What if you could not afford to move away from home? What if you found yourself on the wrong side of thirty and still living at your parents’? Would you migrate to one of Spain’s numerous ghost towns? Would you leave behind all the hustle and bustle of city life, friends and Bizum for the tranquility and fresh air of somewhere well off the beaten track?

In this listening activity, you have a short video that deals with one of the many parts of Spain that is rapidly becoming deserted.

But before you dive into the experience, let’s learn some expressions that you will hear in this video. Look at the expressions below, do you know the meaning of them?

You can do the following quiz to match the description to the descriptions above.

Created by blogdeserena

B2 Pre-listening Spain's population dilemma

Have you had a look at the collocation list above?

If your answer is yes, then you're ready for this vocabulary/collocation activity. Read and write in the answer. It can be one or two words.

Activity by Serena

An adjective meaning beautiful and charming.

a _____________ town.

Check

An initiative or plan aimed at increasing the number of people living in a particular area or region.

a __________

Clue: two words

Check

Worries or issues related to the well-being and protection of people in a certain place or situation.

Check

Regions or countryside locations that are sparsely populated and have a more agricultural or natural landscape.

Check

Local government bodies responsible for managing and providing services to a specific area or community.

Check

A series of promotional activities and materials designed to promote a product, service, or idea to a target audience.

an______________

Clue: write two words

Check

Classrooms that are filled to capacity with students, making it difficult for them to move around or receive individual attention from the teacher.

___________ classrooms

Check

A sudden and significant increase in the number of people living in a certain place or country.

a _______ __________________

Check

Your score is

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Right! Now you have seen what the expressions above mean, how do you think they will be related to the video you are about to watch? Try to predict what the video is going to be about before playing and after, select the best option.

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Created by blogdeserena

B2 Listening Spain's population dilemma

You will watch a video from  AI Jazeera English

Listen and choose the best option  according to what you hear.

 

Activity by Serena

Watch and choose the best option below.

Why did Virginie Benhamou decide to move to Prat de Compte?

She was offered a job managing a hostel.

She wanted her daughter to have a safer environment.

She wanted to escape the crowded city life.

What disadvantage is mentioned concerning Love, Virginie's daugter?

The streets are not as safe as where she lived before.

She has fewer friends.

She cannot swim.

What do government statistics show concerning declining population in some areas of Spain?

That villages of less than 1000 inhabitants are becoming deserted.

That rural areas are becoming deserted.

That cities and towns are becoming deserted.

What is the purpose of the European Union's repopulation programme in Spain?

To improve the quality of education in small towns.

To provide funding for housing and job creation.

To encourage people to move to provincial capitals.

How many people have moved to Prat de Compte in the past year?

13

15

30

Your score is

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Speaking practice

Here are some throught-provoking questions.