Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 7 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 2: Home and Town

Can you get everything in 15 minutes?

Paris wants everything you need to be 15 minutes from your home. Describe your neighbourhood, compare three areas, and help a new neighbour find their way around.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Your area

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. What is near your home?
  2. Do you like your neighbourhood? Why?
  3. Where do you usually buy food?
  4. How do you go to work: on foot, by bus, by car?
  5. Is your street quiet or noisy?
  6. What is missing in your neighbourhood?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say if there is one near your home.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. My has lots of trees and parks.
  2. I buy food at the next to my building.
  3. I need some medicine. Is there a near here?
  4. I buy fresh bread every morning at the .
  5. I send parcels to my sister from the .
  6. The children are playing at the .
  7. My office is very close, so I go there .
  8. The shops and the metro are near my flat. It's very .
2.3

Where do you go?

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. to buy bread: the
  2. to buy medicine: the
  3. to do exercise: the
  4. to send a parcel: the
  5. noisy ↔
  6. safe ↔
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to describe your neighbourhood.

  • There's a... on the corner.На розі є...There's a bakery on the corner.
  • It takes... minutes on foot.Це ... хвилин пішки.It takes five minutes on foot.
  • There are a lot of... but there aren't any...Тут багато..., але немає...There are a lot of cafés, but there aren't any cinemas.
  • The best thing about my area is...Найкраще в моєму районі — це...The best thing about my area is the park.
  • The only problem is...Єдина проблема — це...The only problem is the traffic.
  • It's really convenient for...Це дуже зручно для...It's really convenient for my work.
  • I wish there was a... near me.Шкода, що поруч немає...I wish there was a swimming pool near me.
  • Everything I need is close.Усе, що мені потрібно, поруч.I love my area — everything I need is close.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

The 15-minute city

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Can you get everything in 15 minutes?

How long does it take you to get to a shop, a doctor, a park or your work? In many big cities, people spend a lot of time in cars and on buses every day.

Carlos Moreno, a professor in Paris, has a simple idea: the "15-minute city". In a 15-minute city, people can walk or cycle to everything they need in about 15 minutes: shops, schools, doctors, parks, cafés, and maybe even their work.

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, liked the idea. Paris started to make changes: more bike lanes, fewer cars in some streets, and school playgrounds open for everyone at the weekend. Other cities around the world, like Melbourne and Barcelona, have similar plans.

Not everyone likes it. Some people worry that they can't use their cars, or that it's only good for rich areas. But many people say they want more time and less traffic.

Is your neighbourhood a 15-minute neighbourhood? What can you reach on foot?

3.2

True or false?

  1. In a 15-minute city, people can reach most things on foot or by bike.
  2. Carlos Moreno is a mayor in Paris.
  3. Paris made more bike lanes.
  4. Everybody likes the 15-minute city idea.
  5. Some school playgrounds in Paris are open for everyone at the weekend.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. What can you reach in 15 minutes on foot from your home?
  2. Would you like to live in a 15-minute city?
  3. What is missing in your neighbourhood?
  4. Should cities have fewer cars?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

some / any

some in positive sentences; any in negatives and questions.

There are some nice cafés. There aren't any cinemas. Are there any parks?

a lot of / lots of

For big amounts (countable and uncountable).

There are a lot of shops. There's a lot of traffic.

much / many

In questions and negatives. many + countable, much + uncountable.

How many parks are there? There isn't much noise.

Countable (people, shops, cars) vs uncountable (traffic, noise, money, space). ✗ There are many traffic → There is a lot of traffic. ✗ How much shops → How many shops? Also: a few (countable) / a little (uncountable).

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. There are
    good restaurants in my street.
  2. There aren't
    cinemas near me.
  3. There's
    traffic in the morning.
  4. How
    parks are there in your city?
  5. There isn't
    noise at night.
  6. schools near your home?
  7. There are
    shops on the corner.
  8. How
    space is there in your flat?
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. There aren't some parks here. →
  2. How much cafés are there? →
  3. There are many traffic. →
  4. There isn't many noise. →
  5. Is there any shops? →
  6. There is a little shops. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use some / any / a lot of / much / many.

