Reading Population mobility in the USA

　　 Step1: Lead-in

　　 Let's enjoy a section of film. Can you say something about the film?

　　 Yes, the short film is about a very common phenomenon in USA. Nowadays, more and more people move from place to place in USA, and they will never live in the same place for a long time. They change their jobs and living place frequently. In this article, you will read a magazine article about why and where people move in the USA. After reading the article, you are expected to gain some information about what two different age groups are on the move and why they are moving.

　　 1. Many people are now using mobile phones. Do you know what the word "mobile" mean?

　　 2. What do you think a mobile library and a mobile medical team are?

　　 3. What kind of people are mobile people?

　　 Sampled answers:

　　 1. It means "not fixed "or "can be moved"

　　 2. A mobile library is a library that is on a bus and can travel to different places; A mobile medical team is a group of doctors and nurses who go from place to place to treat sick people.

　　 3. Mobile people are those who leave their home and move to elsewhere.

　　 Resources

　　 American cities are similar to other cities around the world.In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture. Cities contain the very best side of a society:opportunities for education, employment and so on. They also contain the very worst parts of a society:violent crime, racial discrimination and poverty. American cities are changing, just as American society.

　　 After World War Ⅱ, the population of most large American cities decreased; however, the population in many Sun Bolt cities increased. Los Angeles and Houston are cities where population increased. This population moving to and from the city reflects the changing values of American society.

　　 During this time, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, city people became wealthier. They had more children. They needed more space. They moved out their flats in the city to buy their own houses. They bought houses in the suburbs, areas near a city where people live. These are areas without many offices or factories. During the 1950s the American "dream" was to have a house on the outskirts.

　　 Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. They, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. Some continue to move to cities in the Sun Belt. Cities are expanding and the population is increasing in such states as Texas, Florida and California.Others are moving to more established cities of the Northeast and Midwest, such as Boston, Baltimore and Chicago.

　　 Many young professionals, doctors and lawyers are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; they are afraid of the fuel shortage or they just enjoy the excitement and opportunities which the city offers. A new class is moving into the cities--a wealthier, more mobile class.

　　 Step 2: Fast reading for general ideas

　　 Go through the passage as quickly as possible and try to find answers to the three questions in part A on Page18. Just focus on and identify the information needed to answer these questions.

　　 Answers

　　 A 1 The movement of people in the USA.

　　 2 .American living

　　 3. People over 60 years and young adults. Step 3: Detailed reading for important information

　　 1. Let's read the passage a second time and complete Parts C1 and C2 on page 20

　　 Answers

　　 C1 1. From the Midwest and the Northeast.

　　 2. Florida.

　　 3. It is home to the largest population of people aged 65 and older. This group accounts for nearly 18 percent of the state's population.

　　 4. Ambulance response time has been decreased and many houses have bathrooms designed for elderly homeowners with things like walk-in bathtubs that reduce the risk of slips and falls.

　　 5. 17%

　　 6. Cities are more exciting and have more job opportunities.

　　 7. He thinks that cities are more exciting and he can meet young people like himself and go to theatres, museums and big sporting events for the entertainment.

　　 8. Five people.

　　 C2

　　 Name Age Sex Move to Reason

　　 David 68 Male Florida The community understands the needs of older people; to play bingo; to plant his herb garden; to watch seagulls at the beach; to meet friends of his own age; to get good medical care

　　 Angela 21 Female Los Angeles To advance her career in a big company to become a top accountant.

　　 Daniel 27 Male A big city To meet people; to find entertainment; to go to the theatre; museums and big sporting events; to have an exciting life

　　 Enda 78 Female Florida Afraid of falling on ice and getting hurt

　　 2. Go through the text quickly and pay attention to the meaning and usage of some words. Then finish the following vocabulary exercise. Part D and Part E.

