Vocabulary in a context
What does “to bump into someone” mean?
To meet someone unexpectedly.
What does the suffix -less mean?
Without.
How many islets is Venice made up of?
121 islets.
Give two causes of widespread insecurity mentioned in the text.
Possible answers: war, ethnic hatred, terrorism, drug trafficking, extremism, corruption.
Give a synonym for devastating.
Destructive / catastrophic / disastrous.
What does “plunged” mean in the sentence “areas have plunged into violence”?
To suddenly fall or enter into a difficult or dangerous situation.
Give two examples of words ending in -less.
Possible answers: hopeless, fearless, careless, homeless, endless, useless, priceless.
Why are tree trunks used in Venice’s construction?
They become hard as rock due to mineralization underwater.
What does “to wreak havoc” mean?
To cause great destruction or chaos.
Rephrase: “Venice is very beautiful.” (Make it more sophisticated.)
Venice is remarkably picturesque / breathtakingly beautiful / architecturally stunning.
Explain the expression “to make both ends meet.”
To have enough money to pay for basic living expenses.
What is the difference between countless and a handful of?
Countless = too many to count.
A handful of = a small number
Why is Venice called “the floating city”?
Because it is built on wooden piles over water and has canals instead of streets.
What is the opposite of reliable?
Unreliable.
Create a conditional sentence about insecurity in cities.
If governments invested more in education, crime rates would decrease.
Create a sentence using: renowned, winding, or devastating.
Open answer
Transform the sentence using a word with -less:
“There was no hope in the situation.”
The situation was hopeless.
Why is Venice considered a romantic destination? Give two reasons.
artistic richness, architecture, canals, history, charm, atmosphere.
Do you think insecurity is increasing globally? Why or why not?
Opinion answer – must justify with argument
Combine the sentences:
“Violence is increasing. Governments are concerned.”
As violence is increasing, governments are concerned.
OR Governments are concerned about the rise in violence.
Rewrite the sentence using a more advanced synonym:
“The situation caused a lot of problems.”
he situation wreaked havoc / caused devastating consequences / triggered severe disruption.
Change the word in parentheses:
“The city suffers from extreme (poor).”
The city suffers from extreme poverty.
Explain why Venice is considered architecturally unique compared to most cities.
Because it has no traditional streets, is built on water, connected by bridges and canals, historic buildings over wooden foundations, etc.
Discuss: Is poverty more damaging than violence in the long term? Justify your answer.
Opinion with argumentation required.
Mini debate (1 minute per student):
“Tourism does more harm than good to historic cities.”
Students must argue for or against using advanced vocabulary.