STANAG 6001 Level 3 – Speaking Task (Discussion): Factors Discouraging People from Living in a City
Examination Task
There are many factors which may discourage people from living in a city. Look at the list below. Discuss the different factors and try to decide which of them is the most and the least influential. Be ready to justify your choice.
- Pollution
- Congestion
- Crime
Sample Discussion
A: Living in a city offers many opportunities, but there are also several factors that may discourage people from staying there. Let’s discuss pollution, congestion, and crime, and try to decide which of them is the most and the least influential. Shall we begin with pollution?
B: Yes, definitely. In many countries, including Poland, one of the main causes of poor air quality in cities is the heating of residential buildings. People burn coal, wood, but also waste such as product packaging, plastic bottles, and other rubbish, which causes toxic air pollution and releases dangerous substances into the atmosphere, significantly worsening air quality and posing serious health risks.
A: That’s true. Awareness of the harmful effects of burning waste is limited, penalties are ridiculously low, and in practice they are difficult to enforce. There is also still not enough social pressure on people who burn waste in private households. A significant source of air pollution is also industry. Undoubtedly, facilities such as steelworks, coke plants, and thermal power plants significantly contribute to pollutant emissions. Another major source of pollution is transport, especially vehicles with combustion engines, which produce large amounts of exhaust fumes and significantly worsen air quality in cities.
B: It’s true. What makes air pollution particularly serious is that it affects almost everyone, but especially vulnerable groups such as children, elderly people, pregnant women, and those suffering from heart or lung diseases. Long-term exposure to pollution can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and even weaken the immune system.
A: So pollution is not just an environmental issue – it’s a major public health concern. And what’s worse, it’s very difficult to avoid. Even staying indoors does not fully protect people from poor air quality.
B: I completely agree. Now, let’s move to congestion. I would say it mainly affects people’s daily comfort and efficiency. Long commuting times, traffic jams, and overcrowded public transport can be very stressful.
A: Yes, congestion also increases the number of traffic accidents and means it takes longer to get to your destination. People are often late to work and can miss travel connections like planes or trains. Moreover, congestion contributes to air pollution, which makes the overall problem even more complex.
B: That’s true, but I think congestion is still more manageable than the other factors. People in big cities can adapt by working remotely, changing their schedules, or using alternative means of transport such as the underground or a bicycle.
A: I agree. Now, let’s consider crime. In my opinion, crime has a strong psychological impact, especially when it comes to people’s sense of safety.
B: That’s a good point. However, it is worth mentioning that in Poland, there has been a steady decrease in crime rates in recent years. This suggests that preventive measures and police actions have been relatively effective.
A: Yes, that’s an important observation. Also, the most commonly recorded offences are criminal offences and property-related crimes. Moreover, not all crimes affect people in the same way. Serious crimes, such as murder or child kidnapping, cause much greater fear than economic crimes like corruption or tax evasion.
B: Exactly. So even if the overall number of crimes is decreasing, the perception of safety may still depend on the type of crime and how often it occurs in a given area. For example, a single serious crime can have a stronger psychological impact than many minor incidents.
A: That’s very true. So, taking everything into account, I would say that pollution is still the most influential factor, because it affects everyone continuously and has long-term health consequences.
B: I agree. Pollution seems to be the most universal and unavoidable problem. As for the least influential factor, I would choose congestion, since people can adapt to it more easily compared to the health risks of pollution and the psychological impact of crime.
A: Yes, that sounds reasonable. So, to sum up, pollution is the most influential factor due to its impact on health, crime is in second place because of its effect on people’s sense of security, and congestion, although problematic, is the least influential.
B: Exactly. I think this is the right way to approach this topic.
Photo: View of Seville from the Guadalquivir River