Building Houses and Saving Jobs in Big Cities

May 14, 2026, 19:00
AustraliaPolitics

Introduction

Cities in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have a problem. They need more houses for people, but they also need space for businesses.

Main Body

In Sydney, the government wants to build many new homes. But they also want to keep factories because factories make a lot of money. Some people say there are fewer factory jobs now, so they can build houses there. In Melbourne, the government allows tall buildings in the city. They want 300,000 new homes. However, some experts say the cost is too high. They think only 110,000 homes will actually be built. In New Zealand, the government and local leaders have a 10-year plan. They want to build 15,000 homes and create 15,000 jobs. They will use new ways to pay for roads. In Ottawa, the city builds many tall apartments near trains. But families want small houses with gardens. Because there are no small houses, families move far away from the city.

Conclusion

All these cities struggle to find a balance between cheap homes and good jobs.

Learning

The 'But' Bridge

In this text, we see a pattern used to show two opposite ideas. This is the fastest way to move from A1 to A2: connecting a positive thought to a negative one.

The Pattern: [Positive Idea] →\rightarrow But →\rightarrow [Negative/Opposite Idea]

Examples from the text:

  • They need more houses →\rightarrow but →\rightarrow they need space for businesses.
  • Government wants to build homes →\rightarrow but →\rightarrow they want to keep factories.
  • City builds apartments →\rightarrow but →\rightarrow families want gardens.

How to use it: Use 'But' when you want to change the direction of your sentence. It is like a U-turn for your words.

Simple Word Swap: If you want to sound more formal, you can use 'However'.

  • Example: They want 300,000 homes. However, the cost is too high.

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
The group of people who control a country or city.
Example:The government will decide how many new homes to build.
build (v.)
To make something by putting parts together.
Example:They plan to build many new houses.
factory (n.)
A large building where goods are made.
Example:Factories produce a lot of money.
jobs (n.)
Work that people do to earn money.
Example:The city wants to create 15,000 new jobs.
cost (n.)
The amount of money needed to buy or make something.
Example:The cost of building 300,000 homes is very high.
plan (n.)
A detailed idea for doing something.
Example:They have a 10-year plan for building homes.
roads (n.)
Long, wide paths for cars and trucks.
Example:The city will use new ways to pay for roads.
apartment (n.)
A set of rooms in a building that people live in.
Example:Ottawa builds many tall apartments near trains.
train (n.)
A long vehicle that runs on tracks and carries people or goods.
Example:The apartments are close to the trains.
garden (n.)
A piece of land with plants and flowers for people to enjoy.
Example:Families want small houses with gardens.
balance (n.)
A fair share between two or more things.
Example:Cities struggle to find a balance between cheap homes and good jobs.
cheap (adj.)
Not costing a lot of money.
Example:The city wants to build cheap homes.
good (adj.)
Having positive qualities or being useful.
Example:The jobs are good for the economy.
city (n.)
A large town where many people live and work.
Example:Sydney is a big city with many new homes.