Named after an ex-Governor of New South Wales, Sydney is the State’s capital city. Located on the south-east coast of Australia in the temperate zone, it enjoys a mild climate, averaging 14.5 hours of sunshine per day in summer and 10. 25 hours in winter. It is also the largest, oldest, and perhaps most beautifully situated city in Australia. First established by the British as a convict settlement in 1788, it is a modern cosmopolitan city that has developed into one of the nation’s major industrial, business, and manufacturing centres. Sydney is home to nearly 4.4 million people (as of 1997). The suburbs reach out from the city centre and harbour some 55 km to the north, 35 km to the west and 30 km to the south, creating a metropolitan area of about 3,000 square kilometres. The 57 square kilometre harbour is one of the largest in the world, and famous for the unmistakable 134 metre high arch of the Harbour Bridge and the graceful sails of the Opera House. It is a busy waterway with ferries, freighters, hydrofoils and pleasure craft. Not far from the city centre are the attractive old residential suburbs of Balmain, Glebe, and Paddington, where many people live in smart terraced houses. Art galleries, pubs, and restaurants abound in the cosy streets that tend to be quite narrow, whereas the suburbs surrounding the city’s colleges and universities consist mainly of family homes and multi-unit blocks-an ideal situation for students looking for a homestay, or to rent. Sydney’s newer suburbs now have a large muhicuhural population, and local shopping centres reflect the influences of many cultures. As well as scores of cinemas and theatres throughout the city and suburbs, there are numerous clubs which appeal to people of all ages, and cater for all tastes. Pubs are the venue for smaller modern hands, while the big-name popular music artists, both local and international, attract capacity audiences at the huge Entertainment Centre in the heart of the city. In Sydney, a vast array of ethnic and local restaurants can be found to suit all palates and pockets. In summer, car patrons often sit outside at tables under umbrellas, and enjoy the passing parade of shoppers. Students who prefer to cook at home can choose from several large weekend markets, where fresh fruit, fish, and vegetables may be bought more cheaply than at the local supermarket. Sydney also has its own Chinatown. In the heart of the city are several big department stores linked by enclosed over-the-street crossings and underground walkways. Most noticeable are the towering Centrepoint complex and the Queen Victoria Building, both containing many shopping arcades, coffee shops and restaurants. Out of town, in the suburbs, there are huge regional shopping centres. At the weekend markets, bargains can be had when shopping for clothing as well as for a wide range of assorted goods. Australia is recognised as one of the most sports-conscious nations in the world. Sydney boasts an impressive number of facilities for all types of indoor and outdoor sporting activities. Wherever one goes, there are golf courses, cricket pitches, football ovals, tennis and squash courts, and, of course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Avid ice-skating and ten-pin bowling fans will find that these activities are also popular and inexpensive. Whatever a student is interested in, it is certain to be available somewhere in Sydney. Outside the colleges and universities the scope for filling the leisure hours is enormous, while on campus the choice is equally varied. Give an example to show that Australians are sports-minded people.
