Trinity contentsEnglish language: level 7

Language requirements

Language functions Giving advice and highlighting advantages and disadvantages Making suggestions Describing past habits Expressing possibility and uncertainly Eliciting further information and expansion of ideas and opinions Expressing agreement and disagreementGrammar Second conditional Simple passive Used to Relative clauses Modals and phrases used to give and make suggestions, e.g.: should/ought to, could, youd better Modals and phrases used to express possibility and uncertainly, e.g.: may, might, Im not sure. Discourse connectors, e.g. Because of, due toLexis Vocabulary specific to the topic area Vocabulary specific to the subject areas Appropriate words and expressions to indicate interest and show awareness of the speaker. E.g. Really? Oh dear! Did you? Simple fillers to give time for thought, e.g. well, um Phrases and expressions relating to the language functions listed abovePhonology The correct pronunciation of vocabulary specific to the topic and subject areas Rising intonation to indicate interest and surprise as appropriate Falling intonation to indicate the end of a turn Intonation and features of connected speech beyond sentence level

Subject areas for the Conversation phase Education National customs Village and city life National and local produce and products Early memories Pollution and recycling

Happiness and unhappinessThe pursuit of happiness, which was defined as an unalienable right by the American of Independence (July 4th, 1776), is still, unfortunately, reserved to comparatively few people. Indeed, if you are to be happy, you must have decent living conditions, failing which you are likely to experience hardships and ordeals which will make happiness an unattainable end. And there are hundreds of thousands of people in the world who live below the poverty threshold and can hardly be expected to cast radiant smiles upon their environment. As to the reasons which determine happiness, they vary with the individuals. For some, happiness is to be found in tangible, concrete achievements: success in their professional life, a gratifying work in which they can put their heart and which enables them to feel useful to the community, a fair amount of leisure-time which can be devoted to non-professional activities and give them a sense of freedom, or simply a high salary enabling them to enjoy the luxuries as well as the necessities. For other people, happiness depends on human relationships which other them the possibility to love and be loved as well as the sense of belonging to community.But happiness is also a state of mind as difficult to account for as the melancholy feelings you sometimes experience without knowing their cause. You may feel blithe as a lark on an ordinary day for no special reason at all, just because your heart happens to be overflowing with joy.Vocabulary:

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2. Well-being:3. To take pleasure in delight in:4. To rejoice in:5. Carefree:6. Delighted:7. Beaming:8. Cheerful:9. To roar with laughter:10. To burst out laughing:11. To keep smiling:12. Enjoy yourself:13. Strain:14. Sorrow:15. Joyless:16. Listless:17. Annoyed:

Idioms: To repine at ones lot: To be in the mourning: Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so (John Stuart Mill). That action is best which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers.Reading comprehension1) What the text is talking about?2) According to the text, what happiness means?3) How people are to be happy? 4) Can you show the link between well-being and happiness?5) The pursuit of happiness, was defined as an unalienable right in USA, what the civil right in your country talks so?6) What should be the final purpose of the human life?7) How people and government can protect the right to happiness and fight together the unhappiness condition?8) Talk about poverty and unhappiness, dignity and happiness.

