Unit 8 · Technology & Future · Lesson 38
Smart Cities
Learn to describe complex urban systems using relative clauses and passives. You'll debate smart city benefits so you can talk about tech in cities.
Warm-up · §1
5 minGet talking
One thing tech has actually improved in your city (or one thing it's ruined).
Would you accept free public transport in exchange for full journey tracking? Why / why not?
Rank most useful smart-city tech: traffic sensors, air quality, CCTV, public wifi, cashless transit.
Grammar focus · §2
8–10 minReduced relative clauses
Quick rule
Drop 'which is/are' + '-ing / -ed' works alone. Active → -ing form. Passive → past participle.
Pattern builder
Active reduction
noun + verb-ing
e.g. Cars using the tunnel pay a toll.
Passive reduction
noun + past participle
e.g. Data collected daily is anonymised.
Full → reduced
which is / who are + verb
e.g. Sensors [which are] fitted to lamp posts monitor pollution.
Compare
| Full | Reduced | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| The buses which are fitted with sensors | The buses fitted with sensors | Reduced = tighter, more academic |
| Passengers who are using apps | Passengers using apps | Reduced = smoother in speech and writing |
Examples
- →
Sensors installed at every junction feed the traffic system. (which are installed)
- →
Passengers using contactless cards pay slightly less. (who are using)
- →
A dashboard showing air quality in real time is displayed downtown. (which shows)
- →
Data collected by the buses is anonymous. (which is collected)
- →
Cyclists riding through the low-emission zone are prioritised. (who are riding)
Common mistakes
The cars using are the tunnel pay a toll.
✓ The cars using the tunnel pay a toll.
'Using' replaces 'which are using' — don't keep 'are'.
The data collecting daily is anonymised.
✓ The data collected daily is anonymised.
Passive meaning ('is collected') → past participle 'collected', not '-ing'.
Natural English
Reduced clauses are all over signs and headlines: 'Cyclists using this lane must dismount' — it's short, direct, unambiguous.
Deep dive (full explanation)
Long descriptions in city and tech writing use REDUCED relative clauses — dropping 'which is / who are' to sound tighter. Great for essays, reviews and formal speech.
Question 1.Which is a correct REDUCED clause?
Question 2.'Data ___ by the app is stored securely.'
Question 3.'Passengers ___ contactless cards board faster.'
Question 4.Full form of: 'Cameras fitted to lamp posts monitor traffic.'
Question 5.Which is WRONG?
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Which is a correct REDUCED clause?
Quick check 2.'Data ___ by the app is stored securely.'
Vocabulary · §3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
smart city
a city that uses tech and data to run better.
sensor
a device that detects and reports information.
infrastructure
the basic physical systems of a city (roads, power, water).
congestion
too much traffic causing slow movement.
low-emission zone
an area where polluting vehicles are restricted.
cashless
using card or phone only, no cash.
surveillance
close observation, often by cameras or systems.
data-driven
based on collected data and evidence.
commute
regular travel between home and work.
sustainable
able to continue without damaging the environment.
urban planning
designing how a city grows and works.
trade-off
a compromise where you accept losing X to gain Y.
Activate it now
Use each word about a real city you know.
- Make it yours#1
Describe your own commute — is it more or less painful than it was five years ago?
commutecongestion - Your view#2
Are low-emission zones fair to lower-income drivers?
low-emission zonetrade-off - Rank#3
Rank most needed in your city: sensors, cashless transit, cycling infrastructure, real-time data.
sensorinfrastructurecashless - Complete#4
Finish: 'The smartest thing my city has done is ___ because ___.'
smart citydata-driven - Discuss#5
Where does 'smart city' stop being useful and start being surveillance?
surveillancetrade-off
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · §4
3–4 minWeak forms in noun phrases
In long noun phrases, unstressed words weaken: 'a low-emission zone' → 'a lo-w-eMISH-in ZONE'; 'urban planning' → 'ER-bin PLAN-ing'. Stress lands on the content words, not the little ones.
- a low-eMISS-ion ZONE
- SMART city INfrastructure
- DAta-driven urban PLANning
- REAL-time TRAFfic SENsors
- CASHless PUBlic TRANSport
Reading · §5
8–10 minThe City That Watches
Listen to the passage
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
In Barcelona, sensors fitted to lamp posts count pedestrians, measure air quality and adjust street lighting after midnight. Buses running the busiest routes send real-time data to a central dashboard, and the passengers using the city's contactless card get a small discount. On paper, it's the model 'smart city'. And yet, ask a resident how their commute feels, and the answer is more mixed. The traffic scheme launched in 2020 cut congestion by roughly 20% — but pushed it into neighbouring streets. The low-emission zone reduced pollution, but hit older drivers hardest. The dashboards look impressive; the trade-offs are less visible. The useful debate isn't 'smart or not smart'. It's 'who benefits, and who pays'. Data collected by any city has to serve the residents generating it, not just the systems processing it. Every sensor installed is a small choice — about what to measure, what to ignore, and who gets to see the result. A data-driven city can be fairer. It can also be a very polite form of surveillance. The line between the two is thinner than the brochures suggest.
