MASS TOURIST CAN KILL A CITY

We have all been a tourist at some point, but citizens of great cities like Venice or Barcelona are trying to defend their traditional neighbourhoods from the massive invasion of tourists. The last local underwear shop in Venice closed a decade ago. This means that residents of this city of islands have to go to the mainland for such essential purchases. This is a warning sign. Any city that concentrates too much on mass tourism will be abandoned by its people when they can no longer pay the cost of housing, food and basic everyday necessities.

We’re starting to see Venice without Venetians. It’s also happening in Barcelona, a city of 2 million inhabitants that received 7.5 million tourists last year. The local authorities say that they want to increase this to 10 million visitors per year. These figures have led to open conflict this summer. There have been neighbourhood assemblies and protests against the situation, because in popular places of the city the scale of visitor numbers is affecting not only residents’ quality of life, but their very ability to live in the area. 

Neighbourhood communities are essential to the culture of southern Europe. Yet, people who live in popular tourist areas are at risk of being forced out by speculators who raise the rents of apartments and shops. The people who have always lived in these areas are forced to leave or, if they don’t, they suffer consequences such as noise and pollution levels that are difficult to combine with daily life. It’s paradoxical, but uncontrolled mass tourism ends up destroying the things that made a city attractive to visitors in the first place: the unique atmosphere of the local culture.

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D).
1. Tourism in Venice ….
(a) is vital for the city.
(b) will reach 10 million tourists a day by next year.
(c) is less massive than in Barcelona.
(d) affects negatively small local businesses. 

2. Tourism affects the life of residents because….
(a) it is difficult to walk through the streets.
(b) tourists tend to come only in summer.
(c) tourists don’t understand local culture.
(d) they have to live with higher noise and pollution levels. 

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT

3. The inhabitants of Barcelona are very proud to receive a lot of tourists.

FALSE “There have been neighbourhood assemblies and protests against the situation” (lines 9-10).

4. Mass tourism contributes to increase the cost of living in traditional areas.

TRUE “they can no longer pay the cost of housing, food, and basic everyday necessities” (lines 5-6) / “people who live in popular tourist areas are at risk of being forced out by speculators who raise the rents of apartments and shops” (lines 12-13).

5. Local authorities in Barcelona are trying to control the number of visitors.

FALSE “The local authorities say that they want to increase this to 10 million visitors per year” (lines 8-9).

6. Mass tourism makes a city even more attractive to new visitors.

FALSE “uncontrolled mass tourism ends up destroying the things that made a city attractive to visitors in the first place: the unique atmosphere of the local culture” (lines 16-17).

7. GIVE A VERB WITH THE SAME ROOT AS “invasion” (noun) (line 2)

invade

8. FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

“I wish you made … your mind.” out / about / up / after

9. FIND IN THE TEXT ONE SYNONYM FOR “number” (noun).

figure-s (line 9)

10. WHICH WORD IS NOT AN ADJECTIVE?

southern / easy / friendly / jealousy

11. FIND IN THE TEXT THE WORD WHICH HAS THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION:

“things that you buy” purchases

12. FILL IN THE GAP WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS.

“I ....... (study) for two weeks.” have studied /have been studying

13. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: 

“I don't type as fast as you do.”

You type … faster/better than I do/than me.

14. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS:

Peter bought his sister's flat.

Whose flat did Peter buy?

15. REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY:

“I looking forward to run the New York Marathon.”

I am looking forward to running the New York Marathon.

16. USE THE WORDS IN THE BOXES TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL SENTENCE. USE ALL AND ONLY THE WORDS IN THE BOXES WITHOUT CHANGING IS FORM:

money I enjoy when spending on I am holidays

I enjoy spending money when I am on holidays/

 When I am on holidays, I enjoy spending money.

17. JOIN THE SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY.
Mary is studying violin. She was born in Venice.

Mary, who was born in Venice, is studying violin /
 Mary, who is studying violin, was born in Venice.