Why read this: This short reader gives students a clear, simple way to think about why some big cities work better than others. It uses Jakarta as one example and Tokyo as a better example. Students learn that the size of a city is not the only thing that matters. The way a city is run is also very important. The text uses simple words and short sentences, so A2 readers can follow the main idea without help.
What to notice: Notice that the article only uses one bad example (Jakarta) and one good example (Tokyo). This makes the comparison easy to follow at A2. Notice the simple cause-and-effect chain in paragraph 3: workers live far away, so they drive cars and motorbikes, so the roads fill up, so the air gets dirty. Each step is one short sentence. The article uses only three glossed terms: satellite cities, metro rail, and metropolitan area. These three terms are kept because the topic cannot be explained without them.
Skills practised: Reading for the main idea in a short text. Following a simple cause-and-effect chain in everyday language. Comparing two examples (Jakarta and Tokyo) on a small set of points. Reading numbers in context (42 million people, 2019). Using glossed terms (satellite cities, metro rail, metropolitan area) to understand a real-world topic about cities.
Why Big Asian Cities Are Hard Places to Live
Jakarta has too many leaders, and no one runs the whole city. Tokyo shows a better way.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Many big cities in Asia are hard placesplace: To put something in a particular position carefully. — 放置；安放 to livelive: To be alive; to have life — 活着；生存, and Jakarta is one of them. Today, more than 42 million people live in the widerwide: Measuring a large distance from one side to the other. — 宽的；宽阔的 Jakarta area. That is more people than the wholewhole: Entire, undivided — 整个的 country of Canada. People come to Jakarta to find work and a better life. But every day they face dirty air and very bad traffic.
Why is dailydaily: That occurs every day, or at least every working day — 每天的；日常的 life so hard for people here? The main reason is the way the city is run. Jakarta is not just one city by itselfitself: Used to refer back to a thing just mentioned. — 它自己；本身. Over time it has grown to include many satellite cities: smaller cities that grow up around a bigger central city — 卫星城 next to it. Each of these smaller cities has its own leadersleader: A person who is in charge of a group. — 领导者；领袖. They do not talk or work together very well. So no one person is in chargecharge: The amount of money asked for a service, or an official accusation of a crime. — 费用；收费；指控 of the whole big area.
You can see this problem clearlyclearly: In a way that is easy to understand or see. — 清楚地；显然地 in the traffic. Jakarta has some of the worst traffic jamsjam: A sweet food made from fruit and sugar, spread on bread. — 果酱 in the world. Many workers cannot pay for a home near their job. So they must live far from the city centre. There are not enough buses and trains for them. People drive cars or ride motorbikesmotorbike: A motorcycle. — 摩托车 insteadinstead: In place of something else. — 代替；反而. The roads fill up, and the air gets dirty. The city loses billionsbillion: The number 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million). — 十亿 of dollars every year from this.
In 2019, Jakarta opened its first metro rail: an underground or above-ground urban rail system — 地铁 line. But the line stops at the edgeedge: The outer or furthest point of something. — 边缘；边沿 of the old city. It does not reachreach: To arrive at a place, or to stretch out your hand. — 到达；够到 the new areas where most workers live. So many people still cannot use the metro to get to work. The leaders of the different cities almostalmost: Very nearly but not completely. — 几乎；差不多 never talk to each other.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, shows a much better way. The Tokyo metropolitan area: a big city plus the smaller towns and suburbs around it that work as one connected area — 都市圈（大都会区） also has many small towns and city parts. Each small part has its own mayormayor: The elected head of a city or town. — 市长 and its own local office. But one big city office helps all of them work as a team. The big office takes carecare: Serious attention given to doing something correctly and safely. — 照料；小心；关心 of water, hospitals, and the main trains. The smaller offices take care of schools and rubbishrubbish: Things you throw away because you no longer want them. — 垃圾；废物 collectioncollection: A group of objects that have been gathered together, often as a hobby. — 收藏；收藏品；系列. Everyone knows their own job. So Tokyo works well, and Jakarta does not.
Many big cities in Asia are hard placesplace: To put something in a particular position carefully. — 放置；安放 to livelive: To be alive; to have life — 活着；生存, and Jakarta is one of them. Today, more than 42 million people live in the widerwide: Measuring a large distance from one side to the other. — 宽的；宽阔的 Jakarta area. That is more people than the wholewhole: Entire, undivided — 整个的 country of Canada. People come to Jakarta to find work and a better life. But every day they face dirty air and very bad traffic.
Why is dailydaily: That occurs every day, or at least every working day — 每天的；日常的 life so hard for people here? The main reason is the way the city is run. Jakarta is not just one city by itselfitself: Used to refer back to a thing just mentioned. — 它自己；本身. Over time it has grown to include many satellite cities: smaller cities that grow up around a bigger central city — 卫星城 next to it. Each of these smaller cities has its own leadersleader: A person who is in charge of a group. — 领导者；领袖. They do not talk or work together very well. So no one person is in chargecharge: The amount of money asked for a service, or an official accusation of a crime. — 费用；收费；指控 of the whole big area.
You can see this problem clearlyclearly: In a way that is easy to understand or see. — 清楚地；显然地 in the traffic. Jakarta has some of the worst traffic jamsjam: A sweet food made from fruit and sugar, spread on bread. — 果酱 in the world. Many workers cannot pay for a home near their job. So they must live far from the city centre. There are not enough buses and trains for them. People drive cars or ride motorbikesmotorbike: A motorcycle. — 摩托车 insteadinstead: In place of something else. — 代替；反而. The roads fill up, and the air gets dirty. The city loses billionsbillion: The number 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million). — 十亿 of dollars every year from this.
In 2019, Jakarta opened its first metro rail: an underground or above-ground urban rail system — 地铁 line. But the line stops at the edgeedge: The outer or furthest point of something. — 边缘；边沿 of the old city. It does not reachreach: To arrive at a place, or to stretch out your hand. — 到达；够到 the new areas where most workers live. So many people still cannot use the metro to get to work. The leaders of the different cities almostalmost: Very nearly but not completely. — 几乎；差不多 never talk to each other.
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, shows a much better way. The Tokyo metropolitan area: a big city plus the smaller towns and suburbs around it that work as one connected area — 都市圈（大都会区） also has many small towns and city parts. Each small part has its own mayormayor: The elected head of a city or town. — 市长 and its own local office. But one big city office helps all of them work as a team. The big office takes carecare: Serious attention given to doing something correctly and safely. — 照料；小心；关心 of water, hospitals, and the main trains. The smaller offices take care of schools and rubbishrubbish: Things you throw away because you no longer want them. — 垃圾；废物 collectioncollection: A group of objects that have been gathered together, often as a hobby. — 收藏；收藏品；系列. Everyone knows their own job. So Tokyo works well, and Jakarta does not.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How many people live in the wider Jakarta area today?
- 02
What is the main reason daily life in Jakarta is hard?
- 03
Why is Tokyo a better example than Jakarta?
- 04
Describe two problems that people in Jakarta face every day.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List three things the big city office in Tokyo takes care of, and three things the smaller offices take care of.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
How many people live in the wider Jakarta area today?
- 02
What is the main reason daily life in Jakarta is hard?
- 03
Why is Tokyo a better example than Jakarta?
- 04
Describe two problems that people in Jakarta face every day.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
List three things the big city office in Tokyo takes care of, and three things the smaller offices take care of.
Suggested length: ~50 words