city

Everyday

1. A city is a very large town where many people live and work. tree →
2. The city can mean the people who live there. tree →
3. In some countries a city is a town that has been given that special title, often because it has a cathedral. tree →

In the lessons

a setting; people in a city (large numbers), distances between cities, buses or trains between cities; in geography cities have tall buildings, many roads, offices, museums and parks; in everyday life and safety: busy streets, crossing at lights, public transport; phrases: «city centre» (UK) / «downtown» (US), «capital city», «city hall»

Examples

• The city has 45,000 people. tree →
• The two cities are 120 miles apart. tree →
• A train goes from one city to another. tree →
• How far is it to the city? tree →
• London is the capital city of the United Kingdom. tree →
• We visited a museum in the city centre. tree →
• Many people in the city take the bus or the subway to work. tree →
• At night the city lights shine for miles. tree →
• Sydney is the biggest city in Australia. tree →
• “Where is this city?” asked Dorothy. tree →

Note

A word of the story; large numbers (thousands) often belong to the population. Trap: a distance «between two cities» is counted once. Plural: cities (y → ies). Size order: village < town < city. A city's name starts with a capital letter.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it can be a small walled town and not only a big place. Special cities were set aside as cities of refuge.

Interpretation. Tradition says the six cities of refuge let someone who killed by accident flee from revenge. They show that the law cared about both justice and mercy.

Examples

• And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. (Torah EXO.1.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran; fortified cities, and folds for sheep. (Torah NUM.32.36, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they brought him forth, and set him without the city. (Torah GEN.19.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they built the city, and dwelt therein. (Prophets JDG.18.28, JPS 1917) tree →
• Who will bring me into the fortified city? (Writings PSA.60.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• How is the faithful city become a harlot! (Prophets ISA.1.21, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A word of the story; large numbers (thousands) often belong to the population. Trap: a distance «between two cities» is counted once. Plural: cities (y → ies). Size order: village < town < city. A city's name starts with a capital letter.