Beloved Manhattan garden faces demolition as city pushes for affordable housing

admin 2024年9月16日

Beginner

Culture & Travel, Culture & Travel - Beginner

©REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Is affordable housing an important issue in your town or city?
Can you name a well-known public garden or green space in your town or city?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

antique /an-TEEK/

[noun] – something made in an earlier period that is collected and considered to have value because it is beautiful, rare, old, or of high quality
She inherited a collection of valuable antiques from her grandmother.

senior /SEEN-yer/

[noun] – elderly people or individuals of an advanced age, often retired
The community center offers various activities and services for seniors.

public figure /PUHB-lik FIG-yer/

[noun] – a famous person who is often written about in newspapers and magazines or is often on television or the radio
Public figures often have to be careful about their personal lives being exposed.

drop /drop/

[verb] – to fall or decrease in amount, level, or position
The temperature dropped significantly overnight.

unused /uhn-YOOZD/

[adjective] – not being used at present, or never having been used
The unused room in the house was finally turned into a home office.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

The Elizabeth Street Garden in Manhattan’s Little Italy will be demolished since its lease ended on September 10. Started in 1991 by an antiques dealer, it has been a key green space in the area. In 2013, New York City proposed building a 123-unit affordable housing complex for seniors on this one-acre garden. Despite opposition from public figures like Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese, the project will go ahead. Though other sites were suggested, city officials are sticking to the original plan. With the lease expired, it is now hard to stop the garden’s closure. Mayor Eric Adams wants to increase affordable housing in New York City because there are not enough homes. The city’s vacancy rate has dropped to 1.4%, the lowest since 1968. Adams’ “City of Yes” plan, started in 2022, hopes to build 500,000 new homes by 2032. This includes turning unused office buildings into homes and adding apartments above stores. Some people worry this might overcrowd neighborhoods or change their character, but others think it is needed to solve the housing problem. The Elizabeth Street Garden situation shows the ongoing conflict between building new homes and keeping green spaces in New York City.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

The Elizabeth Street Garden will be preserved because its lease was renewed.
New York City proposed building a shopping mall on the garden site.
Public figures like Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese opposed the housing project.
Mayor Eric Adams wants to increase affordable housing in New York City.
The city’s vacancy rate has increased to 1.4%.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table, then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

antiques

seniors

public figures

dropped

unused

Many __________ enjoy attending social events organized by local clubs.
He opened a shop that specializes in selling rare __________.
She found several __________ gift cards while cleaning out her drawer.
Sales figures __________ after the holiday season ended.
Many __________ use their platforms to advocate for social issues.