City life: NEW YORKHere we are in New York, the incredible city where all the languages of the world are spoken, and where people live on the ground, travel under the ground, and work in the sky. New York makes a profound impression on all visitors because of its many lofty buildings, its gigantic department stores, its immense theaters, museums, and hotels, its magnificent bridges, and its exclusive shops with their fabulous prices.The first permanent white settlers came to New York from Holland in 1626. Seeing the city today, we find it hard to imagine that these Dutch settlers bought all of Manhattan Island from the Indians for the equivalent of twenty-four dollars (U.S.), while today some of this land is worth a million dollars an acre. This island is the heart of the city; it is connected by six long suspension bridges, as well as by tunnels and ferries, with the other four boroughs that constitute New York City, and with the state of New Jersey across the Hudson River.New York is the largest city in the United States. Today there are more people living in New York City than in Venezuela, Iraq, or Sweden. There are people from every state, from every Canadian province, and from every country in the world. Among the seven million New Yorkers, there are two million who were born in foreign countries. Of these the Italians, the Russians, and the Germans form the largest groups. To these many foreigners, now Americans, the Statue of Liberty in the harbor has always symbolized the ideal of freedom in the New World.For transportation New York depends mainly on buses, subways, taxis, and ferries. The buses are slow because of the crowded streets, whereas the subway trains go as fast as railroad trains, sometimes stopping only at the most important stations. We may ride all day on the subway for fifteen cents, if we change trains but do not go out of the stations.New York moves vertically as well as horizontally, taking its citizens by elevator to their offices on the fortieth, sixtieth, or eightieth floor. Here is the tallest building in the world, the Empire State Building, with its 102 stories that are served by sixty-three passenger elevators. The Chrysler Building (77 stories), The RCA Building (70 stories), and the Wool-worth Building (60 stories) also reach into the clouds; and many other skyscrapers have from 40 to 71 floors.New York is the richest and the poorest, the most modern and the most old-fashioned of cities. It is the home of exclusive hotels and cheap boardinghouses; the home of great symphonies and popular jazz, of cathedrals and night clubs; the home of the famous Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the American Museum of Natural History; the home of many of the publishing houses of the United States and of the biggest newspapers. On Fifth Avenue there are many exclusive stores of international fame, but around the corner one may find little shops where imitation diamonds and cheap souvenirs are sold. New York is a city of immense beauty and immense ugliness, a place where everyone is in a hurry and where no one seems to have time to live.Bright, noisy, spectacular, and impersonal that is New York. It would take years for one person to see everything that is important in New York. It is a mixture of all that is the United States, but it is no like any other American city.Making point: Write about your favourite city and share your informations with the others students.

YOUTH CULTUREVocabularyA B C

1.experienceinnocencenaivety

2.a teenageran adolescenta youth

3.activea couch potatoa zombie

4.rebbeldisobeyanti-establishment

5. disciplineideals defy

6.irresponsiblechallengeignore

7.fashionmusicurban tribes

8.vandalismjuvenile crime offender

9. idolize fanscopy

10. to revereto respectto worship

11. to confide secretstake up smoking

12. booze uppop concertsstreet parties

Topics on youth culture to review and use as an argument Youth is associated with innocence, beauty, good health, energy, idealism, curiosity, immaturity, inexperience and rebellion. However, the descriptions of character relate more closely to fiction than to reality since in many cases particularly in large cities, youngsters today engage in vandalism, joy-riding or even drug-trafficking, yet magistrates in Spain are asking for tougher sentencing powers to combat juvenile crime. Many young teenagers are now experienced offenders. If you go out on any Saturday night you will see quite a few drunken young people although underage drinking is illegal. They buy bottles of booze and Coke or orangeade in a supermarket and then later go to the beach or a public park or city square for the sole purpose of drinking until they become legless. This then causes brawls and fights among them or between rival groups. Neighbours often complain about the noise and the litter.Drugs are another major problem nowadays. There are drug traffickers in schools selling to anybody who will buy their products or even worse, introducing youngsters to them. It is considered fashionable and so, many kids may well get hooked unless they are strong and can say NO to them. Smoking is another problem which the government is trying to solve. Although they all know the dangers to health it is considered fashionable and sociable to smoke and a lot of kids get hooked. Commercials are aired on TV saying it's brave to say NO. All these issues may come from the fact that teenagers are supposed to be rebellious. They often like to defy rules and regulations. Little do they know that they will pay for their defiance in the future? They usually do badly at school and so lose the option of further education, having to opt for menial badly-paid jobs instead of cushy ones. Of course not all of them are like that. Thank goodness there are many who take their life seriously and are able to combine having a good time with their schooling. They will have good jobs and a comfortable life in the future because they have used their time sensibly. Fashion has a lot to do with music. Teenagers want to be different yet they also want to belong to a group, and this means that the sort of music they listen to will affect their appearance in many cases. A kid who enjoys rap will probably want to wear the clothes associated with this kind of music. If another is keen on punk he is likely to have spiky bright green and blue hair. Some people say that kids today have it "to easy". In the past, youngsters had to work at a very young age to help their parents. For example, many left school at 14 and went on to train on building sites and at hairdressers. They had to sacrifice their youth for their parents well-being. Because of this fact, when these kids grew up and had kids of their own they decided that an education was the best thing that they could give their children and so, gave them all the opportunities money could offer them. Children today have everything from encyclopaedias to PC'S and internet. They have a lot of material things and in a way... this could mean that they have few aspirations. If they want something they just ask for it and they usually get it within reason of course. This boils down to the fact that many kids today have become lazy and do not appreciate their parents like they should. They can also be quite bored which means that they then turn to drinking and drugs to get their "kicks".In many cases, parent-children relationships deteriorate when the kids reach puberty, they claim that their parents are "out of touch" and "oldies" and usually argue a lot. The children usually forget one very important thing, their parents are sacrificing their lives and their freedom for them, parents want the best for their kids, they want them to have the best of everything and all the opportunities that they never had so that their future is even better. And this is a great investment, and like any investment they will protect it forever.