Question 1.By how much did the 2020 traffic scheme cut congestion?
Question 2.Who did the low-emission zone hit hardest?
Question 3.According to the writer, the useful question is…
Question 4.What is the writer's final warning?
Q1.Barcelona's contactless card gives passengers a small discount.
Q2.The 2020 scheme improved traffic everywhere equally.
Q3.The writer thinks data-driven cities can be fairer AND more surveillance-heavy.
Listening · §6
8–10 minA resident interviewed about her city (about 1:20)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Reporter:How has the smart city scheme affected your commute?
Mia:Honestly, mixed. The buses using the new routes are much faster.
Reporter:And the low-emission zone?
Mia:The air quality data collected downtown is genuinely better. My mum's asthma has improved.
Reporter:Any downsides?
Mia:My uncle drives a fifteen-year-old van. The fee added to older vehicles has almost stopped him working.
Reporter:So a trade-off?
Mia:Exactly. Data-driven planning is fine as long as the people generating the data actually benefit.
Reporter:What about surveillance?
Mia:I don't mind cameras counting bikes. I do mind cameras tracking faces. There's a line, and it's not always clear.
Question 1.What is faster for Mia now?
Question 2.Who was hurt by the low-emission zone?
Question 3.What kind of surveillance does she object to?
Question 4.Her overall view?
Exam skills · §7
5 minStrategy focus — Describing systems in Speaking
Task
Weak: 'The city has cameras and the cameras watch things.' Strong: uses reduced relative clauses to pack info in.
Strategy
Turn two sentences into one with a reduced clause: 'Sensors fitted to lamp posts measure air quality.' Aim for at least two per minute in longer answers.
Example
The city has sensors installed at every major junction, feeding data to a real-time dashboard used by planners. Buses running the busiest routes are prioritised at lights, and passengers using contactless cards pay a small discount.
Practice · §8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.Data ___ by the app is anonymous.
Question 2.Passengers ___ contactless cards board quicker.
Question 3.The scheme cut traffic ___ significantly.
Question 4.A ___-driven approach uses evidence, not guesses.
Question 5.Every convenience is a small ___-off.
Question 6.Cyclists ___ the low-emission zone are prioritised.
Q1.Fill: 'Sensors f___ to lamp posts measure pollution.' (past participle)
Q2.Fill: 'Buses r___ the busiest routes are faster.' (-ing)
Q3.'Too much traffic' = c___.
Writing · §9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 130–170 word paragraph on whether your city should become 'smarter'. Use at least THREE reduced relative clauses and FIVE items of smart-city vocabulary.
Your answer
Show model answer
My city should become smarter — carefully. Congestion is genuinely damaging quality of life, and buses running fixed routes could clearly move faster with sensor-controlled lights. Data collected from real journeys would help planners target the streets used most. At the same time, I'd resist an expensive dashboard showing pretty numbers while the trade-offs stay hidden. A low-emission zone launched too fast would hit older drivers hardest — the people generating the data must actually see benefits, or the whole idea collapses politically. On surveillance, I'd draw a line. Cameras counting bikes and buses are fine. Cameras tracking faces are not. Cashless transit should be optional, not compulsory, because cash is still what many low-paid workers rely on. A smart city, done well, is fairer and more sustainable. Done badly, it's a polite form of surveillance dressed up as urban planning. The choice, honestly, is ours to make.
Speaking · §10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
ROLEPLAY — Advising a mayor. Your teacher/partner plays a mayor and asks: 'Should we make our city smarter?' Answer in 60–90 seconds using THREE reduced relative clauses and FIVE smart-city vocabulary items.
Useful phrases
- • Sensors fitted to ___
- • Data collected by ___
- • Buses running ___
- • The trade-off is ___
- • A low-emission zone launched ___
- • The residents generating the data ___
- MayorWe want to invest in smart city tech. What should we start with?
- You_______________
- MayorWhat about a low-emission zone?
- You_______________
- MayorAny concerns?
- You_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Optional group extensions. ~20 min total
Homework · §11
Take-homeTake it home
Write a 150-word paragraph on smart city trade-offs using three reduced relative clauses.
Record a 60-second voice note describing one smart-city feature you've seen and how it works.
Write true sentences with: sensor, congestion, low-emission zone, cashless, surveillance, trade-off.
Watch a 3-minute urban tech news clip and note two reduced relative clauses.
Recap · §12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- You can use reduced relative clauses (–ing / past participle).
- You can describe urban tech and infrastructure with B2 vocabulary.
- You can weigh smart-city trade-offs in a structured argument.
- You're ready for Lesson 39 — 'Privacy Online'.