Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- grapple / ˈgræp əl / (v.) – to try to find a solution to a problem
Example:The country is grappling with a rise in unemployment.
- affordability / əˌfɔːr dəˈbɪl ə ti / (n.) – the state of being inexpensive enough for people to be able to buy or pay for something
Example:Many low-income families are worried about the affordability of healthcare and childcare in today’s economy.
- proliferate / prəˈlɪf əˌreɪt / (v.) – to increase rapidly in number or amount
Example:Small cafes and milk tea shops have proliferated in this neighborhood in recent years.
- indiscriminate / ˌɪn dɪˈskrɪm ə nət / (adj.) – relating to something that is done without careful planning or thinking about the harm it might cause
Example:Indiscriminate spending can lead to serious financial problems.
- non-compliant / ˌnɑːn kəmˈplaɪ ənt / (adj.) – not following a rule, regulation, or agreement, particularly one that controls a specific industry
Example:The company was asked to pay a fine for its non-compliant safety procedures.
Article
Read the text below.
Spain has ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 holiday listings on its platform for having violated rules, the Consumer Rights Ministry said.
The ministry said that many of the 65,935 Airbnb listings it had ordered to be withdrawn did not include their license number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company. Others listed numbers that didn’t match what the authorities had, it said.
Spain is grappling with a housing affordability crisis that has spurred government action against short-term rental companies.
In recent months, tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets protesting rising housing and rental costs, which many say have been driven up by holiday rentals on platforms like Airbnb that have proliferated in cities like Madrid and Barcelona and many other popular tourist destinations.
“Enough already with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing,” Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy told reporters.
Airbnb said that it would appeal the decision. Through a spokesperson, the company said it did not think the ministry was authorized to rule on short-term rentals—and that it had utilized “an indiscriminate methodology” to include Airbnb rentals that do not need a license to operate.
Last year, Barcelona announced a plan to close down all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028 to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents.
The ministry said it had notified Airbnb of the non-compliant listings months ago, but that the company had appealed the move in court.
Spain’s government said Madrid’s high court had backed the order sent to Airbnb. Bustinduy said it involved the immediate removal of 5,800 rental listings from the site. Two subsequent orders would be issued until the nearly 66,000 removals are reached, he said.
Spain’s government said the first round of affected properties was located across the country, including in the capital, Madrid, as well as in the regions of Andalusia and Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Many of the Airbnb listings that were ordered to be withdrawn didn’t include their license numbers or didn’t have clear identification of the owner. If you rent a holiday place, how important is it for you to know these things? What are some problems you might have if you don’t know who owns a business or if it’s not licensed? Discuss.
- What do you think people can do to feel safe when using services like Airbnb? Discuss.
Discussion B
- When you travel for a holiday, which do you prefer: staying in a holiday rental house or a hotel? Why? What are the advantages of staying in a holiday rental house compared to a hotel? And what are the advantages of staying in a hotel? Discuss.
- If more holiday rental houses open in small towns in your country, how might this change the lives of the residents there? Do you think the residents would be happy with the increase in holiday rental houses? Why or why not? Discuss.