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Named after an ex-Governor of New South Wales, Sydney is the State’s capital city. Located on the south-east coast of Australia in the temperate zone, it enjoys a mild climate, averaging 14.5 hours of sunshine per day in summer and 10. 25 hours in winter. It is also the largest, oldest, and perhaps most beautifully situated city in Australia. First established by the British as a convict settlement in 1788, it is a modern cosmopolitan city that has developed into one of the nation’s major industrial, business, and manufacturing centres. Sydney is home to nearly 4.4 million people (as of 1997). The suburbs reach out from the city centre and harbour some 55 km to the north, 35 km to the west and 30 km to the south, creating a metropolitan area of about 3,000 square kilometres. The 57 square kilometre harbour is one of the largest in the world, and famous for the unmistakable 134 metre high arch of the Harbour Bridge and the graceful sails of the Opera House. It is a busy waterway with ferries, freighters, hydrofoils and pleasure craft. Not far from the city centre are the attractive old residential suburbs of Balmain, Glebe, and Paddington, where many people live in smart terraced houses. Art galleries, pubs, and restaurants abound in the cosy streets that tend to be quite narrow, whereas the suburbs surrounding the city’s colleges and universities consist mainly of family homes and multi-unit blocks-an ideal situation for students looking for a homestay, or to rent. Sydney’s newer suburbs now have a large muhicuhural population, and local shopping centres reflect the influences of many cultures. As well as scores of cinemas and theatres throughout the city and suburbs, there are numerous clubs which appeal to people of all ages, and cater for all tastes. Pubs are the venue for smaller modern hands, while the big-name popular music artists, both local and international, attract capacity audiences at the huge Entertainment Centre in the heart of the city. In Sydney, a vast array of ethnic and local restaurants can be found to suit all palates and pockets. In summer, car patrons often sit outside at tables under umbrellas, and enjoy the passing parade of shoppers. Students who prefer to cook at home can choose from several large weekend markets, where fresh fruit, fish, and vegetables may be bought more cheaply than at the local supermarket. Sydney also has its own Chinatown. In the heart of the city are several big department stores linked by enclosed over-the-street crossings and underground walkways. Most noticeable are the towering Centrepoint complex and the Queen Victoria Building, both containing many shopping arcades, coffee shops and restaurants. Out of town, in the suburbs, there are huge regional shopping centres. At the weekend markets, bargains can be had when shopping for clothing as well as for a wide range of assorted goods. Australia is recognised as one of the most sports-conscious nations in the world. Sydney boasts an impressive number of facilities for all types of indoor and outdoor sporting activities. Wherever one goes, there are golf courses, cricket pitches, football ovals, tennis and squash courts, and, of course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Avid ice-skating and ten-pin bowling fans will find that these activities are also popular and inexpensive. Whatever a student is interested in, it is certain to be available somewhere in Sydney. Outside the colleges and universities the scope for filling the leisure hours is enormous, while on campus the choice is equally varied. What are some department stores in Sydney joined by
Named after an ex-Governor of New South Wales, Sydney is the State’s capital city. Located on the south-east coast of Australia in the temperate zone, it enjoys a mild climate, averaging 14.5 hours of sunshine per day in summer and 10. 25 hours in winter. It is also the largest, oldest, and perhaps most beautifully situated city in Australia. First established by the British as a convict settlement in 1788, it is a modern cosmopolitan city that has developed into one of the nation’s major industrial, business, and manufacturing centres. Sydney is home to nearly 4.4 million people (as of 1997). The suburbs reach out from the city centre and harbour some 55 km to the north, 35 km to the west and 30 km to the south, creating a metropolitan area of about 3,000 square kilometres. The 57 square kilometre harbour is one of the largest in the world, and famous for the unmistakable 134 metre high arch of the Harbour Bridge and the graceful sails of the Opera House. It is a busy waterway with ferries, freighters, hydrofoils and pleasure craft. Not far from the city centre are the attractive old residential suburbs of Balmain, Glebe, and Paddington, where many people live in smart terraced houses. Art galleries, pubs, and restaurants abound in the cosy streets that tend to be quite narrow, whereas the suburbs surrounding the city’s colleges and universities consist mainly of family homes and multi-unit blocks-an ideal situation for students looking for a homestay, or to rent. Sydney’s newer suburbs now have a large muhicuhural population, and local shopping centres reflect the influences of many cultures. As well as scores of cinemas and theatres throughout the city and suburbs, there are numerous clubs which appeal to people of all ages, and cater for all tastes. Pubs are the venue for smaller modern hands, while the big-name popular music artists, both local and international, attract capacity audiences at the huge Entertainment Centre in the heart of the city. In Sydney, a vast array of ethnic and local restaurants can be found to suit all palates and pockets. In