ESL Podcast 958 - Selecting a Neighborhood to Live In

downtown - the center of a city, especially where there are a lot of businesses

The train station is downtown, near several hotels.

on foot - walking; without using a vehicle

They live close to the school, so their kids can go on foot or by bike.

amenities - a useful or desirable feature that makes something more attractive, comfortable, or enjoyable

This cruise ship has wonderful amenities, including several restaurants, two bars, dance clubs, pools, exercise rooms, and more.

bustling - very busy, with a lot of movement and interest, especially with many people moving through an area

The stores are bustling with holiday shoppers in December, but there weren't as many people in the mall during other times of the year.

crime rate - the number of crimes that happen over a period of time divided by the number of people living in that area

The police chief is trying to lower the crime rate by having more police officers walking and driving around this neighborhood, especially late at night.

proximity to - closeness; a measure of how near two things are to each other

It's difficult to find an affordable apartment with proximity to public transportation.

open space - an undeveloped area; an area in or near a city with many plants and without buildings

The city has a lot of regulations that prevent developers from building homes in the remaining open spaces.

commute time - the amount of time one spends traveling between home and work or school

If the city starts to build a new bridge, the construction delays might double our commute time.

public transportation - the system of buses, subways, trains, ferries, and more that are operated by a city or county to take people where they want to go

If the city had a better public transportation system, we wouldn't need to have two cars.

to settle down - to move to a place and stay there for a long time, becoming comfortable and familiar with the area

When Hannah was in her 20s, she traveled all over the world, but now she's ready to settle down and start a family.

suburbs - the areas surrounding a city center, where homes are larger and more spread out, with fewer large office buildings

This whole area used to be farmland, but in the past few years it has been developed into suburbs of McQuillan City.

character - traits or characteristics that make a person or thing different from others and more interesting

Old homes require a lot of repairs and maintenance, but they have more character than new homes.

cookie-cutter - identical; a phrase used to describe many objects, especially homes, that are exactly the same or very similar

The street has cookie-cutter homes with the same floor plan, but at least they're painted different colors.

nightlife - activities and events that happen in a city at night, especially at dance clubs, bars, parks, and outdoor festivals

This city needs more nightlife. I wish someone would open up some new restaurants and bars!

to lounge - to relax, especially sitting in a relaxed position or lying down

What could be better than lounging near an outdoor pool on a summer day?

close-knit community - a group of people who have strong relationships and participate in shared activities

This neighborhood is a close-knit community where the children play together and the adults often cook meals for each other.