Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a pastime
    • ex. Reading is her favorite pastime.
  2. unwind
    • ex. They went for a walk to unwind after a busy day.
  3. steeply
    • ex. Fuel prices have risen steeply over the past year.
  4. coastline
    • ex. Tourists enjoy walking along the coastline at sunset.
  5. civic
    • ex. Students learned about civic responsibilities in school.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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For many people in Lagos, Nigeria, visiting the beach is a popular pastime to relax and unwind after a long week. However, going to the shore in Nigeria’s commercial area has become very expensive. The government gives away public land to private owners, so costs for entry, food, and chairs have increased steeply. A single beach visit costs about 25,000 naira (about ¥3,000), which is too expensive for local people.

The state government is turning coastal land into private businesses to build a modern “megacity.” Officials say that private management keeps the beaches cleaner and safer for tourists. However, some local people argue that the government is focusing on making money rather than helping the community. Most of the long coastline is now blocked by ticket booths and high entry fees.

Community leaders and citizens feel that natural spaces should be free for everyone to enjoy. They believe that a public beach should be a valuable civic resource for the entire city, not just for wealthy visitors. Because Lagos is a stressful city, many citizens hope the government will protect remaining public areas so everyone can enjoy nature.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Going to the Beach and Managing Beaches

  • What is a famous beach destination in your country? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, should beaches have entrance fees or should they be free for all? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Lagos officials say private management keeps the beaches clean and safe, but local people think this is more focused on making money, not helping the community. In your opinion, what should the government focus on more: making money or helping the community? Discuss.

Pastimes and Spending Time to Unwind

  • What is your favorite pastime? Discuss.
  • What is the importance of unwinding? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, how can the government encourage people to spend some time to unwind (ex. provide public places for different pastimes, create laws to limit work hours per week)? Discuss.