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Sustainable Transport Solutions

1. Look at the picture and discuss with a partner.

Sommaire

Changing American Car Culture - Pre-Listening WorksheetChanging American Car Culture - Listening WorksheetCreate Walkable Cities - Designing Your Dream Street
Create Walkable Cities - Pre-Reading WorksheetCreate Walkable Cities - Reading Worksheet 1Create Walkable Cities - Reading Worksheet 2Create Walkable Cities - Walking-in-My-City Writing AssignmentCreate Walkable Cities - Elevator Pitch

Changing American Car Culture - Pre-Listening Worksheet

Predict before listening.
1. Look at the picture and discuss with a partner.
a. What does it tell you about life in this city?
b. What does it suggest about how people usually get around?
c. How does this city compare to your own city or neighborhood?
2. Think about the title. How could it connect to the picture?
3.Fill in the prediction chart below with the appropriate information. You can draw it in your notebook, fill it in online or download it.

Changing American Car Culture - Listening Worksheet

1. Listen to the interview with American Mayor J. William Reynolds (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania): "Changing American Car Culture."
As you listen to the interview,watch the two pictures carefully. Use them to help you understand what the mayor is talking about.
a.On each street scene picture:
  • Mark the problems the mayor talks about.
  • Mark the goals he describes.
You can use:
  • Arrows to show movement (cars, bikes, people).
  • Words or short phrases to capture what you hear.
There are no right or wrong answers. The goal is toconnect what you hear with what you seeand make the ideas clearer.
2. Compare your city with Bethlehem: problems and goals.
a. Think.
The mayor talked about problems and goals for his city. Now think about your own city or neighborhood.
b. Write.
Write one problem and one goal. Use these sentence starters:
  • “One problem in my city is …”
  • “One goal for the future is …”
c.Share in small groups.
Work in a small group. Read your problem and goal.
Group question:Do we have the same problem or different ones?
d.Share as a class.
On the board, make a list of the problems and the goals you identified and say which ones are most common.
Take notes in the chart below. You can copy it in your notebook, fill it in online or download it.

Create Walkable Cities - Designing Your Dream Street

Now, it’s your turnto design your Dream Street!
1. Imagine.
Think about a street where you would like to walk, bike, or spend time.
a. What do you want to see there?
b. How do you want it to feel?
You can also look back at what American Mayor J. William Reynolds (from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)said about streets and city life for ideas.
2. Draw.
On the paper, draw your Dream Street.
a. Show how people can walk,bike, and enjoy the city.
b. Add details like houses, tall buildings, parks, or shops.
3. Label.
Write short English words or phrases on your picture.
Examples:bike lane – safe crosswalk – trees – slow cars.
4. Share.
Show your drawing to a partner.
Use this sentence starters from the toolbox below.
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Toolbox
In my Dream Street, people can …
One problem in the old street was …, but here …
I designed this street to be …, so that …
This street shows that the city cares about …
The street feels … because …
There is more space for …, so people can …
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Create Walkable Cities - Pre-Reading Worksheet

Predict Before Reading
1. Look at the title.
a. Focus on the word “create.” Ask yourself: Is there a subject (I, you, we, they) before the verb? What kind of verb form is it? Write your guess.
b.Talk with a partner.
When a writer uses this verb form, what does it sound like?
  • A description?
  • Or a message / advice?
Together, write one idea:The writer wants to …
2. Look at the expression “walkable cities.”
a.Imagine:what do you see in a walkable city? Draw one picture.
b.Under your drawing, write 2-3 things you think the article will describe. Use the toolbox below.
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Toolbox
I expect to read about …
Maybe there will be …
The writer could talk about …
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3. With a partner,make a short list:Advantages of walkable cities.
Keep the list: later, you will check if the article matches your predictions.

