🌱A1 · Beginner 🌿A2 · Elementary 🌳B1 · Pre-Intermediate 🌲B2 · Intermediate
🌳
Day 22 · Environment & Planet · B2 Level

How Cities Can Become Greener

Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage

⏱ Time target: 8-9 minutes 📖 Reading + Vocabulary ✅ 10 True / False questions
How to use this page: Highlighted words are key vocabulary. On a computer, hover your mouse over a highlighted word — on phone or tablet, tap the word — to see its English definition, a synonym, and its Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺 meaning. Tap 🇬🇧 UK or 🇺🇸 US to hear it pronounced in either accent.
🔎 Millat Dictionary

Curious about a word?

Any word, any time — right from this page.

Reading Passage

Cities are home to more than half of the world's populationpopulation (noun)The people living in a particular area.≈ Synonym: inhabitants🇺🇿UZ: aholi🇷🇺RU: население, and that number is growinggrow (verb)Increasing in size or number.≈ Synonym: increasing🇺🇿UZ: o'smoq, ko'paymoq🇷🇺RU: расти every year. While cities offer jobs, services, and exciting lifestyleslifestyle (noun)The way in which a person lives.≈ Synonym: ways of living🇺🇿UZ: turmush tarzi🇷🇺RU: образ жизни, they also produce a large shareshare (noun)A part of a total amount.≈ Synonym: portion🇺🇿UZ: ulush, hissa🇷🇺RU: доля of the world's pollution and carbon emissionscarbon emissions (noun)Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.≈ Synonym: CO2 output🇺🇿UZ: karbonat angidrid chiqindilari🇷🇺RU: выбросы углерода. Big cities often face problems such as dirty air, wastewaste (noun)Unwanted material thrown away.≈ Synonym: rubbish🇺🇿UZ: chiqindi🇷🇺RU: отходы, noise, and traffic. However, cities can also be leadersleader (noun)People or entities that guide or set an example.≈ Synonym: pioneers🇺🇿UZ: yetakchi, rahbar🇷🇺RU: лидер, руководитель in creating a cleaner, healthier future. So how can cities become greenergreen (adj)More environmentally friendly.≈ Synonym: more eco-friendly🇺🇿UZ: yashil; ekologik toza🇷🇺RU: зелёный; экологичный?

One of the most important ways is to improveimprove (verb)To make or become better.≈ Synonym: enhance🇺🇿UZ: yaxshilamoq🇷🇺RU: улучшать public transportpublic transport (noun)Buses, trains, and other shared transport systems.≈ Synonym: mass transit🇺🇿UZ: jamoat transporti🇷🇺RU: общественный транспорт. When people have access to fast, reliablereliable (adj)Consistently good in quality or performance.≈ Synonym: dependable🇺🇿UZ: ishonchli🇷🇺RU: надёжный, and affordableaffordable (adj)Not too expensive; reasonably priced.≈ Synonym: inexpensive🇺🇿UZ: hamyonbop, arzon🇷🇺RU: доступный по цене buses, trains, and trams, they are less likely to drive their cars. This helps reduce air pollution and traffic jamstraffic jam (noun)Lines of vehicles unable to move or moving slowly.≈ Synonym: gridlock🇺🇿UZ: tirbandlik🇷🇺RU: пробка. Some cities are also adding bike lanesbike lane (noun)Roads or paths reserved for cyclists.≈ Synonym: cycle paths🇺🇿UZ: velosiped yo'lagi🇷🇺RU: велодорожка and making streets safer for people who walk or cycle. Cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam are famous for their bike-friendlybike-friendly (adj)Designed to be convenient and safe for cyclists.≈ Synonym: cyclist-friendly🇺🇿UZ: velosipedchilar uchun qulay🇷🇺RU: удобный для велосипедистов designs, which not only reduce pollution but also encourageencourage (verb)To give support or confidence to do something.≈ Synonym: promote🇺🇿UZ: rag'batlantirmoq🇷🇺RU: поощрять people to stay active and healthy.

Green spacesgreen space (noun)Areas of grass, trees, or plants in a city.≈ Synonym: parks🇺🇿UZ: yashil hudud🇷🇺RU: зелёная зона are another key part of making cities greener. Parks, gardens, and trees provide places for people to relax and exercise, but they also help clean the air, reduce heat, and support wildlife. In many cities, green roofsgreen roof (noun)Building roofs covered with plants.≈ Synonym: living roofs🇺🇿UZ: yashil tom (o'simlik bilan qoplangan)🇷🇺RU: зелёная крыша — where buildings are covered with plants — are becoming more common. These roofs help keep buildings cool in summer, reduce energy useenergy use (noun)The amount of energy consumed.≈ Synonym: power consumption🇺🇿UZ: energiya sarfi🇷🇺RU: энергопотребление, and provide a home for birds and insects.

