Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on World Car-Free Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
World Car-Free Day is a very important holiday on the environmental calendar. Every September 22, governments, green groups and ordinary citizens highlight the damage cars are doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder that we do not need to rely so much on cars. Those who take part hope others will realize we do not have to accept our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project summed things up, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get around the city, but a demonstration of what is possible: unclogged streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress levels turned down drastically."
World Car-Free Day aims to take a sizeable number of cars off the streets for all or part of a day. This will give people a chance to see what their town might look like with a lot fewer cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first national campaign was held in Britain three years later. The European Union adopted the idea in 2000. Today, as many as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities worldwide celebrate this day. There are many critics of the day. They say it is a one-day gimmick and does not make people give up their cars for the rest of the year. They say what is needed is a move towards a more sustainable city transportation system.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a very important holiday on the
a.
much on cars
2
ordinary
b.
is possible
3.
we do not need to rely so
c.
environmental calendar
4.
summed
d.
levels
5.
a demonstration of what
e.
citizens
6.
stress
f.
things up
Paragraph 2
1.
a sizeable
a.
day gimmick
2
for all or part
b.
transportation system
3.
a lot
c.
campaign
4.
national
d.
number
5.
They say it is a one-
e.
of a day
6.
a more sustainable city
f.
fewer cars
LISTENING GAP FILL
World Car-Free Day is _____________________ on the environmental calendar. Every September 22, governments, green groups and ordinary citizens highlight _____________________ doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder that we do not need to rely so much on cars. Those who _____________________ will realize we do not have to accept our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project _____________________, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get around the city, but a demonstration _____________________: unclogged streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their _______________________ down drastically."
World Car-Free Day aims _____________________ number of cars off the streets for all or part of a day. This will give people a chance to see what their town _____________________ a lot fewer cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first _____________________ held in Britain three years later. The European Union _____________________ 2000. Today, as many as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities worldwide celebrate this day. There are many critics of the day. They say it _____________________ and does not make people give up their cars for the rest of the year. They say what is needed is a _____________________ sustainable city transportation system.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
World Car-Free Day is a very important holiday on the environmental ____________. Every September 22, governments, green groups and ordinary citizens highlight the ____________cars are doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder that we do not need to ____________so much on cars. Those who take part hope others will ____________we do not have to accept our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project ____________things up, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of ____________ways to get around the city, but a demonstration of what is possible: ____________streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress ____________turned down drastically."
realize summed unclogged calendar levels damage rely fun
World Car-Free Day aims to take a ____________number of cars off the streets for all or part of a day. This will give people a ____________to see what their town might look like with a lot ____________cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first national ____________was held in Britain three years later. The European Union ____________the idea in 2000. Today, as many as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities worldwide celebrate this day. There are many ____________of the day. They say it is a one-day gimmick and does not make people ____________up their cars for the rest of the year. They say what is needed is a ____________towards a more sustainable city transportation system.
critics chance campaign move sizeable adopted give fewer
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
World Car-Free Day is a very important holiday on the environmental calendar. Every September 22, governments, green / greenish groups and ordinary citizen / citizens highlight the damage cars are doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder that we do not need to rely / reliable so much on cars. Those who take part hopefully / hope others will realize we do not have to accept our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project added / summed things up, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get around the city, but / and a demonstration of what is probable / possible: unclogged streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress levels turned down drastic / drastically."
World Car-Free Day aims to take a sizes / sizeable number of cars off the streets for all or parts / part of a day. This will give people a chance to see what there / their town might look like with a lot fewer cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first national campaign was holding / held in Britain three years later. The European Union adopted the idea in 2000. Today, as many / much as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities worldwide celebrate this day. There are many criticisms/ critics of the day. They say it is a one-day gimmick and does not make people give up their cars for the relax / rest of the year. They say what is needed is a move / moved towards a more sustainable city transportation system.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
World Car-Free Day is a very important holiday (1) ____ the environmental calendar. Every September 22, governments, (2) ____ groups and ordinary citizens highlight the damage cars are doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder that we do not need to (3) ____ so much on cars. Those who take part hope others will realize we do not have to (4) ____ our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project (5) ____ things up, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get around the city, but a demonstration of what is (6) ____: unclogged streets, clean air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress levels turned down drastically."
