【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. invest / ɪnˈvɛst / (v.) – to spend money or effort to improve something
Example: The city will invest in the expansion of its roads.
2. route / rut / (n.) – a road used to get from one place to another
Example: This is the fastest route going to the city hall.
3. tourism / ˈtʊər ɪz əm / (n.) – the business or industry of getting people to travel or visit a city or a country
Example: The city wishes to boost its tourism.
4. guarantee / ˌgær ənˈti / (v.) – to make sure
Example: The mayor guarantees that all roads will be safe for travel.
5. workshop / ˈwɜrkˌʃɒp / (n.) – a class wherein a person learns a skill
Example: I will attend a cycling workshop next week.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
Paris plans to become one of the leaders in city cycling within the next five years.
The city’s government will invest 150 million euros to increase the number of cycling lanes in the city by 2020. Using the said budget, the government will add more cycling routes to the current 700 kilometers, aiming to have 1,400 kilometers after five years.
The “express network” cycling lane will be constructed in areas that connect the city’s north and south, as well as those that link the city’s east and west parts. To guarantee the cyclists’ safety, the cycling lane will be separated from the traffic on the main roads. Smaller roads will also have additional two-way cycling lanes and will have a speed limit of only 30 kilometers per hour.
Paris hopes that this project will help boost its tourism industry, as biking around the city will become safer and more comfortable. In the next five years, the city specifically aims to increase the number of travels through biking from 5% to 15%. Paris also wants to encourage people to attend cycling classes and bike repair workshops.
Aside from Paris, other cities have also put much effort in promoting and improving city cycling. Among these cities are Amsterdam and Utrecht [YOO-trekt] in the Netherlands, Seville [suh-VIL] in Spain, Münster [MYN-stuh r] in Germany, and Copenhagen [koh-puh n-HEY-guh n] in Denmark.
Other cycle-friendly cities include Tokyo, Nagoya, Berlin, Dublin, Montreal [mon-tree-AWL], Rio de Janeiro [ree-oh dey zhuh-NAIR-oh], Barcelona, and Budapest.
|
【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· What do you think about Paris’s plan to expand their cycling lanes?
· Do you think more cities should also aim to be cycle-friendly? Why or why not?
Discussion B
· What are the advantages of using bicycles instead of cars?
· What difficulties can a person encounter when using a bicycle for travel?
