WK 16 Writing An Opinion Essay
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annWK 16 Writing An Opinion Essay
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annA megacity is a very large city with a population of more than
10 million people.
A megalopolis is two or more megacities near one another.
Urbanization is when people move from rural areas (the
countryside) to urban areas (the towns and cities) for more
employment opportunities and a better way of living.
Causes of urbanization
a shift from an agricultural to an industrialized economy
employment
Positive effects of urbanization
Urbanization attracts people for several reasons:
1. more employment opportunities
2. better standard of living
3. better infrastructure – roads, bridges, buildings,
communication
facilities
4. better education and healthcare facilities
5. The city offers more entertainment.
6. The city is more interesting. People from different
backgrounds
come together to ‘chase their dream’. There is a melting pot
of
cultures to interact and socialize with.
Problems associated with urbanization
1. overcrowding
2. overcrowding leads to water shortage
3. sewage facilities become inadequate. Human waste flows
into
nearby streams, lakes and rivers
4. communicable diseases like typhoid, tb spread very fast.
5. housing shortage – houses become smaller and more
expensive
6. substandard housing due to rushed and poor planning to meet
demands for housing
7. traffic congestion
8. pollution
9. competition for jobs
10. unemployment
11. appearance of slums/homelessness
12. poverty
13. urban crime
WB p42
SB p65
Pre-CAE
Unit 5
Writing – an opinion essay
In our busy urban lifestyles, we have lost our sense of community.
We need to return to a way of life that involves more interaction
between people and more caring for each other. Discuss.
________________________________________________________________
Today, more than half of the world’s population live in urban areas. People
migrate to the cities for more employment opportunities and a better standard of
living. However, as people move to the cities, little by little, the sense of
community is lost. There are several reasons for this.
The modern urban lifestyle leaves very little time for social interaction. Both
parents work. In the morning, the whole family gets into the car, leave the
neighbourhood, and do not come back until late evening. Adults work long
hours, then get stuck in traffic and when they get home, they have to think about
dinner for the family. After a long day at work, most are just too tired to cook.
They also have to tend to the younger children’s needs and maybe help them with
their schoolwork and before you know it, it’s time for bed. On weekends, there is
the laundry, house cleaning, shopping for food, sending children to tuition or
music lessons. Because of this hectic lifestyle, people do not have time for
interaction with the neighbours. Social contact is superficial and limited to polite
greetings.
Urban residents have become more individualized and self-reliant. A few
decades ago, people with limited access to services, relied on their closest
neighbours for support, security and friendship. When I was a kid, we borrowed
sugar from the neighbour if Mom ran out. We ran freely around the
neighbourhood until the street lights came on and Mom always knew we were
safe at a neighbour’s house. These neighbour friends also carpooled a group of
kids to school. They all knew each other, trusted each other and worked together
to ensure the safety of their kids. Fast forward to 2022, every morning 4 cars
leave the same neighbourhood and drop the kids off at the same school. Not only
is this a waste of petrol, but it seems as if we could all be helping each other out
by taking turns to carpool. People no longer connect with one another and human
relationships have deteriorated. People associate with one another out of
necessity, for instance, with the cashier at the convenience store, school bus
driver or the security guard.
Neighbourhood ties among the urban dwellers are weakening as family privacy
becomes more important. Urban dwellers build high walls around their house or
live in high rise apartment buildings, people use tinted glass windows and close
their door. They feel indifferent towards their neighbours.
The use of social media has made people unsociable. Technology, instead of
connecting members of the community, seems to be isolating people from one
another. People nowadays prefer to spend time alone, interacting with others on
social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. This for them is probably more
interesting and enjoyable than meeting people in the neighbourhood.
Today, more than half of the world’s population live in urban areas. People
migrate to the cities for more employment opportunities and a better standard of
living. However, as people move to the cities, little by little, the sense of
community is lost.
Here are some suggestions might take us back to the simpler life and bring back
our sense of community.
First, city planners must implement a concept which encourages more pedestrian
walking and cycling and less driving.
Shops, services and sidewalks are all situated within walking distance of housing.
Neighbours run into each other on the way to the market, or while dining in a
restaurant, or jogging in park. If activities happen within walking or cycling
distance, residents have more opportunities to meet one another and a sense of
community is likely to be stronger.
Green spaces such as parks and playgrounds need to be built to provide
recreational areas for residents to meet and greet.
Second, youth and community centres need to be strategically located near
residential locations to facilitate contact. Activities such as singing, dancing, and
computer lessons help to promote social interaction among residents. Events like
community cleaning day or community gardening day can foster community
attachment.