Nowadays, more and more people are moving to big, noisy cities from small villages. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.
In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.
In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the USA, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.
But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.
【小题1】Why do people move to live in cities or towns?| A．Because they would like to live a more comfortable life there. |
| B．Because they mainly want to find a job there. |
| C．Because they like noisy life better than peaceful life. |
| D．Because they are sure of having a better life there. |
| A．Big companies usually have their main offices in the business district. |
| B．Nearly every major city has its own business district. |
| C．A business district usually lies in the city center downtown. |
| D．The people working in the business district in America only need to travel a short way to work. |
| A．work in the center of a big city but live in the suburbs of the city |
| B．work in the suburbs of a big city and live there |
| C．work in the center of a big city and live there |
| D．work in the center of a big city but live in rural areas |
| A．has now stopped already | B．will surely continue in the future |
| C．has been going on for more than 2,000 years | D．may not continue in the future |