Another step cities can take is to use cleaner energy. Many cities are investinginvest (in) (verb)Putting money into something for future benefit.≈ Synonym: spending on🇺🇿UZ: sarmoya kiritmoq🇷🇺RU: инвестировать, вкладывать in solar panelssolar panel (noun)Devices that convert sunlight into electricity.≈ Synonym: solar cells🇺🇿UZ: quyosh paneli🇷🇺RU: солнечная панель, wind turbineswind turbine (noun)Machines that generate electricity from wind.≈ Synonym: windmills🇺🇿UZ: shamol turbinasi🇷🇺RU: ветряная турбина, and other forms of renewable energyrenewable energy (noun)Energy from sources that naturally replenish.≈ Synonym: clean energy🇺🇿UZ: qayta tiklanuvchi energiya🇷🇺RU: возобновляемая энергия. By producing clean electricityelectricity (noun)A form of energy used to power devices.≈ Synonym: power🇺🇿UZ: elektr energiyasi🇷🇺RU: электричество locallylocally (adverb)In or relating to a particular area.≈ Synonym: in the local area🇺🇿UZ: mahalliy (joyning o'zida)🇷🇺RU: на месте, локально, cities can reduce their dependencedependence (on) (noun)The state of relying on something.≈ Synonym: reliance🇺🇿UZ: (...ga) qaramlik, bog'liqlik🇷🇺RU: зависимость (от) on fossil fuelsfossil fuel (noun)Fuels formed from ancient organic matter, like coal and oil.≈ Synonym: coal and oil🇺🇿UZ: qazilma yoqilg'i🇷🇺RU: ископаемое топливо like coal and oil, which cause pollution and climate change. Some cities are also working to make buildings more energy-efficientenergy-efficient (adj)Using less energy to achieve the same result.≈ Synonym: resource-saving🇺🇿UZ: energiya tejamkor🇷🇺RU: энергоэффективный by improving insulationinsulation (noun)Material used to prevent heat loss.≈ Synonym: thermal protection🇺🇿UZ: issiqlik izolyatsiyasi🇷🇺RU: теплоизоляция and using smart technology to reduce waste.

Waste managementwaste management (noun)The handling and disposal of waste.≈ Synonym: rubbish handling🇺🇿UZ: chiqindilarni boshqarish🇷🇺RU: обращение с отходами is also a big part of making cities greener. Cities can encourage people to recyclerecycle (verb)To process used materials for reuse.≈ Synonym: reprocess🇺🇿UZ: qayta ishlamoq🇷🇺RU: перерабатывать and reduce waste by providing good recycling services and educatingeducate (verb)Giving knowledge or training to someone.≈ Synonym: teaching🇺🇿UZ: o'qitmoq, ma'rifatli qilmoq🇷🇺RU: просвещать, обучать residentsresident (noun)People who live in a particular place.≈ Synonym: inhabitants🇺🇿UZ: aholi, yashovchi🇷🇺RU: житель about how to use them. Some places have also started compostingcompost (verb)Turning organic waste into fertiliser.≈ Synonym: converting to compost🇺🇿UZ: kompost qilmoq🇷🇺RU: компостировать food waste to make natural fertiliser for parks and gardens.

Finally, cities can become greener by involvinginvolve (verb)Including someone in an activity.≈ Synonym: including🇺🇿UZ: jalb qilmoq🇷🇺RU: вовлекать people in the process. When city governments listen to the ideas of residents, they are more likely to create solutions that work for everyone. Community gardenscommunity garden (noun)Shared gardens cared for by local residents.≈ Synonym: shared gardens🇺🇿UZ: jamoat bog'i🇷🇺RU: общественный сад, clean-up projects, and environmentalenvironmental (adj)Relating to the natural world.≈ Synonym: ecological🇺🇿UZ: ekologik🇷🇺RU: экологический education programmesprogramme (noun)Planned series of activities with a purpose.≈ Synonym: schemes🇺🇿UZ: dastur🇷🇺RU: программа help people feel connected to their city and motivatedmotivated (adj)Having a strong reason to act.≈ Synonym: inspired🇺🇿UZ: rag'batlantirilgan🇷🇺RU: мотивированный to protect it.

In conclusion, making cities greener is not only good for the environment — it also makes them better places to live. With smart planningplanning (noun)The process of deciding how to do something in advance.≈ Synonym: organising🇺🇿UZ: rejalashtirish🇷🇺RU: планирование, new technology, and community support, cities can lead the way in building a cleaner and healthier future for all.

