Create Walkable Cities - Reading Worksheet 1

1. Read paragraph 1. Notice and underline:
a. Use one color to underline the narrator’s actions (what she does).
b. Use another color to underline the city descriptions (what the city is like).
c. Look at your underlining. What do these details suggest about:

• Who the narrator might be.
• What kind of city is being described.
• What the atmosphere feels like.

d. Talk with a partner: Why might the narrator begin the article with this scene?

2. Read paragraph 2 carefully.
a. Underline the two places being compared. Which country/scene is the first paragraph describing?
b. Circle the word that shows there is a change or contrast.
c. What does this signal word tell us about the difference between the two places?
d. Read the sentence:
“Living in a walkable community… is not a possibility for many Americans.”

• Think about what you know about life in U.S. cities (transport, distances, cars).
• Write one short reason why this is “not a possibility.”
• Share your idea with a partner.

3. Read the rest of the article.
a. Take out the list you made before reading: Advantages of walkable cities.
Put a ✓ next to any ideas from your list that appear in the text. Add new advantages you discover while reading.
b. For each paragraph:

• Underline 2-3 key words that show the most important idea.
  
• Write these words in the table below. You can draw the chart in your notebook, fill it in online or download it.
  
• Use the words to write one sentence in your own words.