UNIT 6 / WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING INDIAN CITIES?

STEP 3: ARCHITECTS’ VIEWS ON INDIAN CITIES

I. Use the Internet to write the names of the main cities of India.

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 II. Watch the video and answer the following questions.

1. Describe the screenshot and note down your first reaction about Mumbai. To describe the
document you can use: in the foreground – in the background – at the top – at the bottom – on
the left - on the right…
2. Pick out words related to the work of architect and their role in the city.
3. Give the percentage of people living in poor or informal conditions and explain why it is so
important. Explain why Prasad Shetty says “that’s the city!”.
4. Identify one reason why Indian mega cities cannot be like London City (two possible answers):
 because it is not possible to adapt the European model of cities to Indian mega cities.
 because in India mega cities, there are too many green parks.
 because the growth of the Indian population in big cities is gigantic.
5. Select the correct answer between these statements concerning the USA and the number of
people estimated to join the urban population in the next thirty years:
 The estimated number of people who will live in Indian mega cities is the same as the entire
population of the USA.
 The Indian people who will become urbanized in the next generation is less important than the
number of residents in big American cities.
6. Define the expression “maximum city” with words and figures from the video”.

7. Imagine the reaction of an architect who sees this screenshot.

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Recap: A recopier dans le cahier.

Mumbai Under Pressure

Indian cities are full of contrasts as shown in the document we studied today. In the foreground, we can
see a slum where people live in filthy, dirty conditions whereas in the background we can see
skyscrapers and scaffolding showing that Indian cities are always expanding to adapt and to offer
housing/accommodation to their ever-growing population.
We can imagine that people living in slums are poorer than/are not as privileged as/the people living
downtown, in the city centre. Life must be much more difficult and less secure for them than for the
people of the city.
Mumbai is a maximum city which means it is an overcrowded city crammed with more and more people
coming from rural areas.

Homework: apprendre la leçon, apprendre le vocabulaire page 76 et faire les exercices 1 et 2 page 80 du
manuel.

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