My city opened a new metro line, cutting one commuter's journey from seventy minutes to forty.
/maɪ ˈsɪti ˈoʊpənd ə nju ˈmɛtɹoʊ laɪn, ˈkʌtɪŋ wʌn kəˈmjutɚz ˈd͡ʒɚni fɹʌm ˈsɛvənti ˈmɪnɪts tə ˈfɔɹti./
At first, this looked like a small decision about cities, but its result soon became visible.
/æt fɚst, ðɪs lʊkt laɪk ə smɔl dɪˈsɪʒən əˈbaʊt ˈsɪtiz, bʌt ɪts ɹɪˈzʌlt sun bɪˈkeɪm ˈvɪzɪbəl./
The case raises a broader question: how density creates both opportunity and pressure.
/ðə keɪs ˈɹeɪzɪz ə ˈbɹɔdɚ ˈkwɛst͡ʃən: haʊ ˈdɛnsɪti kɹiˈeɪts boʊθ ˌɑpɚˈtunɪti ænd ˈpɹɛʃɚ./
A recent example changed how people understood cities.
/ə ˈɹisənt ɪɡˈzæmpəl t͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒd haʊ ˈpipəl ˌʌndɚˈstʊd ˈsɪtiz./
The example draws attention to an urban area, which can shape how people respond to cities.
/ðə ɪɡˈzæmpəl dɹɔz əˈtɛnʃən tə ən ˈɚbən ˈɛɹiə, wɪt͡ʃ kən ʃeɪp haʊ ˈpipəl ɹɪˈspɑnd tə ˈsɪtiz./
A closer look at a traffic congestion reveals a practical side of cities that general opinions often miss.
/ə ˈkloʊsɚ lʊk æt ə ˈtɹæfɪk kənˈd͡ʒɛst͡ʃən ɹɪˈvilz ə ˈpɹæktɪkəl saɪd əv ˈsɪtiz ðæt ˈd͡ʒɛnɚəl əˈpɪnjənz ˈɔftən mɪs./
A practical solution to cities should fit local needs and remain realistic over time.
/ə ˈpɹæktɪkəl səˈluʃən tə ˈsɪtiz ʃʊd fɪt ˈloʊkəl nidz ænd ɹɪˈmeɪn ˌɹiəˈlɪstɪk ˈoʊvɚ taɪm./
A positive change in cities becomes credible when people can explain how it happened.
/ə ˈpɑzɪtɪv t͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ ɪn ˈsɪtiz bɪˈkʌmz ˈkɹɛdɪbəl wɛn ˈpipəl kən ɪkˈspleɪn haʊ ɪt ˈhæpənd./
Practical support can help people respond to cities without removing individual responsibility.
/ˈpɹæktɪkəl səˈpɔɹt kən hɛlp ˈpipəl ɹɪˈspɑnd tə ˈsɪtiz wɪˈðaʊt ɹiˈmuvɪŋ ˌɪndɪˈvɪd͡ʒuəl ɹiˌspɑnsɪˈbɪləti./
For an individual, the first useful step is to describe what actually happened instead of offering a vague opinion.
/fɚ ən ˌɪndɪˈvɪd͡ʒuəl, ðə fɚst ˈjusfəl stɛp ɪz tə dɪˈskɹaɪb wʌt ˈækt͡ʃəli ˈhæpənd ɪnˈstɛd əv ˈɔfɚɪŋ ə veɪɡ əˈpɪnjən./
One concrete detail creates a picture, a reason explains its meaning, and a result gives the account a natural ending.
/wʌn ˈkɑŋkɹit ˈditeɪl kɹiˈeɪts ə ˈpɪkt͡ʃɚ, ə ˈɹizən ɪkˈspleɪnz ɪts ˈminɪŋ, ænd ə ɹɪˈzʌlt ɡɪvz ðə əˈkaʊnt ə ˈnæt͡ʃɚəl ˈɛndɪŋ./
This simple structure makes the idea easier to understand, remember, and retell in your own words.
/ðɪs ˈsɪmpəl ˈstɹʌkt͡ʃɚ meɪks ðə aɪˈdiə ˈiziɚ tə ˌʌndɚˈstænd, ɹɪˈmɛmbɚ, ænd ɹiˈtɛl ɪn jʊɹ oʊn wɚdz./
The effect of cities may vary according to a person's needs, resources, and circumstances.
/ðə ɪˈfɛkt əv ˈsɪtiz meɪ ˈvɛɹi əˈkɔɹdɪŋ tə ə ˈpɚsənz nidz, ˈɹisɔɹsɪz, ænd ˈsɚkəmˌstænsɪz./
An important effect can change how people understand and respond to cities.
/ən ɪmˈpɔɹtənt ɪˈfɛkt kən t͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ haʊ ˈpipəl ˌʌndɚˈstænd ænd ɹɪˈspɑnd tə ˈsɪtiz./
When discussing cities, people should explain why a possible solution matters.
/wɛn dɪˈskʌsɪŋ ˈsɪtiz, ˈpipəl ʃʊd ɪkˈspleɪn waɪ ə ˈpɑsəbəl səˈluʃən ˈmætɚz./
However, an early success can hide a cost that appears later.
/ˌhaʊˈɛvɚ, ən ˈɚli səkˈsɛs kən haɪd ə kɔst ðæt əˈpɪɹz ˈleɪtɚ./
This matters because the decision changes what people can do in ordinary life.
/ðɪs ˈmætɚz bɪˈkʌz ðə dɪˈsɪʒən ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒɪz wʌt ˈpipəl kən du ɪn ˈɔɹdɪˌnɛɹi laɪf./
The most practical lesson is that cities should be judged through real effects rather than attractive slogans.
/ðə moʊst ˈpɹæktɪkəl ˈlɛsən ɪz ðæt ˈsɪtiz ʃʊd bi d͡ʒʌd͡ʒd θɹu ɹil ɪˈfɛkts ˈɹæðɚ ðən əˈtɹæktɪv ˈsloʊɡənz./
A useful explanation also distinguishes what one person can change from what requires support from a larger institution.
/ə ˈjusfəl ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən ˈɔlsoʊ dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪz wʌt wʌn ˈpɚsən kən t͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ fɹʌm wʌt ɹiˈkwaɪɚz səˈpɔɹt fɹʌm ə ˈlɑɹd͡ʒɚ ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃən./
Good decisions connect a clear purpose with evidence, human experience, and the willingness to revise a weak approach.
/ɡʊd dɪˈsɪʒənz kəˈnɛkt ə klɪɹ ˈpɚpəs wɪθ ˈɛvədəns, ˈhjumən ɪkˈspɪɹiəns, ænd ðə ˈwɪlɪŋnəs tə ɹɪˈvaɪz ə wik əˈpɹoʊt͡ʃ./
When those parts stay connected, the topic becomes easier to discuss in daily conversation and in an IELTS answer.
/wɛn ðoʊz pɑɹts steɪ kəˈnɛktɪd, ðə ˈtɑpɪk bɪˈkʌmz ˈiziɚ tə dɪˈskʌs ɪn ˈdeɪli ˌkɑnvɚˈseɪʃən ænd ɪn ən aɪ ɛl ti ɛs ˈænsɚ./