Create Walkable Cities - Reading Worksheet 1

1. Readparagraph 1. Notice and underline:
a. Use one color to underline the narrator’s actions (what she does).
b.Use another color to underline the city descriptions (what the city is like).
c. Look at your underlining. What do these details suggest about:
  • Who the narrator might be.
  • What kind of city is being described.
  • What the atmosphere feels like.
d.Talk with a partner: Why might the narrator begin the article with this scene?
2. Read paragraph 2 carefully.
a. Underline the two places being compared. Which country/scene is the first paragraph describing?
b.Circle the word that shows there is a change or contrast.
c.What does this signal word tell us about the difference between the two places?
d.Read the sentence:
“Living in a walkable community… is not a possibility for many Americans.”
  • Think about what you know about life in U.S. cities (transport, distances, cars).
  • Write one short reason why this is “not a possibility.”
  • Share your idea with a partner.
3. Read the rest of the article.
a.Take out the list you made before reading:Advantages of walkable cities.
Put a ✓ next to any ideas from your list that appear in the text. Add new advantages you discover while reading.
b.For each paragraph:
  • Underline 2-3 key words that show the most important idea.
  • Write these words in the table below. You can draw the chart in your notebook, fill it in online or download it.
  • Use the words to write one sentence in your own words.

Create Walkable Cities - Reading Worksheet 2

1. Word work – Paragraph 3:waste heat.
a.Find the sentence:“85% of the fossil fuels escaping as ‘waste heat.’”
  • Underline the word “escape”.
  • Ask yourself: What is the subject of “escape”?
  • If the fossil fuelsescape, are they being used, or are they lost?
b.Now, underline the word "waste". What does it mean?
c.Put together, what do you think these three words (waste, escape and heat) mean. Write a short guess about what the whole sentence means.
2.Word work – Paragraph 4:stroll.
a.Read the sentence:
“Taking a stroll after meals, decompressing on the walk back from a friend’s house or browsing stores on the way to my destination…”
b.Underline the three activities: “after meals”, “back from a friend’s house”, “browsing stores.”
Ask yourself: What do all these activities have in common?
c.Now, underline the wordstroll. Use the examples in the sentence to guess what kind of activity astrollmight be. Write one short note:A stroll is…
3. Read paragraph 5 again.
a.Underline both uses ofalthoughin the paragraph. For each sentence, draw a line between the two parts of the sentence.
b.Rewrite the sentence with a new connector.
c.Suggest a French translation foralthough.
4.Read the last paragraph again. It has four different functions.
Match each part of the paragraph with one of these labels:
  • Reminder of reality
  • Conclusion / call to action
  • Clarification
  • Example
5.Connect to the whole text.
Ask yourself: Why does the writer finish with these steps?

Create Walkable Cities - Walking-in-My-City Writing Assignment

In paragraph 1 of the article, the author imagines her daily life in Spain: cafés, restaurants, and shops all within walking distance. Now, it’s your turn to imagine and describe a short walk in your own city or neighborhood.
1. Imagine.
The school bell has rung.
You step out of the high school gates and start walking for 10 minutes in your city or neighborhood.
Picture the walk in your mind.
Ask yourself:
  • What do I see?
  • What do I hear?
  • How does it feel?
2.Write.
a. Write short phrases or sentences to describe your walk.
b. Use these sentence starters from the toolbox below to help you write more detailed sentences.
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Toolbox
As I walk past …, I notice …
I can hear …
The street is full of … which makes me feel …
There are … on my left, and … on my right.
Sometimes I stop to … because …
The smell of … reminds me of …
It feels … when I walk past …
If I turn the corner, I can see …
The atmosphere is …
This place makes me think about …
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3. Share.
a. Exchange your text with a partner.
b. Read your partner’s description.
c. Tell them one detail you enjoyed:“I liked the part where you wrote …”

Create Walkable Cities - Elevator Pitch

"Elevator pitch" is an expression used to describe a very short explanation meant to convince someone, as short as the time spent on an elevator ride. It has to be efficient and straight to the point.
Imagine you have 1-2 minutesto convince city leaders that walkable cities are a great idea.
1. Prepare your points.
Look back at the article. Choose3 advantages of walkable cities. Write down key words only (not full sentences).
2. Plan your pitch.
Use this simple structure:
a.Hook (= catchy opening sentence):Start with a short question or fact.
b.Main points: Explain your 3 advantages. One or two sentences each.
c. Closing sentence:End with a strong call to action.
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Toolbox
Hook
Did you know ...?
What if we could ...?
Closing sentence
That's why our city must ...
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3. Practice in pairs.
a.Tell your partner your pitch (1-2 minutes).
b. Partners listen and tick if they hear:
  • A hook
  • 3 advantages
  • A clear closing sentence
4.Record your pitch on your phone.Listen back and write down one way you could improve it.