06 02 social sciences u1b

Module

1B

Dirty Transport

Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is a planned city. It
is a clear example of a city designed according to
modernist urban theories of architects and urban
planners. It was built in record time –three years,
from 1957 to 1960– and planned in relation to
Brazil’s need to conquer physically, culturally and
economically its own continent-sized country.
However, its population is growing at a much
higher rate than predicted.
Today, Brasilia is surrounded by many satellite
cities, some of them planned and others
developed over the years according to needs.
This unanticipated change has important
consequences for traffic flow. Originally, people
would take thoroughfares to cover long distances
and loops to get to specific places. Consequently,
there was no need for traffic lights. Nowadays, the
system of thoroughfares and loops is still in use
but there are traffic jams and not enough parking

places. Traffic lights are now present as well.
Distances are great and people use cars and taxis
to commute daily from one place to another.
There are other options in relation to means of
transport. As regards buses, Inter-State buses

originally stopped at the Central Station. At
present, there is a Central Bus Station for urban
buses and Inter-State buses stop at Estação
Rodoferroviária (Bus and Railroad Station). This
division is necessary due to the growth of the
city. There is also a subway system –which has
a station within the bus station– and it is very
fast and clean. It connects the largest satellite
cities with the Pilot Plan. But there are still many
stations which are not operational.
In 1987, UNESCO declared Brasilia a world
heritage site. While this situation helps preserve
the place, it also poses problems for the need to
adapt the modern plan to present demands.

Did you know that Brasilia has the shape of an airplane? The wings are formed
by the residential areas and the cockpit is occupied by the political centre.

Activities
1Read the text and choose the correct option.
aBrasilia (remains the same / does not remain the same) as in the ‘60s.
bThere (are / are not) unplanned satellite cities.
cThere (are / are not) enough parking places.
d People (only use / do not only use) cars to move from one place to another.
e(Some / All) subway stations are now working.
English Toolkit 1 - Social Sciences

Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

Modernist Urban Theories

Module

1B
2Lucio Costa was the main urban planner of Brasilia. Complete his
ideas using the verbs in brackets ( ) in the Simple Future.
aI
(design) Brasilia according to modernist theories.
bWith this plan, people
(not get) stuck in traffic.
cWe
(build) the city in five years.
d There
(be) thoroughfares and loops to regulate traffic.
eThere
(not be) traffic lights.

3 What do the words in bold refer to?

c …planned in relation to Brazil’s need to conquer physically, culturally and
economically its own continent-sized country.
d There is also a subway system —which has a station within the bus station—
and it is very fast and clean.
eBut there are still many stations which are not operational.

4Complete this form about your city.
My City
Name:
Province:

Country:
Founder:
Date:
Present population:
Important monuments:
Important people born / living there:
Characteristics:
It has got...
...a village cinema.
...a shopping centre.
...a pedestrian precinct.

Yes
Yes
Yes

No
No
No

5Use the information in activity 4 to write a
report about your city.

English Toolkit 1 - Social Sciences

Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A. / Richmond 2011

aBrasilia is a planned city, its population is growing at a much higher rate than
predicted.
b Today, Brasilia is surrounded by many satellite cities; some of them are planned.