6 READING &
LISTENING EXTRA
ADVANCED PLUS UNIT 6
1 Work in pairs or small groups and discuss.
1 Are there advantages to living in a big city? What
are some disadvantages?
2 What emotions do you think you would feel if you
were trying to adjust to city life?
3 What strategies would you use to adjust?
2 Read the article on moving to a big city and answer
the questions.
1 Why is moving to a big city like an emotional
roller coaster?
2 What emotional phases can a new city resident
expect to go through?
3 Why and how should a new city resident stay active?
MOVING AND SETTLING IN
Moving to a new city is an emotional roller coaster. It
is frustrating, terrifying, thrilling, and full of doubts
and regret. You are excited to be on the ride, but part
of you is dying to get off, whereas another part wants
to get on again. Dealing with the move and settling
in involves navigating through different emotional
phases and using various strategies to adapt.
Everything starts off with the excitement of moving
in, when everything is new and interesting. Streets
are full of restaurants and shops to explore. There are
so many museums, theatre performances, concerts
and sporting events that it is difficult to decide
what to do. And the new flat is everything you ever
dreamed of. Just stepping out of the front door is an
exhilarating experience. This is the honeymoon phase.
Eventually, the honeymoon ends and a pile of things
begin to annoy you. For instance, the Underground
is smelly and dirty, people are rude, and everywhere
you go is packed with people. This is indeed the crisis
phase. The city has a less glamourous appeal. You
begin to have doubts and small regrets about moving.
Luckily, an adjustment phase usually follows. The
daily frustrations become jokes and you rediscover
your sense of humour. You are able to complain and
make light of things at the same time. Understanding
this phase is critical, because it allows you to see that
negative emotions are replaced by a sense of realism.
This is precisely when adaptation strategies kick in.
1 You have established routines. You walk the same
route. You eat at the same restaurant around the
corner every Wednesday evening. You know the
names of a few neighbours. Now you feel like you
are part of a community.
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Speakout Reading and Listening Extra Advanced Plus Unit 6.indd 66
2 You have finally settled into your nest. Your goal
now is to make a cosy home. You are no longer
decorating, but buying things for comfort. There’s
even a room or space where you repeatedly go to
relax and rejuvenate.
3 You engage in more activities that release
endorphins to the brain. You feel energised and
happy. You exercise by running, swimming or
going to the gym. You make new friendships and
the activities you do with your friends also release
endorphins.
4 You are not afraid to go it alone. Now that
you have connections, you don’t stay at home
when no one else is available. You find that
going solo is satisfying, empowering and totally
underrated.
5 You cut yourself some slack. You now realise
that no matter how savvy you have become, you
will still experience moments of loneliness and
disorientation. You see that there is nothing
wrong with you and that things will always
get better.
While one cannot avoid the upset and frustration
that moving to a new place may cause, one can
mitigate the negative impact these feelings might
have by engaging in activities that encourage
creativity and a sense of community. Settling in
anywhere new is guaranteed to be a little nerve-
racking. Some people compare the experience of
moving to getting married, which seems overly
dramatic to me. It’s best compared to a new
friendship. You expect that you’ll have good times,
but also disagree along the way. You don’t really
know how things will work out in the end, but you
hope for the best.
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 6 READING &
LISTENING EXTRA
3 Read the article again. Underline the correct 7 Listen again. Are the sentences (T) true or (F) false?
alternatives. 1 Iris believes that a few suggestions can help
1 Settling into city life involves avoiding/enduring people adapt to life in a foreign country.
several emotional phases. 2 Iris rarely conducts interviews for her podcast.
2 During the honeymoon phase, you view most 3 Hong Kong has a mountainous terrain.
things with optimism/pessimism. 4 Wan Chai is located on an island.
3 The crisis phase is partly characterised by 5 Hong Kong and Tbilisi have a lot in common on
annoyance/embarrassment. a social level.
4 When you finally start adjusting to city life, you 6 A lot of foreigners live in Hong Kong.
usually get back/lose your sense of humour. 7 Jessica is not fond of crowds.
5 Taking the same route on a daily basis is a(n) 8 Jessica has not made many friends in Hong Kong.
inhabitual/habitual action.
6 Making your home comfortable is a sign of settling 8 The words in the box are from the recording.
in/being on the move. Complete the sentences with the words and
7 Exercise withholds/promotes the release of phrases.
hormones that make you feel good.
buddies outsider divorced
8 No matter how well-adjusted/awkward you are to
persistence expat podcast
city life, you can expect periods of depression.
hospitality industry portfolio
4 Find the words and phrases 1–8 in the article and 1 Politics can’t be from people and the
match them with their meanings a)–h). real issues of everyday society.
1 cut someone some slack 2 Jeff is a great guy – we’ve been best
2 exhilarating since university.
3 go it alone 3 My finally paid off. I got a good job after
4 make light of three long months of looking.
5 nerve-racking 4 Amanda doesn’t like music. When you see her with
6 realism earphones, she’s probably listening to a .
7 rejuvenate 5 I wasn’t treated like a(n) in Egypt. I was
8 savvy frequently invited to my colleagues’ homes.
6 The community in Mexico is rather large.
a) causing worry Some statistics put the number of foreigners at
b) to joke about four million.
c) to make someone feel younger and more energetic 7 We were impressed by her . She had
d) a state of accepting a situation and dealing with it some very interesting samples of her work.
in a practical way 8 Edgar is looking for a job in the . He has
e) having practical knowledge a degree in tourism.
f) to do something independently
g) to be less demanding of someone
9 Work in pairs or small groups and discuss the
questions.
h) very exciting
1 Why do you think that local people might be
5 Work in pairs or small groups and discuss. reluctant to associate with foreigners?
Do you agree with the strategies for adapting to 2 If you were living abroad, how could spending
city life that the writer proposes? Can you think of time with other expats be beneficial? What would
any others? be some disadvantages?
3 In your opinion, what would be some of the major
6 Listen to the podcast. Match the people, Iris and challenges of living abroad?
Jessica, with the facts 1–5.
1 moved from Tbilisi, Georgia
2 works in Wan Chai
3 operates Transitions Abroad
4 likes to go walking
5 helps people settle into living overseas

© Pearson Education Limited 2018

Speakout Reading and Listening Extra Advanced Plus Unit 6.indd 67 16/06/18 8:13 PM