Olivia / USA 
Are any areas in your town run down?
Hi, I'm Olivia. I'm originally from Washington DC, and right now I live in London. And my question is, are any areas in your town run down?
And the answer is yes, as is for every area. But particularly in London, it's a really unique place that I've never experienced anywhere else where one street can be really nice and quite affluent and have lovely cafes. And you walk 50 meters down that street and it feels completely different. It literally changes street by street and on the street. In my particular case, I live in Burmansie right near London Bridge, and it's a really nice area. Parts that are quite gentrified, so there's been a lot of money put back into that neighborhood. So lovely shops, lots of people live there. The price of living there is really, really high, but then there's still the remaining parts of the neighborhood that hasn't had that money put back into it.
And so, the corner that I live on has some really, really nice flats and apartments. And then you walk down the road and the community center building that's literally there to help people in the community as an outreach is crumbling and they've had to take it down for construction. And you kind of walk further into that street and you can just kind of feel in the area lots of buildings are falling apart. There's not been as much money put into it. The people who live there might be struggling a little bit more. So yeah, definitely, especially where I live, it changes street by street.
How to Practice Vocabulary
- Review the vocabulary.
- Complete the blanks below with correct words.
- Check your answers. Correct any wrong answers!
run down
Meaning: Old, damaged, or in poor condition.
Examples:
- That part of town looks run down.
- The building is old and run down.
particularly
Meaning: Especially; more than usual.
Examples:
- London is particularly expensive.
- I like fruit, particularly apples.
affluent
Meaning: Rich; having a lot of money.
Examples:
- She lives in an affluent neighborhood.
- That area is quite affluent.
literally
Meaning: Exactly as stated; not exaggerated.
Examples:
- The mood literally changes street by street.
- I was literally five minutes late.
in my particular case
Meaning: For me personally; in my situation.
Examples:
- In my particular case, I live near London Bridge.
- In my particular case, it was different.
gentrified
Meaning: Improved by money and development, often making it more expensive.
Examples:
- The area has become gentrified.
- Old neighborhoods are being gentrified.
put back into
Meaning: Invested again; returned as money or effort.
Examples:
- Money was put back into the neighborhood.
- The city put funds back into public housing.
crumbling
Meaning: Breaking apart; falling into poor condition.
Examples:
- The old building is crumbling.
- The walls were crumbling.
take it down
Meaning: Remove or demolish something.
Examples:
- They had to take the building down.
- Please take down that sign.
falling apart
Meaning: In very bad condition; breaking down.
Examples:
- Some buildings are falling apart.
- The old house is falling apart.
struggling
Meaning: Having difficulty with money, work, or life.
Examples:
- Some families are struggling financially.
- The business is struggling.
Vocabulary Quiz
crumbling • struggling • falling apart
What is the correct word? Listen to the audio to hear the answer!
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