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Part 2-style task

Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy. You should say

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  what the place is called
  
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  where the place is
  
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  what the facilities are like
  

and say why visitors might enjoy going there.

Monique: Anyone who comes to my country really should spend some time in Barcelona … it’s a beautiful place … it’s not what you would call a sprawling
city … it’s quite compact really and you could walk across the city in a couple of hours … but there’s no need to do that as we have a fantastic public transport system so it’s easy to get around … there are various districts all with their own character … you have the upmarket shops in the centre … you’ll find lots
of chain stores you’ll recognise from your own country but also local brands as well … we have the narrow streets in the Gothic district with lots of fashionable boutiques and tourist attractions … there’s the Olympic area and the beaches along the coast … and dotted around the city are some lovely public spaces …
parks and squares in the city centre and on the outskirts of Barcelona where people relax with their friends and family … and of course pavement
cafes everywhere … all that and some great historical places of interest … so a great destination for tourists …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: What are the advantages of living in a city or big town?
Carrie: I think it’s having access to local facilities really … local shops as well as access to larger shopping malls in the city centre … and if you’re well-off you can afford to live in the suburbsaway from the busy traffic …
Examiner: In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?
Mary: Some can be yes … especially those with a historical interest … but sometimes they’re full of ugly office blocks … multi-story car parks … and residents living in poor housing … it depends on the city doesn’t it?
Examiner: What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?
Penny: I suppose traffic congestion is a major problem … and the growth in out- of-town supermarkets and retail parks mean lots of town centre shops
are closing down … plus a shortage of good quality housing … I think these are the major challenges …
Definitions

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