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Improve your vocabulary, listening or reading skills with the quizzes below.
Quiz 1: Vocabulary Focus
crowdedness • partying • nowadays
wildlife • by and large
  1. I'm tired because I was up late last night.
  2. it is almost impossible to keep in contact with others if you don't have the internet.
  3. Most of the time I don't mind using public transportation, but sometimes the is very stressful for me.
  4. national travel is really cheap in Laos.
  5. The biggest reason he wants to go to Alaska is to see .
Quiz 2: Comprehension Q's
Answer the following questions about the interview.
VideoVideo Response
Mixer Topic

Mxer #05 The City vs. The Country

Listen to six people discuss where they would rather live.

  • Transcript
  • Audio Slide Show
  • Vocabulary

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crowdedness

I like the crowdedness of the city.

Actually, the correct form of the adjective is 'crowded'.  When a place is crowded, it means that there are many people in a small area.  Notice the following:

  1. The beach is always crowded during the summer.
  2. My girlfriend hates crowded places.

party

I go to the city to party.

Here, party is a verb, an action.  When you say you are going to party, it means that you are going out to have fun; usually dancing, drinking, karaoke, or other social activities.  Notice the following:

  1. We always party on weekends.
  2. I used to party a lot in college, but not anymore.

nowadays

Nowadays, I want to live in the city.

The word 'nowadays' is used to talk about modern times.  Notice the following:

  1. Nowadays, teenagers download most of their music.
  2. The city used to be safe, but nowadays, it's become dangerous.

wildlife

I enjoyed the wildlife around, but it was boring.

Wildlife means animals that are in nature. Wildlife can be birds, monkeys, or even elephants and tigers.  Dogs and cats are not wildlife.  Notice the following:

  1. Nowadays, much of the world's wildlife must be protected.
  2. Many tourists travel to Africa to observe the amazing wildlife.

by and large

By and large, the city is the way to go.

The phrase 'by and large' is a way of saying 'in general'. It is a way of making a concluding statement.  Notice the following:

  1. By and large, it is expensive to live in most big cities.
  2. By and large, it is cheaper to study in Australia than in the US.