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Win |
Michael |
Goron |
City Problems
Win, Michael and Goron talk about social issues and problems with their cities being so big.
Michael: So how’s crime in the big cities, like in Rome? How is crime in Rome?
Goron: Well, many people are complaining for the huge immigration. Like we have many foreigners and illegal foreigners actually. They come in with boats during the night, they’re landing, and we cannot control, we cannot stop them because Italy is in the middle of Europe. So from Northern Africa, for many like – I wouldn’t say underdeveloped countries but the countries that see Italy like the…
Win: Dream.
Goron: America or like dream, like opportunities, which is changing right with the recent crisis.
Michael: It’s actually very interesting because we have the same problem in Norway.
Win: I’m seeing the same problem everywhere.
Michael: Because of the European economic agreement, it’s actually illegal to come and try to find work. But the problem is that people abused us and they come – they are just to, you know – beg for money or to steal money or steal things from others. And it’s really easy to pass the border without being controlled.
Goron: I don’t think those people are bad. It’s like poverty makes you bad.
Michael: No, I’m not saying they’re bad.
Win: Yeah.
Goron: If you are desperate, you feel desperate, you do something that is, like we say, illegal.
Michael: And that’s a huge problem because in the EU right now, there’s several countries which have poverty, and it evolves from that, I think. It’s really hard like to create, to make everyone happy and to – I don’t think it’s possible to solve the poverty matter.
So what about Vietnam?
Win: Well, the city I’m living in is very – there is no really people who was born in the city. I mean, I was born in the city but I have roots from everywhere. And most of the people from the city is like that. We They’re from everywhere from the country and the city welcomes them no matter what.
So yes, we do have a problem that people keep flocking to my city to find jobs, and we have crimes and everything. But I think the fact that we have multi-origin people is one of the facts that makes the city interesting.
beg
They beg for money.
When you beg, you ask for something earnestly. Notice the following:
- Many homeless people beg for money.
- The students begged the teacher not to give them homework.
poverty
Poverty makes you desperate.
Poverty is the condition of being very poor. Notice the following:
- There is a lot of poverty in the countryside.
- Poverty is a big problem in poor countries.
desperate
If you are desperate, you do something illegal.
When you are desperate, you want something badly but feel hopeless in getting it. Notice the following:
- She is desperate for love.
- After I lost my job, I felt desperate.
roots
I have roots from everywhere.
When you have roots from someplace, you have family there. Notice the following:
- My roots are from Italy.
- We have a lot of roots down south.
no matter what
The city welcomes them no matter what.
The phrase 'no matter what' means 'regardless' and means you can use any excuse. Notice the following:
- You must finish no matter what.
- They meet every year no matter what.
flock
People keep flocking to my city.
Here, when people flock to some place, that means many people go there. Notice the following:
- In summer, many people flock to the beach.
- Young people flock to the mall.
Vocabulary Quiz
no matter what • roots • flock
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About the Teacher / Creator
Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
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