Practice1. Are young people generally more selfish than their parents and grandparents?2. Should adults try to teach young people lessons, such as the dangers of drinking too much, taking drugs or contracting the HIV virus, or should they leave them alone to find out about these things themselves?3. What do you think is the best age to be parent? Explain your opinion. 4. Most countries give young people rights as they reach a certain age. For example, British people can legally make love or fight for their country at the age of 16; they can drink, vote and drive a car when they are 18. Does your country have similar laws?5. Do you think that any of the age limits need changing?6. Should young people have to do some form of military or community service by law?7. Should people of between 60 and 65 be forced to retire from their jobs in order to make way for younger workers?8. Are there many things that the old can teach the young or are they hopelessly out of touch by the time they reach a certain age?9. In most countries, compulsory education is targeted at 5 - 16 year olds. Would it be better to offer it to pensioners who want to learn rather than young people who prefer not to be in school?10. In Russia, China and many other countries, there is a tradition of choosing leaders who are advanced in years. Do you think that older people make better leaders?11. Are friends more important than family? What do you think? 12. Are chores assigned to children in your family? 13. Are you married? 14. Are you pressured by your family to act in a certain way? 15. Are you the oldest among your brothers and sisters? 16. Are your parents strict? 17. Did you ever meet any of your great grandparents? 18. Do you get along well with your family? Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters? 19. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, how old are they? 20. Do you have to clean your own room? Does your mother make you clean your room?21. Do you like your family? Why or why not? 22. Do you live with any of your grandparents? 23. Do you live with your parents? 24. Do you look more like your mother or your father? 25. Do you often argue with your mother or father? What about? 26. Do you often visit your grandparents? 27. Do you think people should adopt children from other countries? 28. Do you usually have any influence on family matters? 29. Do your parents let you stay out late? What time do you have to be home? Do you have a curfew?30. How did you get your name? Who are you named after?31. How many (first) cousins do you have? 32. How many aunts and uncles do you have? 33. How many brothers and sisters do you have? 34. How many children do you have? 35. How many members do you have in your family altogher? 36. How many people are in your (immediate) family? 37. Is spanking a good way to discipline children? 38. Should people follow the religion of their parents, or should they have the liberty to choose another? 39. What are some of your fondest memories of childhood? 40. What are your parents like? 41. What do you and your family like doing together? 42. What do your mother and father look like? How about your grandparents? 43. What do your parents do in their free time? 44. What are the occupations of your family members? What does your father do? What's his job? What does your mother do?45. What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together? 46. What kind of things do you do with your family? 47. What would you change about your childhood? 48. Who do you get along better with, your mother or your father? 49. Who is the black sheep (odd ball) in your family? 50. Would you get involved in your in-laws' family problems? 51. Would you live with your parents after you get married? 52. Should children help with the housework? How much or how often should they help? What kinds of housework is not appropriate for children to do?53. Do you live in a nuclear family or an extended family? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of family?54. What impact has divorce and/or modern day living had on the family? 55. Is the nanny and/or the day-care centre the third parent? 56. Where is the best place to raise a family? Where do you think the best place to raise a family is? Why?57. Do you think your parents undestand you? Why or why not? 58. Who does the household work, your father or your mother or both of them? Have you ever seen your mother (or father) cry? When was that and why?

