Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. evict
    • ex. The apartment building owner evicted the families that couldn’t pay rent.
  2. a vendor
    • ex. There are a lot of vendors around the park.
  3. famed
    • ex. Many tourists come to the Philippines to visit Boracay, a famed island that has white sand beaches.
  4. congestion
    • ex. He hates traveling during the holidays because of the traffic congestion on all main roads.
  5. a pedestrian
    • ex. Pedestrians are not allowed to cross the main road. They have to use a bridge to get to the other side.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In New York City, a new rule evicted many vendors on the Brooklyn Bridge. The rule prohibits selling on the famed bridge. The goal is to decrease the congestion on the bridge’s frequently used path for people. Over the past months, there has been an increase in both tourists and vendors.

According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the situation became dangerous because of the large crowds that crossed the bridge over the holiday season. He said that there were videos of pedestrians jumping from a path onto a bike lane to avoid human traffic congestion. The bike lane is a few feet below the path for pedestrians. He also said that it is a public safety issue. The city needs order since Brooklyn Bridge is one of its major historical sites.

Some people support the rule. One pedestrian said that it was much easier to cross the bridge without the congestion caused by the vendors. However, some vendors said they would wait for a few weeks before trying to return to the bridge. Others moved their business near City Hall hoping to still sell their items.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Traffic Congestion

  • The situation on the Brooklyn Bridge became dangerous because of human traffic congestion. Do you agree with evicting the vendors on the bridge? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What areas in your country usually have heavy traffic congestion? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, what can the government do to solve the problem of traffic congestion (ex. ban cars on some roads)? Discuss.

Pedestrians and Vendors

  • In New York City, a new rule evicted vendors from the famed Brooklyn Bridge. In your opinion, should vendors be allowed back on the bridge? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your country, where do vendors usually set up their businesses (ex. near tourist spots, in parks)? Discuss.
  • As a pedestrian, what do you do to keep safe? Discuss.