City or Countryside
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Mark
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Todd
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Todd: So, Mark, I heard that you are going to be leaving Tokyo pretty soon.
Mark: I am. I'm getting out of the city.
Todd: Ah, man, so when you go back to America are you going to live in a big city like Atlanta or Birmingham?
Mark: Well, I from Birmingham, which is a kind of medium sized city, but there's a lot of access to the countryside, cause Birmingham is a medium sized city but Alabama is very rural, so lots of mountains, lots of countryside and I'm actually looking forward to getting into that setting again.
Todd:Oh, man. I don't know dude. I grew up on a farm, and I lived way out in the country growing up, and I can't stand the country now.
Mark: Really.
Todd: Yeah. I've lived in big cities: San Francisco, London, Bangkok, Tokyo.
Mark:But don't you miss like the, you know, fresh air, and the views. Don't you just tired of concrete jungles, and buildings and.
Todd: Ah, that's true. I mean, when you're in the country, you have fresh air and you do have, you know, the beauty, and this and that, but it's just boring. It's the same five people.
Mark:It is true, but actually I find it's harder to meet people in a big city, because there is so many people, so you're, nobody really cares to stop and talk to you because there is a million other people around, but if you're in a town, a small town, or out in the country, the few people you do meet, you form a good relationship with.
Todd: Yeah, that's somewhat true, but there's just no energy. You know the countries slow. You can't just go to any restaurant at any time, you can't, you know, go see a museum, or go see a ball game or go to a nightclub and it's a just a lot of sitting around.
Mark:Well, that's true and, if I do, every time I go back to the country, I always miss those things, like a museum, and you know, concerts and things like that, but I'm just able to relax so much more when I'm out in a rural setting.
Todd: Well, I hope you have a good time.
Mark: Thanks.
rural
Alabama is very rural, so lots of mountains, lots of countryside.
'Rural' is the opposite of urban. It is the natural area outside of a city or town. Notice the following:
- They decided to build a house in a rural area so they
could have horses.
- It is a beautiful, quiet, rural area.
can't stand
I grew up on a farm, and I lived way out in the country growing up, and I can't stand the country now.
If you hate something, then you 'can't stand' it.Notice the following:
- I can't stand tomatoes.
- He can't stand the way his girlfriend leaves her chewing
gum everywhere.
concrete jungle
Don't you get tired of concrete jungles and buildings?
'Concrete jungle' is a description of a city where everything is gray, people live close together and there nothing natural to be seen. Notice the following:
- After living in a concrete jungle for ten years, they
finally bought a house in the suburbs.
- They went camping for the weekend to escape the concrete
jungle.
relationship
The few people you do meet, you form a good relationship with.
In this case, 'relationship' is like friendship. We can also use relationship to describe something romantic. Notice the following:
- She has had many good relationships in her life.
- It was a good relationship at the beginning, but the
romance had disappeared after a few months.
setting
I'm just able to relax so much more when I'm out in a rural setting.
A 'rural setting' is a rural location or a location outside of a city. Notice the following:
- He never imagined himself living in an urban setting.
- The setting of the house was beautiful. It was
surrounded by mountains.
Vocabulary Quiz
relationship • setting