City and village life

In the past Spain was a country mainly dedicated to agriculture for its lively hood. Villages were full of families with many children, all and I mean all of them worked on the land. Families were big, five children upwards and although nearly all the villages had a village school, education was not high up in the agenda. Most offspring followed in their fathers footsteps. Cities were for "cultured people" business men, engineers, architects and so on. These people usually had more money than villagers and often went to university. Then, around the 60's there was a social change, a vast number of villagers left their homes in search of a better life in the cities. So slowly but surely villages were emptied of "young people" in fact there is a good number of "ghost villages up and down Spain".The villagers who moved to the city found that they were actually better off. Spain's economy was growing and there were plenty jobs available. These people had fixed working hours, (unlike in the village where work was from dawn till dusk) they also had a month's holiday which was paid for by the company, (something which they never had in the village) their children could go to school instead of working the land. There were all the amenities near at hand, all kinds of entertainment and so on....Indeed, they felt they were better off!Nowadays things have changed yet again. Villages are filling up once again but not with farmers, in fact, townsfolk are trying to escape the stress of city life by going back to nature. These citizens are buying up old, deteriorated village houses and doing them up, so that at weekends they can get away from the hustle and bustle of the boring daily routine in the city. Other people have sold up their belongings and gone to live in the village, they make a living by converting large old houses into "village inns" where city folk who can't afford a house of their own can escape that stress. Life in the village is now peaceful for most. Of course there are still farmers in villages, but their life today is much better than in the past as they have all kinds of machines and gadgets to make their work easier. I wonder what kind of changes there will be in the future. Maybe people will all decide to live in peace and quiet in villages and the cities will become empty! If I had the chance to work from home, I would certainly choose to live in a village although I would need to be fairly near a big city so that I had the best of both worlds!Likely questions1. Where would you like to live in the future and why? 2. What kind of entertainment is there in a village? 3. What amenities are there in a city that make life easier?4. Is there much pollution in the country?5. What disadvantages are there to living in a city? And in a village? 6. How has life in villages changed in the last 20 years?7. What job opportunities are there in a village and in a city?8. Is there much crime in cities and in villages?9. What does a student have to do if he lives in a village and wants to go to school?10. Is there a school bus service in the villages?11. Where would you recommend living?12. What are the main differences to living in a city or a village?

National customsVocabularyRELIGIOUS WeddingsChristeningsFirst Holy CommunionChristmas DayThe Three Kings Day Easter SundayAll Saints DayAll souls Day LOCALThe Virgin of Guadalupe Saint Jugdes ThadeeVillage FtesSummer festival 9-pin Bowlingmusic festivals New Years EveMothers dayNATIONALFather's DayMother's DayChristmas EVEIndependence DayRevolution dayBattle of Pueblalabor dayCarnivalHalloweenbull fightingbull running

Words that go with the customs above

orchestrawaterbullsmasssardines

parademarketprocessionseggshearts

pinstournamentspicnicssing songsbless

ballfolk music turkeystallsoutdoor dancing

costumesfireworksVirgin Mary crossstatue

giftsspringpresentsbonfireharlequins

house to house floatspraybeachnougat

miracleclownstrick or treat ghostscamels

fishing boatspartiestinselcandlesstatue

decorationswitchesspecialitiesdancestree

holidaysseafoodflowerstraffic jams cake

Questions1. Which custom is your favourite and why?2. What do you do at Christmas?3. What customs are there in summer?4. Do you ever give presents?5. What was your favourite, which you received at Christmas?6. Do you believe in ghosts ?7. Have you ever dressed up?8. What did you do last Easter?9. Do Mexican people go on holidays at Easter? 10. What is so special about summer? 11. How ethical is bull fighting?12. Is it simply cruelty to animals or just a tradition?13. Have you ever wanted to go bull running?14. What dangers are there to this activity?15. Do you know anybody who has taken part in bull running?16. Why do people take part in dangerous activities like bull running?17. Are there any traditions that have been imported from other countries?You can use the following sentences to answer the questions above. A popular custom in MEXICO at Christmas is giving presents, not on Christmas Day but on the 6th of January. Last year I got.......... My family and I got together for Christmas Eve. We had special food for dinner, for instance.....In summer we usually celebrate........Halloween wasn't popular 15 years ago, but now a lot of children dress up and go from house to house like in the USA.They ask for sweets.EducationPRIMARYSECONDARYSKILLED TRAINING HIGH SCHOOL UNIVERSITY

ages 6-11 compulsory12-16compulsoryknown as CSE16 onwards courses divided into modules or units for training in trades not compulsory, although advisable 16-18specialisation in certain areas with compulsory subjects like English Baccalaureate certificate to go to university not compulsory 18 onwardsdegreenot compulsory