✍ Summarize the Story

In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (90–120+ words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.

0 words
AI Ustoz is reading your summary…
What you did well
    What to improve

      Check Your Understanding — True / False

      Word List — 40 words

      📥 Download PDF

      Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.

      #🇬🇧🇺🇿🇷🇺Example
      1
      populationnoun
      aholiнаселениеThe population of the city has doubled since 1990.
      2
      growverb
      o'smoq, ko'paymoqрастиThe number of cars is growing every year.
      3
      lifestylenoun
      turmush tarziобраз жизниCity lifestyles are often fast and stressful.
      4
      sharenoun
      ulush, hissaдоляWomen now make up a large share of university students.
      5
      carbon emissionsnoun
      karbonat angidrid chiqindilariвыбросы углеродаPlanes produce a lot of carbon emissions.
      6
      wastenoun
      chiqindiотходыWe throw away too much food waste.
      7
      leadernoun
      yetakchi, rahbarлидер, руководительOur city could become a leader in green energy.
      8
      greenadjective
      yashil; ekologik tozaзелёный; экологичныйTashkent is getting greener thanks to new parks.
      9
      improveverb
      yaxshilamoqулучшатьThe government wants to improve the roads.
      10
      public transportnoun
      jamoat transportiобщественный транспортPublic transport is cheap and quick in Tashkent.
      11
      reliableadjective
      ishonchliнадёжныйI need a reliable car for long trips.
      12
      affordableadjective
      hamyonbop, arzonдоступный по ценеIt's hard to find affordable flats in the city centre.
      13
      traffic jamnoun
      tirbandlikпробкаI was late because of a traffic jam.
      14
      bike lanenoun
      velosiped yo'lagiвелодорожкаThe city built new bike lanes along the river.
      15
      bike-friendlyadjective
      velosipedchilar uchun qulayудобный для велосипедистовAmsterdam is the most bike-friendly city in Europe.
      16
      encourageverb
      rag'batlantirmoqпоощрятьTeachers should encourage students to ask questions.
      17
      green spacenoun
      yashil hududзелёная зонаChildren need green spaces to play in.
      18
      green roofnoun
      yashil tom (o'simlik bilan qoplangan)зелёная крышаThe new office has a green roof full of flowers.
      19
      energy usenoun
      energiya sarfiэнергопотреблениеEnergy use is highest in winter.
      20
      invest (in)verb
      sarmoya kiritmoqинвестировать, вкладыватьThe company is investing in new machines.
      21
      solar panelnoun
      quyosh paneliсолнечная панельWe put solar panels on our roof.
      22
      wind turbinenoun
      shamol turbinasiветряная турбинаThere are hundreds of wind turbines in the desert.
      23
      renewable energynoun
      qayta tiklanuvchi energiyaвозобновляемая энергияUzbekistan is building more renewable energy plants.
      24
      electricitynoun
      elektr energiyasiэлектричествоThe electricity went off during the storm.
      25
      locallyadverb
      mahalliy (joyning o'zida)на месте, локальноWe buy fruit grown locally.
      26
      dependence (on)noun
      (...ga) qaramlik, bog'liqlikзависимость (от)We must reduce our dependence on oil.
      27
      fossil fuelnoun
      qazilma yoqilg'iископаемое топливоCoal and gas are fossil fuels.
      28
      energy-efficientadjective
      energiya tejamkorэнергоэффективныйThese energy-efficient bulbs save a lot of money.
      29
      insulationnoun
      issiqlik izolyatsiyasiтеплоизоляцияGood insulation keeps the house warm in winter.
      30
      waste managementnoun
      chiqindilarni boshqarishобращение с отходамиThe city needs better waste management.
      31
      recycleverb
      qayta ishlamoqперерабатыватьWe recycle all our plastic bottles.
      32
      educateverb
      o'qitmoq, ma'rifatli qilmoqпросвещать, обучатьWe need to educate children about saving water.
      33
      residentnoun
      aholi, yashovchiжительLocal residents complained about the noise.
      34
      compostverb
      kompost qilmoqкомпостироватьWe compost our vegetable peels.
      35
      involveverb
      jalb qilmoqвовлекатьThe school involves parents in many events.
      36
      community gardennoun
      jamoat bog'iобщественный садOur mahalla started a community garden.
      37
      environmentaladjective
      ekologikэкологическийPollution is a serious environmental problem.
      38
      programmenoun
      dasturпрограммаThe university has an exchange programme with Korea.
      39
      motivatedadjective
      rag'batlantirilganмотивированныйShe's very motivated to learn English.
      40
      planningnoun
      rejalashtirishпланированиеGood planning saves time later.