World Car-Free Day aims to take a (7) ____ number of cars off the streets for all or part of a day. This will give people a chance to see what their town might (8) ____ like with a lot fewer cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first national (9) ____ was held in Britain three years later. The European Union adopted the idea in 2000. Today, as many as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities (10) ____ celebrate this day. There are many critics of the day. They say it is a one-day gimmick and does not (11) ____ people give up their cars for the rest of the year. They say what is needed is a (12) ____ towards a more sustainable city transportation system.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
in
(b)
at
(c)
on
(d)
by
2.
(a)
green
(b)
greenish
(c)
greens
(d)
greeny
3.
(a)
reliable
(b)
rely
(c)
reliance
(d)
relies
4.
(a)
except
(b)
aspect
(c)
accept
(d)
impact
5.
(a)
sums
(b)
summing
(c)
summation
(d)
summed
6.
(a)
possible
(b)
probable
(c)
definite
(d)
possibility
7.
(a)
sizeable
(b)
size
(c)
sizes
(d)
sized
8.
(a)
see
(b)
look
(c)
view
(d)
stare
9.
(a)
campaigner
(b)
campaigns
(c)
campaign
(d)
campaigned
10.
(a)
worldly
(b)
worlds
(c)
world
(d)
worldwide
11.
(a)
do
(b)
be
(c)
take
(d)
make
12.
(a)
moves
(b)
move
(c)
movable
(d)
moved
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
the environmental aladecrn
2.
the amgdae cars are doing
3.
others will iareezl
4.
our car-dominated iycoset
5.
what is isbpoles
6.
stress levels udenrt down
Paragraph 2
7.
a sizeable mruebn of cars
8.
give people a aehcnc
9.
national cnaagimp
10.
The European Union odatedp the idea
11.
1,500 cities ediwrdwlo
12.
transportation ssymet
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( 1 )
World Car-Free Day is a very important holiday on the environmental calendar. Every September 22, governments,
( )
air, and city traffic participants with their usual stress levels turned down drastically."
( )
World Car-Free Day aims to take a sizeable number of cars off the streets for all or part
( )
Cities Conference in Toledo, Spain. The first national campaign was held in Britain three years later. The European
( )
give up their cars for the rest of the year. They say what is needed is a move towards a more sustainable city transportation system.
( )
of a day. This will give people a chance to see what their town might look like with a lot fewer
( )
worldwide celebrate this day. There are many critics of the day. They say it is a one-day gimmick and does not make people
( )
that we do not need to rely so much on cars. Those who take part hope others will realize we do not have to accept
( )
Union adopted the idea in 2000. Today, as many as 100 million people in over 1,500 cities
( )
up, saying: "World Car-Free Day is not only a celebration of fun ways to get
( )
our car-dominated society. Carlos Pardo from Colombia’s Sustainable Urban Transport Project summed things
( )
around the city, but a demonstration of what is possible: unclogged streets, clean
( )
cars. The idea for this day came in October 1994 at the International Accessible
( )
green groups and ordinary citizens highlight the damage cars are doing to the Earth. The day is a reminder
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
damage doing Earth the are the Highlight cars to.
2.
rely so much on cars We do not need to.
3.
to ways Fun city the around get.
4.
demonstration what possible A of is.
5.
levels down stress turned drastically Usual.
6.
streets a of the Take number off sizeable cars.
7.
first in national Britain campaign was The held.
8.
, worldwide day 1,500 cities this Over celebrate.
9.
up cars Make give their people.
10.
more city system A sustainable transportation.
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about World Car-Free Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about World Car-Free Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about World Car-Free Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