Vocabulary Find the "odd one out".

There may be more than one answer. Give your reasons . A B C

1. single sex mixed coeducational

2. compulsory voluntary optional

3. independent school private school state school

4. nursery primary secondary

5. further education comprehensive school non-selective school

6. streaming mixed ability grouping ability grouping

7. continuous assessment final examinations intelligence testing

TOPIC In Spain, school is compulsory between the ages of five and sixteen, before that children can go to a nursery but because all are privately run families have to pay a monthly fee. When children are in the nursery, they are not taught much, academically speaking, although social interaction is considered a lesson in itself. Primary education continues until the age of eleven. At the early stages of Primary Schooling children learn to read, write and do simple Maths. At the later stages English, History and Science together with Art and Music become part of the school syllabus. Pupils who wish to enter university usually finish their compulsory secondary education, also known as CSE and baccalaureate course when they are eighteen. There are other kinds of further education for those who want to learn a trade such as catering or specialize in, say, mechanics, at an early stage. Actually, they can choose a training course at the age of 16. In recent years, the proportion of young people entering university has risen dramatically. The variety of degree courses on offer has also widened. It is now common for students who enter fields such as nursing to be based at university, in fact one of the best universities for nursing in Spain is right here in Santander. In the past, there used to be only fee-paying schools, and only rich families could afford to send their children there. At that time money was a key factor in success at any degree the student wanted to do. The poor were relegated to menial jobs with few prospects. But today, things are very different. Firstly, there are two kinds of independent schools, some are fee-paying and others are funded with state grants and very small fees from parents, both belong to the private sector. It is said these schools are selective although there is no actual proof, as long as the parents pay the fees the students are accepted. The rest of the schools, which fall between primary and secondary education, are part of the state system. Most state secondary schools are non-selective. Unlike in some countries where children are tested at the age of eleven and the bright ones are creamed off, Spain does not test them at any age and depend solely on the school board, the teachers and tutors for "streaming" their students within the school. Many parents and politicians argue that private schools should be abolished to allow equality of opportunity for all children. Others insist that a fast track is needed for gifted pupils and that diversity means more freedom of choice. I believe freedom of choice is more important that's why if I had a child I would like this freedom to be respected. Don't you agree? (3 MINUTES)QUESTIONS1. What kind of education would you choose for children in Mxico?2. What have you got against single sex schools?3. Don't you think they distract one another when they become teenagers?4. How about boarding schools? Don't they teach children how to live together? 5. Would you prefer your child to be educated privately or by the state?6. Would you consider sending your child to a grammar school?7. What's wrong with mixed ability teaching?8. How is bullying or peer pressure dealt with in your school?9. Have you ever suffered from bullying? Or have you ever bullied somebody? 10. What is the discipline like in your school?11. What does a teacher do when a student is noisy or disruptive in the classroom?12. Do you consider that a subject should be abolished from the school syllabus? Which and why?13. What do you think of home-schooling?14. Are there boarding schools in Mexico? What are the differences? 15. What do the authorities do with truancy?

Early memories VocabularyUSED TO+ INF DIDN'T USE TO + INF DID YOU USE TO + INF ? USO DE "WOULD" SIGNIFICANDO SOLIA REMEMBER + ING BE USED TO + ING GET USED TO + ING

SOLIA O EL IMPERFECTO PARA HABLAR DE ALGO QUE HOY DIA YA NO SE HACE ESTAR ACOSTUMBRADO A HACER ALGOACOSTUMBRARSE A ALGO

Questions that should help you to develop the topic.