  1. Describe your neighbourhood: what is there a lot of? What isn't there?
  2. How many shops, cafés and parks are there near your home?
  3. What can you get in 15 minutes on foot?
  4. Describe the neighbourhood where you grew up.
  5. Is there much traffic in your area? Is there much noise?
  6. What would make your neighbourhood better?
5

Which neighbourhood?

8 min
5.1

Three neighbourhoods

Describe each area. Which is best for a young person, a family with children, and an old couple? Where would you like to live?

Area A

The old centre

  • A lot of cafés and museums
  • Crowded and noisy
  • No big supermarkets
  • Very beautiful
Area B

The new district

  • New buildings, big supermarket
  • A lot of playgrounds
  • Not many cafés
  • 40 minutes to the centre by bus
Area C

The green area

  • Near a big park and a lake
  • Quiet and safe
  • Only a few shops
  • You need a car
5.2

My neighbourhood map

Speak for 1–2 minutes.

  1. Imagine a map of your neighbourhood. Describe it: what is next to your home, opposite, on the corner?
  2. How do you get to the nearest shop, park and bus stop?
  3. What is your favourite place there?
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. How long does it take you to get to work or school?
  2. Where do you usually buy bread?
  3. Is there a park near your home? Do you go there?
  4. Do you know the people in your area?
  5. Is there a good café near you?
  6. Is your area safe at night?
  7. How do you usually travel in your city?
  8. What is your favourite place in your neighbourhood?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. What is your parents' neighbourhood like?
  2. Where do most of your friends live?
  3. Which area of your city is the most popular? Why?
  4. Which area of your city do tourists like?
  5. Where do families with children like to live in your city?
  6. What do locals in your area complain about?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is it better to live in the centre or outside the centre?
  2. Should there be fewer cars in city centres?
  3. Are small local shops better than big supermarkets?
  4. Do people know their neighbours less than before?
  5. What makes a neighbourhood a good place to live?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

The new neighbour

You

Local resident

A new neighbour (your teacher) has just moved into your building. Tell them about the neighbourhood:
  • the best shops, cafés and the nearest pharmacy
  • where the bus stop or metro is
  • the park, gym or other places
  • one problem and one secret tip
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use some / any / a lot of and there is / are.
Your teacher

New neighbour

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. Is there a supermarket near here?
  2. Are there any good cafés?
  3. Is it safe at night?
  4. Where can I buy fresh bread?
7.2

The city survey

You

Resident

A city worker is doing a survey about your neighbourhood. Tell them what is good and what needs to change:
  • what there is a lot of
  • what there isn't / isn't enough of
  • problems: traffic, noise, rubbish
  • your ideas for the future
You do most of the talking. Use: There are a lot of... · There aren't any... · There isn't much... · I wish there was...
Your teacher

City worker

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. How many parks are there?
  2. Is there much traffic?
  3. Do you feel safe?
  4. What do you want the city to build?
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

neighbourhoodsupermarketpharmacybakeryplaygroundbus stopon footcrowded
  1. I love my — it's green and quiet.
  2. The is open 24 hours.
  3. I bought some medicine at the .
  4. The sells fresh croissants.
  5. The children are at the .
  6. I wait at the every morning.
  7. I go to work . It's only 10 minutes.
  8. The market is very on Saturdays.
H2

some / any / much / many / a lot of

  1. There are nice cafés here.
  2. There aren't cinemas.
  3. There's traffic.
  4. How shops are there?
  5. There isn't noise here.
  6. parks?
  7. There are restaurants.
  8. How money do you need?
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. There aren't any banks near here.
  2. How much shops are there?
  3. There is a lot of traffic.
  4. There are many noise.
  5. Are there any good cafés?
  6. There isn't much space.
  7. There are a little shops.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. There's a bakery
  2. It takes five minutes
  3. There are a lot of cafés,
  4. The best thing about my area is
  5. The only problem is
  6. I wish there was
  7. I love my area —

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.