summer, car patrons often sit outside at tables under umbrellas, and enjoy the passing parade of shoppers. Students who prefer to cook at home can choose from several large weekend markets, where fresh fruit, fish, and vegetables may be bought more cheaply than at the local supermarket. Sydney also has its own Chinatown. In the heart of the city are several big department stores linked by enclosed over-the-street crossings and underground walkways. Most noticeable are the towering Centrepoint complex and the Queen Victoria Building, both containing many shopping arcades, coffee shops and restaurants. Out of town, in the suburbs, there are huge regional shopping centres. At the weekend markets, bargains can be had when shopping for clothing as well as for a wide range of assorted goods. Australia is recognised as one of the most sports-conscious nations in the world. Sydney boasts an impressive number of facilities for all types of indoor and outdoor sporting activities. Wherever one goes, there are golf courses, cricket pitches, football ovals, tennis and squash courts, and, of course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Avid ice-skating and ten-pin bowling fans will find that these activities are also popular and inexpensive. Whatever a student is interested in, it is certain to be available somewhere in Sydney. Outside the colleges and universities the scope for filling the leisure hours is enormous, while on campus the choice is equally varied. Who attract large audiences at the huge Entertainment Centre
As the world’s urban population gets bigger, cities are struggling to provide the basic services that their residents need. One of the most pressing problems is public transport. Now let’s look at the crisis facing the city of London. In no time in history has there been such a mass migration of people from countryside to city as is happening now. By the year 2030, it’s estimated that more than two thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities, twice as many as today. This means that the problems faced by cities to-day-overcrowding, poor housing, unemployment, poverty, and lack of food and water will be twice as bad in the this century, unless we find solutions soon. Another crucial issue facing cities today is how to provide good transport links to service the commercial, cultural and leisure needs of their inhabitants. Today, many of the world’s major cities are already struggling to cope with out-of-date transport infrastructures. How they will cope with the additional demands placed on them has not yet been addressed. London is a good example of the problems facing many major urban centres. It was the world’s first megacity and the first with a population of a million people. Its expansion was made possible by the invention of the steam engine, which, among other things, powered the world’s first underground railway. Today, London has one of the world’s most extensive transport systems. But, because it was the first city to build a railway network, much of the infrastructure-the trains and buses, the tracks and tunnels-is now hopelessly out-of-date, and needs urgent modernization. London’s future success depends very much on transport. The city lies at the heart of Britain’s road and rail networks and problems in London can rapidly affect other areas of the country. On an average morning, over ground trains bring passengers to stations on the outskirts of the city, and they then continue their journeys by underground, bus or taxi. Over a million people travel into central London every day from outside the city. They, and the people who live in London, want a public transport system that is frequent, safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly. What they often get, however, falls far short of that ideal. Commuters complain about delays, unreliability, cost and pollution, while businesses worry about the problems their staff have getting to work on time. Companies also face high costs for delivering goods and services in a city where congestion means that cars today travel at the same speed as horse-drawn carriages did in the last century. Yet car ownership continues to grow. The proportion of London households that own a car grew from just over 10 per cent in the early 1950s to over 60 per cent today. 20 per cent of house-holds now own two or more cars. As the city has become increasingly congested and polluted, there has been a growing realization that action is needed. However, precisely what should be done is hotly debated. Some people have called for cleaner fuels and strict controls on exhaust emissions. Others say more effort must be put into persuading people not to use their cars, perhaps by charging people to drive into London. There does seem to be agreement on one thing, though-that until London’s public transport system is improved, people will continue to use their cars. This raises the all important questions of where the money is going to come from. Until about 10 years ago, most public transport in Britain was owned and paid for by the government. But in the last decade, most train and bus networks have been privatized. The government says that the private sector should take most, but not all, of the responsibility for public transport. In London, the underground railway system known as the "Tube" is likely to be where this policy is first put into practice. The government admits that it cannot afford to modernize the Tube system alone. Instead, it wants to form a partnership with private companies, so that they provide some of the money. Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the passage. In history has there been such a mass migration of people from countryside to city as is happening now.
