Is it good or bad to own a car?

Most families in Australia have cars. Some people own more than one car. Owning a car is really important if you want to go to work, do the shopping, take your family members out or do other things.

There are many good things about owning a car. First of all, it is easy to travel to different places. You can use your car to go anywhere  any time. In addition to that, you can arrive at your destination faster than using public transport. If you use a bus or a train, you need to spend some time waiting for them to arrive and you have to do some walking too. A car is very important if you look after your elderly grandparents. You sometimes need to take them out to go to doctors’ appointments or do other things. It is really hard to go on foot or use public transport if you take old people out.

On the other hand, some people believe that owning a car is not a good thing. Cars increase pollution and make the environment dirty. They also believe that cars are much too expensive nowadays and not many people can afford to buy them. People who own cars have to get loans from banks and they end up paying nearly double the price. To own a car, you need to pay for registration every year. You also need to spend money on petrol and to get your car serviced.

When you drive your car, you will need to pay to change the tyres. It is not safe to drive a car that has old tyres. This can cause accidents because you will not be able to stop in time. You also need to have insurance. You pay your insurance company money each year. If you don’t have insurance and you are involved in an accident, you can be in big trouble.

It is both difficult and expensive to park your car especially if you go to the city. If you park your car in the city, you will have to pay a lot of money. You need to check if you are allowed to park where you want or your car can be towed away. If your car is towed away, you will end up paying more than $500 to get it back.

Cars also cause accidents. Every now and then you hear about those drivers who have been drunk. They sometimes kill themselves or other people because they can’t control their cars. You also see some young people who drive at very high speeds. Driving at high speeds is very dangerous.

People who drive cars become overweight. They don’t walk enough and they are less active. Cars make people lazy. People use their cars nowadays to go to nearby shopping centres or take their kids to schools that are not far away. They don’t like to walk any more.

Listen to your classmate and fill in the gaps: 

Most families in Australia ................... cars. Some people own more than one car. Owning a car is really important .................. you want to go to work, do the shopping, ...................... your family members out or do other things.

There are many .................. things about owning a car. First of all, it is easy to travel to different places. You can use your car to go anywhere  any time. In addition to that, .................. can arrive at your destination faster than using public transport. If you ................... a bus or a train, you need to spend some time waiting for them to arrive and you have to .................. some walking too. A car is very important if you look after your elderly grandparents. You sometimes need to take .................... out to go to doctors’ appointments or do other things. It is really hard to go on ..................... or use public transport if you take old people out.

On the other hand, some people believe ..................... owning a car is not a good thing. Cars increase pollution and make the environment dirty. They also believe that cars are much too expensive nowadays and not many people can afford to buy them. People who .................. cars have to get loans from banks and they end up paying nearly double the price. To own a ..................., you need to pay for registration every year. You also need to spend money on ..................... and to get your car serviced.

When you drive your car, you will need to pay to change .................... tyres. It is not safe to drive a car that has old tyres. This can cause accidents because you will not be able to ................... in time. You also need to have insurance. You pay .................... insurance company money each year. If you don’t have insurance and you are involved in an accident, you ..................... be in big trouble.

It is both difficult and expensive to park your ..................... especially if you go to the city. If you park your car in the city, you will have to pay a ................... of money. You need to check if you are allowed to park where you want or your car can be towed away. If your car ................. towed away, you will end up paying more than $500 to .................... it back.

Cars also cause accidents. Every now and .................. you hear about those drivers who have been drunk. They sometimes kill themselves or other .................... because they can’t control their cars. You also see some young people who drive at very ..................... speeds. Driving at high speeds is very dangerous.

People who drive cars become overweight. They don’t ................... enough and they are less active. Cars make people lazy. People use their cars nowadays ................... go to nearby shopping centres or take their kids to schools that are not far away. They don’t ..................... to walk any more. 

Amado

When Amado was a child in Africa, there was a big war in his country. Amado didn’t go to school because it was far away from his home and his parents were afraid for his safety. The war lasted a few years and many people died. Most of the people who died were civilians. They were not army soldiers. Amado hated the war and wanted to go somewhere else where he could go to school and live in peace.


One day, some soldiers came to Amado’s house and took his father away. Amado didn’t know where his father was taken. His mother and sisters were crying. Then after a few weeks, his father came back to the house. He was short of breath and he asked them to go away at once and leave the house.

The soldiers who took Amado’s father away wanted him to carry a gun and kill people. Amado’s father didn’t want to go to war. He didn’t want to kill people. He hated the war and that’s why he ran away from the soldiers.

Amado and his family walked on foot for a few days. They had very little food. They crossed the border at night and went to a different country. They lived as refugees for a few years. Amado couldn’t go back to his country because it was not safe to do so.

At the refugee camp, Amado went to a small school. He learned to read and write. He also did small jobs around the camp. One day Amado’s family had a chance to leave the refugee camp travel to start a new life in Australia.

When Amado came to Australia he didn’t speak English but he was willing to learn. He knew the alphabet and could read some numbers in English but that was not enough. He went to a language school and after a short time, he could say a few sentences. He worked hard to improve his language and after a few years he went to university to study law.

Amado wanted to study law because he wanted to help people from poor countries especially those who have wars in their homelands. Now Amado is in his final year at uni and he hopes to be able to work for the United Nations.

Fill in the gaps:
When Amado was a child in Africa, there was a ...................war in his country. Amado didn’t go to school because it was far away from his home and his parents were afraid ................his safety. The war lasted a few years and many people died. Most of the ....................who died were civilians. They were not army soldiers. Amado hated the war and wanted to .....................somewhere else where he could go to school and live in peace.


One day, some soldiers came to Amado’s ....................and took his father away. Amado didn’t know where his father was taken. His mother and ..........................were crying. Then after a few weeks, his father came back to the house. He was short of breath and he .....................them to go away at once and leave the house.

The soldiers who took Amado’s father ...................wanted him to carry a gun and kill people. Amado’s father didn’t want to go to war. He didn’t want to kill ................... He hated the war and that’s why he ran away from the soldiers.

Amado and his family walked on foot for a ....................days. They had very little food. They crossed the border at night and went to a different country. They lived as refugees ...................a few years. Amado couldn’t go back to his country because it was .....................safe to do so.

At the refugee camp, Amado went ..................a small school. He learned to read and write. He also did small jobs around the camp. One day Amado’s family .................a chance to leave the refugee camp travel to start a new life in Australia.

When Amado came to Australia he didn’t speak ................but he was willing to learn. He knew the alphabet and could read some numbers in English but ......................was not enough. He went to a language school and after a short time, he could say a few sentences. He .................hard to improve his language and after a few years he went to university to study law.

Amado wanted to study law because he wanted ......................help people from poor countries especially ..................who have wars in their homelands. Now Amado is ..................his final year at uni and he hopes to be able to work .......................the United Nations.

Answer these questions:
Why didn't Amado go to school when he was young?
Who died in the war?
What do the soldiers do to Amado's father?
Why did Amado's father run away from the soldiers?
What did Amado's family did after his father returned home?
How did Amado's family travel to a different country?
Where did Amado's family live in the other African country?
Did Amado speak good English when he came to Australia?
What did Amado choose to study when he went to university?
Where would Amado like to work when he finishes his law degree?