Long Listening · Section 5

Neighborhoods

I think this is an interesting topic because neighborhoods look and function differently in different countries.

Level: A2 · 69 sentences

Transcript

I think this is an interesting topic
because neighborhoods look and function differently in different countries.
Specifically, I want to talk about American neighborhoods.
And even more specifically, I want
to focus on residential neighborhoods, such as the suburbs.
In the US, I would say that most people have the goal
to eventually live in a house in a residential neighborhood.
Sure, some people prefer living in apartments in the city,
but I still think that most people still want
to buy a house someday when they have enough money.
So, living in a house in a suburb is very common in the US.
I spent my whole childhood living in residential areas in Southern California,
So I have a lot of experience in these types of neighborhoods.
So what are some of the distinct elements of American neighborhoods?
First of all, there's a pretty distinct American style of houses.
Of course, our houses often have triangular roofs.
You've probably seen this in movies and TV shows.
American houses also have a garage,
a driveway, a front yard, and a backyard.
Houses in other countries might not have all these different elements,
but in the US, these features are all really popular.
What's interesting for some foreigners is that in the US,
houses often don't have fences in their front yards.
This means that when you're in your front yard,
you can easily see and interact with your neighbors.
This might seem uncomfortable, but it does help neighbors be friendly with each other.
However, in backyards, there are always fences or gates.
This area is a little more private.
Kids normally play in their backyard, front yard,
or in the street if the neighborhood isn't that busy.
Typically, residential neighborhoods are pretty safe in the U.S., U.S.,
so kids can play outside without parents worrying too much.
But parents do need
to keep an eye on their kids just to be safe.
For kids, it's really common
to make friends with the other kids in the neighborhood.
I remember when I was growing up
that I always played with my neighbors.
I actually became good friends with them. In other countries, it's common
to see children playing soccer in the street in different neighborhoods,
but in the US, it's more common
to see kids playing other sports or games.
Now let's talk a little bit about being a good neighbor.
In the U.S., U.S., it's really important to have respect for your neighbors.
For example, it's not acceptable to play really loud music
or have loud parties at night.
If you do this after 10 p.m., p.m.,
your neighbors will probably call the police.
This is extremely common in the U.S. U.S.
because police actually respond to these noise complaints.
They show up at your house
and tell you to be quiet or you'll be in trouble.
Also, in many neighborhoods, you're expected
to maintain your house and front yard well.
People don't like it when their neighbor's house
or front yard looks ugly or neglected.
This can actually make the neighboring houses less valuable.
On the other hand, one of the great things about residential neighborhoods
in the US is the sense of community.
Traditionally, people are friendly and helpful in these types of areas.
For example, if you move to a suburb,
it's very common for your neighbors to bring you over some homemade food
and welcome you to the neighborhood.
Also, people help each other out in these neighborhoods.
For instance, if you go on vacation, it's common
to ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your house
and even water your plants or things like that.
The sense of community is definitely a big positive
of living in residential neighborhoods in the U.S.