Оригинал на английском:
64. In recent decades there have appeared the so-called mega-cities. Read the text and discuss these in small groups:
• what is understood by mega-cities;
• what mega-cities can you name in England;
• if there are such places in Russia;
• if the growth of mega-cities is natural;
• if there is any reason to limit their size.
Britain now remains one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with nine in ten of the population living in towns or cities. Britain's cities, at one time big by international standards, have long since been overtaken by giants like New York, Tokyo, Mexico City. But that doesn't mean that they are small. London has a population between 12 to 14 mln people (Greater London — 7.5 mln people). Then there are a number of major conurbations: urban areas that started as collections of neighbouring towns, but have grown together and fused into massive single units. Birmingham is the main component of what is called the West Midlands, a mega-city about 57 kilometres across and with a population about 3 mln people. Manchester is grouped together with a ring of old industrial towns such as Stockport, Oldham and Bolton to make up Greater Manchester. Then there are the conurbations of West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Tyneside and Clydeside in Scotland.
• what is understood by mega-cities;
• what mega-cities can you name in England;
• if there are such places in Russia;
• if the growth of mega-cities is natural;
• if there is any reason to limit their size.
Britain now remains one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with nine in ten of the population living in towns or cities. Britain's cities, at one time big by international standards, have long since been overtaken by giants like New York, Tokyo, Mexico City. But that doesn't mean that they are small. London has a population between 12 to 14 mln people (Greater London — 7.5 mln people). Then there are a number of major conurbations: urban areas that started as collections of neighbouring towns, but have grown together and fused into massive single units. Birmingham is the main component of what is called the West Midlands, a mega-city about 57 kilometres across and with a population about 3 mln people. Manchester is grouped together with a ring of old industrial towns such as Stockport, Oldham and Bolton to make up Greater Manchester. Then there are the conurbations of West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Tyneside and Clydeside in Scotland.