1 If the setting is scenic, its claims to fame are slender: a thriving umbrella industry and a reputation as the coldest place in the country. Understandably, the tourists stay away. Except, that is, for one hectic week each summer, when the community plays host to the International Festival of Street Theater, an extravaganza that now attracts 100,000 visitors keen to watch performers from as far away as Poland and Chile. The bars fill; the shops prosper. "It’s put Aurillac on the map," says festival director Jean-Marie Songy. "We’re a place that people visit as opposed to simply passing by." And as countless festival organizers and chambers of commerce have realized, the longer visitors stay, the more they spend. As the summer season draws to a close, communities across the world-from outsize cities to modest villages-are counting the rewards of tapping into this booming cultural economy. This year Europe alone will stage some 400 arts festivals, ranging from the Reykjavik Jazz Festival to the Edinburgh International Festival of music, opera and theater, which last month celebrated its 60th anniversary. 2 "More and more places are recognizing the massive economic, cultural and social benefits of a festival," says Joanna Baker, the Edinburgh festival’s marketing director. To be sure, a successful arts festival represents a happy union of commercial self-interest and public entertainment. Though many of even the best-known festivals need public subsidies to survive, they still provide an opportunity to lift a community’s profile or pack its restaurants and hotels. Festival-goers face an increasingly eclectic array of subjects-and venues. Barcelona, for one, boasts 26 major arts festivals a year-only one more than Melbourne, Australia. Film buffs can now choose between showings in cities from Aarhus in Denmark to Zagreb, not to mention the Pan-Afri-can Festival of Film and Television in Burkina Fast. Ambitious promoters are now looking across borders to push successful formulas. In recent years, the Hayoon-Wye literary festival in Britain has established similar events in Segovia, Spain, and the Colombian city of Cartagena. Even newcomers to the market have little problem filling seats; Manchester reports packed houses and reckons it’s on target to attract 300,000 visitors within a few years. 3 The new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken of the proliferating literary festivals-Britain now has more than 300, compared with just three back in1983-as evidence of a new cultural "seriousness." Others believe the communal experience of festival-going provides a useful antidote to the solitary pastimes-many of them electronic-of 21st-century life. But festival frenzy can be too much of a good thing. A report published last year for the Edinburgh International Festival warned that the rising tally of festivals would rapidly increase the competition for audiences. The workaday port of Rotterdam is now home to a year-round series of festivals in part to keep up with its classier neighbor, Amsterdam. In an age of cheap air travel, the opera lover with a free weekend can head for Riga as easily as Salzburg. And there’s a finite supply of sponsors and public money, not to mention performers. Already there’s grumbling over rising fees for the biggest names. 4 "Festivals used to belong to the public," says Getz. "Now they are almost always created for strategic reasons." Inevitably, that brings the risk of losing distinctive appeal. "This ’festivalization’ is creating a kind of homogeneity problem that festivals were created to solve," said Janice Price, boss of Luminato, Toronto’s Festival of Arts and Creativity. 5 Cultural festivals are emerging as the new must-have for postindustrial cities keen to recast their images. Redeveloping the rundown waterfront or calling in big-name architects is only the start. "Big, flashy iconic buildings are not enough," says Fran Thoms, head of Cultural Strategy at Manchester City Council in Britain. "You need to fill the space between the buildings-and that’s where festivals come in." If all else fails, cities can follow the example of little Leavenworth, Washington, and completely recreate themselves as a festival center. When Leavenworth’s logging industry collapsed, the settlement was remodeled to resemble a Bavarian village capable of hosting a range of cultural events. Result: 2 and a half million visitors a year. And a reputation as a don’t-miss stop on the festival circuit. A. Critics argue that the whole purpose of the festival is changing. B. All the world loves a party, it seems-especially one that pays its own way. C. Still, the benefits are simply too good to pass up. D. Cultural festivals helped to rebuild the economy in Leavenworth, Washington. E. To the optimists, those surging numbers suggest a welcome change in public tastes. F. The economic and social benefits are altering the purpose of festivals. G. High in the mountains of southern France, the sleepy town of Aurillac has few obvious charms to attract the outsider.