**spring up**, To appear, develop, or be built suddenly and quickly, especially in large numbers. Often used about businesses, buildings, cafés, housing estates, or new areas of activity., **a real buzz**, A strong feeling of energy, excitement, activity, or popularity around a place, event, or idea. It suggests that people are talking about it and something interesting is happening there., **grand houses**, Large, impressive, often old or expensive houses that suggest wealth, elegance, or high social status., **gated apartments**, Apartment buildings or residential complexes that are protected by gates, walls, security guards, entry codes, or private access. They are often associated with wealth, safety, and exclusivity., **transport infrastructure**, The physical systems and services that allow people to travel around a city or region, such as roads, railways, buses, trams, metro lines, stations, bridges, and cycle lanes., **trams**, Electric vehicles that run on tracks, usually through city streets, carrying passengers as part of public transport., **a metro system**, An underground or partly underground railway system used for public transport in a large city. In British English, people may also say **the underground** or **the Tube** in London., **run smoothly**, To operate without serious problems, delays, confusion, or interruptions. Used about transport, events, systems, machines, businesses, or plans., **smog**, Dirty, polluted air that looks like fog or haze, usually caused by traffic fumes, industrial pollution, and certain weather conditions., **choke on the fumes**, To find it difficult to breathe because of strong, unpleasant, or poisonous gases, smoke, or exhaust fumes., **not a trace of**, No sign or evidence of something at all. It emphasizes that something is completely absent., **littering**, The act of dropping rubbish in a public place instead of putting it in a bin. It is often treated as an offence and may lead to a fine., **grind to a halt**, To slow down and stop completely, usually gradually and because of a problem. Often used about traffic, transport, work, negotiations, or systems., **sound your horn**, To press the horn in a car or other vehicle to make a loud warning noise. More natural everyday alternatives are **honk your horn** or **beep your horn**., **experience gentrification**, To go through a process where a poorer or working-class area becomes more fashionable and expensive as wealthier people move in, new businesses open, and property prices rise. It can improve buildings and services, but it may also push out original residents., **settle down**, To start living a more stable life in one place, often for a long time. In city-life contexts, it means choosing an area as your home and becoming part of the local community., **somewhat neglected**, Not properly looked after or maintained, but not completely abandoned. **Somewhat** softens the meaning and means “rather” or “to some extent.”, **derelict buildings**, Buildings that are empty, abandoned, damaged, and in very poor condition because nobody has looked after them., **residential developments**, New housing projects or areas built for people to live in. They may include houses, apartment blocks, roads, parking areas, gardens, and local services., **the outskirts of the city**, The outer areas of a city, away from the centre, often closer to suburbs, countryside, or less densely built areas., **crammed into**, Packed tightly into a small space, usually with too many people, buildings, or objects. It often suggests discomfort, overcrowding, or poor planning., **dark and dingy**, Dark, dirty, unpleasant, and depressing-looking. Often used about rooms, streets, cafés, corridors, old buildings, or cheap hotels.

CITIES 1A

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