhagen The World’s Most Sustainable City (C1)

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART 1 Questions. Discuss the answers to the questions/topics below about the video.

1 What is the specific goal for the city of Copenhagen?

2 According to the mayor of Copenhagen, what does carbon neutrality mean?
3 What kinds of efforts, projects, or collaborations is the city of Copenhagen
taking to achieve their goal?

Vocabulary: Define each phrasal verb below. Then try to write/say a sentence out loud
PART 2
using each phrasal verb in the same way it was used in the video.

1. to cancel out

2. to come up with

3. to cut down on

PART 3 Vocabulary: Write the missing nouns that fit the sentences from the video below.

1 Carbon in a city means creating more renewable energy than

dirty energy. It’s all about achieving a net zero.

2 Copenhagen has made huge in their pollution efforts. For

example, they have totally transformed their waterways.

3 Copenhagen collaborates with a partner named ‘Copenhagen Solutions Lab,’

which is an incubator for smart city .

Grammar: Explain the two usages of the preposition by in the video. Then finish
PART 4
writing the sentences below. Use by at the end of the sentences.

1 Since I became mayor in 2010,

.

2 We want to become
.