　　 Answers

　　 D 1 d 2 a 3 g 4 e 5 b

　　 6 f 7 c 8 h

　　 E (1) accountant (2) career

　　 (3) rent (4) edition

　　 (5) boom (6) opportunities

　　 (7) elderly (8) trend

　　 (9) seasonal (10) adaptations

　　 3. Listen to the tape and choose the best answers according to the text:

　　 1. What is the topic of the article?

　　 A. The population of people in the USA.

　　 B. The life people in the USA.

　　 C. The beautiful scenery of USA.

　　 D. The movement of people in the USA.

　　 2. Why are young people in the USA moving to cities?

　　 A. Cities are more exciting and have more job opportunities.

　　 B. Cities are more beautiful than country.

　　 C. Young people don't like country life.

　　 D. There are no job opportunities in country.

　　 3. Which of the following is NOT the reason for many people spending their later years in Florida?

　　 A. wanting better health care.

　　 B. looking for communities of older people.

　　 C. they like the climate there.

　　 D. they can get lot of money from the government.

　　 4. What two groups are discussed in the article?

　　 A. people over 60 years old and young adults.

　　 B. children and their parents

　　 C. old people and their relatives

　　 D. young people who want jobs and old people.

　　 5. With the number of older Americans moving to Florida, many changes are made to cater to them. Which of the following is not the change?

　　 A. ambulanceresponse time has decreased

　　 B. many houses have bathrooms designed for elderly homeowners

　　 C. the communities that understands the needs of people.

　　 D. big houses with lower price.

　　 Keys: D, A, D, A, D

　　 Step 3: Post-reading activities

　　 1. Pair work:

　　 (1) Discussion:

　　 What do you think about people moving to live in another place, especially moving from the countryside to a big city, or from a big city to a small town?

　　 For reference:

　　 ● Moving to live big cities

　　 Reasons: for work, family moves......

　　 Advantages: lots of entertainment, better quality of life......

　　 Disadvantages: pollution, too crowed, traffic problems, crime......

　　 ● Moving to live in a small town

　　 Reasons: old age, have children and start a family......

　　 Advantages: a slower pace of living, safer than a big city, closer community......

　　 Disadvantages: lack of job opportunities, lack of entertainment......

　　 ● Moving to live in the countryside

　　 Reasons: tired of city life, health reasons......

　　 Advantages: quieter, peaceful, beautiful scenery, less pollution......

　　 Disadvantages: lack of shopping and entertainment facilities, lack of career opportunities......

　　 (2) Read the instructions for Part F and discuss with the partners the following questions

　　 1. Do you think it is better to live around people who are all the same age that you are? Why or why not?

　　 2. What do you think will happen to cities if people continue to move there?

　　 3. What do you think will happen to small towns if all the young people move away?

　　 Step 4: Language points:

　　 Vocabulary Words mobile, edition, age, head, freeway, seasonal, pension, changeable, slip, retirement, ambulance, homeowner, bathtub, herb, seagull, local, flesh, rent, partner, accountant, database, clerk, pence, allowance, brunch, buffet, hostess, headline, numb, physicist, biologist, botany, biochemistry, lawyer, firm, adjustment, bowling, skateboard, astronomer, telescope, currency, pound, exhange, preferential, sponsorship, hook, wander, closed, vote, chain, passport, suspect, nursery, plot, compensate

　　 useful expressions on the move, account for, one's own flesh and blood, head for, make use of, take advantage of, word of mouth, have sth in common, submit to, in vain, in rags, take to, in terror, in part

　　 Sentence structure 1. Most US citizens retire around the age of 62, which is the national minimumretirement age, and the trend seems to be for them to move to warmer places.

　　 2. Florida was home to the largest population of people aged 65 and older. This group accounted for nearly 18 percent of the state's population.

　　 3. The one thing that is clear, however, is that young people are speaking with one voice, saying, " to the cities"

　　 4. The flag, a simple design of red over white, has a long history that dates back to the 13th century.

　　 5. Most agree, however, that they like the climate in Florida, which is less changeable than in other places.

　　 6. Florida is a popular choice for these people because of the climate and the state's relatively flat landscape.

　　 Resources

　　 Florida

　　 Located at the south-eastern tip of the USA, Florida is a state full of tropical atmosphere. Indeed the name of the state means" plenty of flowers' in Spanish. Every year, tens of thousands of people go there to enjoy the sunlight and the beach. It was controlled by Spain from 1513 to 1763. From 1763 to 1783, Britain took control of the state. Then it was returned to Spain in 1783. the USA purchased the state in 1819. thus it became its twenty-seventh state"

　　 For more information, visit the following website:

　　 http://www.50states.com/florida.htm

　　 Step6: Homework

　　 1. Read the text again and again. Try to memorize the language points.

　　 2. Exercises in Workbook.