Problem and solution essays 2: Cities Try it first! In this unit, we will look more at problem and solution essays. Here is the essay question for this unit. Use what you learned in Unit 2 to write your essay before you start the unit. People who live in large cities face a range of problems in their daily life. What are the most significant of these problems? H ow can these problems be tackled?
When you have finished your essay, read the sample student answer on page 127 and compare it with yours.
City life: heaven or hell? 1 Read the views of three people about problems in cities and complete the table below.
I Uve/ina/big'COty, a n d th e /b ig ^ e y t problem/ iy t h a t people•/ewe/ alw ayy prettied/ a n d overworked/. Everyone/ iy alAvayyru&htng'around/, i n a /hurry to- g e t iomeM)here/. Whenever I walk/ o n the/ ytreet, I feel/preauri^ed. I walk/ really fait, a n d xnnetUney I get iava/panic/. A t ru^h/ hour, Ltv particular, Cfy a/ nightmare/. I think/ the/ governm ent Should reduce/the/ working- houry, to-give/ everyone/ a/
,
better w orkAtfe/ balance/.
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The most pressing problem in my city is traffic congestion. It's almost impossible to get from A to B in a car, because you always get stuck in traffic. Sometimes it can take two or three hours to get to work, or to get home. I think the government needs to 4 o something about it. Maybe they shoul4 ban cars from city centres, or make people pay to 4 rive their cars in the city centre.
fron t the capItal, avui there are too kvcfli/vy people Living there. It's so overcrowded, particularly In the c o m in g , when you. t a fee the I'vtetro to worte, the tr a ils are packed fu ll of people, and every oi^e gets really stressed. The solution Is for the government to put more money Into universities In other cities a nd to create newjobs there as well, to encourage people to move out of the capital.
problem
solution(s)
useful vocabulary
people are stressed and overworked
reduce working hours
T get in a panic a+ riAsh hoiAr a better w ork-life balance
2 Discuss these questions with a partner. 1 Do you live in a big city? 2 Do / Would you enjoy living in a big city? 3 What are the advantages of living in a big city? 4 What other problems do people face in big cities? 5 Can you think of any ways to tackle these problems? 5 Problem and solution 2: Cities