Topic vocabulary: The built environment |
| built-up (adj) |
a built-up area has a lot of buildings in it |
This area has become really quite built-up over the last few years. |
| bypass (v) |
to avoid the centre of a town or city by using a road that goes round it |
If we take the other road, we can bypass Reading altogether. |
| bypass (n) |
a road that goes round a town or city so that you can avoid going through its centre |
I don't think they'll ever finish the new bypass. |
| construct (v) |
to build something large or complicated, such as a bridge or road |
We plan to construct a new bridge across the river. |
| demolish (v) |
to deliberately destroy a building |
They've demolished my old school. |
| district (n) |
an area of a town or country |
It's quite a nice district to live in. |
| dwell (v) |
to live somewhere |
The little old man dwelt in a run-down cottage. |
| estate (n) |
an area where there are many houses, usually built at the same time by the same company |
There's a lot of crime on this estate. |
| evict (v) |
to legally force someone to leave the house they are living in, usually because they have not paid their rent |
The letter says they're going to evict us. |
| high-rise (adj) |
a high-rise building is very tall with many floors or levels |
I couldn't live in a high-rise block. |
| housing (n) |
buildings for people to live in |
The government needs to build more housing for the poor. |
| infrastructure (n) |
the set of systems within a place or organisation that affect how well it operates, for example the telephone and transport systems in a country |
During the war, a lot of the infrastructure of the country was destroyed. |
| inner city (n phr) |
an area near the centre of a large city where a lot of poverty and other social problems exist |
There's some very interesting music coming out of the inner city these days. |
| occupy (v) |
if someone occupies a room, building, area of land, seat, bed or other place during a period of time, they use it |
Patients with minor illnesses are occupying beds that are needed for more serious cases. |
| populated (adj) |
a populated area has people living there |
Luckily, the fire didn't spread to populated areas. |
| skyline (n) |
the shapes made by buildings or mountains when you see them against the sky |
I love the London skyline. |
| skyscraper (n) |
a very tall building containing offices or flats |
Skyscrapers started to appear in the 1930s. |
| structure (n) |
something large such as a building or a bridge that is built from different parts |
The large structure outside town is going to be the new stadium. |
| suburban (adj) |
relating to an area or town near a large city but away from its centre, where there are many houses, especially for middle-class people |
Many people would love to live in suburban areas but can't afford it. |
| surroundings (n pl) |
all the things that are present in a place and that form the experience of being there |
I wish I lived in more pleasant surroundings. |
| urban (adj) |
relating to towns and cities, or happening there |
There needs to be more investment in urban areas. |