How did you used to feel when you started going to school?Did you ever feel frustrated when your parents told you off for something that you did?Have you ever seen a film that made you feel afraid? How did you use to feel as a child after seen a scary movie?What things did you use to do five years ago?Can you tell me an anecdote about your childhood?Do you have an anecdote?

POLLUTION

Useful Vocabulary1. green2. efficient3. to conserve4. environmentally friendly5. to protect6. to save7. to deplete8. to ration9. ozone layer10. to share 11. green house effect 12. floods 13. icebergs melt 14. polar caps15. sustainable16. solar enery 1. biodegradable2. an oil rig3. a power station4. renewable5. a recycling plant6. to campaign7. traffic jams8. motorway tolls9. radioactive waste10. park and ride schemes11. nuclear energy12. oil pollution13. global warming 14. to condemn15. to oppose16. aeolic

Topic developed The greenhouse effect is a global environmental problem as it affects all individuals in all the countries all over the world. This implies that international cooperation among countries will be needed to reach an efficient solution to this problem. The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earths average temperature would be about 60F colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.The greenhouse effect is important. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would not be warm enough for humans to live. But if the greenhouse effect becomes stronger, it could make the Earth warmer than usual. Even a little extra warming may cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.Global warming may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference. If we try, most of us can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases come from things we do every day. As we have learned, these greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer. Driving a car or using electricity is not wrong. We just have to be smart about it. Some people use less energy by carpooling. For example, four people can ride together in one car instead of driving four cars to work.Here are some additional ways you can help make the planet a better place!Save Electricity: Whenever we use electricity, we help put greenhouse gases into the air. By turning off lights, the television, and the computer when you are through with them, you can help a lot. Bike, Bus, and Walk:You can save energy by sometimes taking the bus, riding a bike, or walkingPlant Trees: Planting trees is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air.Recycle: Recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. Buy Cool Stuff: reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the air is to buy products that don't use as much energy.Solar EnergyCarsWhat Might Happen? Human Health Ecological Systems Sea Level Rise Crops and Food Supply

Pollution causes 14,000 deaths a year in Mexico http://themexpatriate.com/2013/05/05/pollution-causes-14000-deaths-a-year-in-mexico/The Clean Air Institute just published an alarming report on air quality in Latin America; Mexico came in second to Brazil as the country with the most deaths every year caused by pollution. Mexico City has long been plagued by smog but according to the report, Monterrey is the city with the highest levels of Particle Pollution (PM10) in all of Latin America. The concentration of PM10 per cubic meter is 85.9 micrograms in Monterrey; the European Union limits member countries to maintaining levels of under 40 micrograms per cubic meter. Guadalajaras pollution is also toxic (70.1 mcg/m3) and Mexico Citys looks almost clean by comparison (57.0 mcg/m3).The report also analyzes ozone levels. Ozone is a gas made up of oxygen atoms and its highly reactive. We need it in the atmosphere to protect us from UV rays, but its dangerous when it comes into more direct contact with living tissue. According to Air Info Now: The properties that make ozone a powerful cleaner, disinfectant, and bleaching agent also make ozone dangerous to living tissues. When it comes in contact with living tissues, like our lungs, ozone attacks and damages cells lining the airways, this causes swelling and inflammation. Some have compared ozones effect to sunburninside your lungs. Guadalajara has the highest ozone levels in Latin America, followed by Len and then Monterrey and DF. Their only close competitors are Cochabamba, Bolivia and Quito, Ecuador.Pollution has been linked to a wide array of serious health problems, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancer, premature birth and low birth weight, lung disease and early death syndrome.The Clean Air Institute (CAI) and several other NGOs concluded that Mexico needs a federal air quality improvement policy as soon as possible. The director of CAI, Sergio Sanchez, noted that Mexico has no standardized techniques for collecting data or monitoring air quality. The director of atmospheric science at UNAM, Mara Amparo Martnez, said one of the problems we have is lack of institutional capacity for monitoring all the different cities in the country.An article in Proceso published on April 5 titled In Mexico, even the air kills us, starts by observing that most of the population (60%) ignores the quality of the air they are breathing, since the government fails to provide accurate information. In fact, Mexicos official safe levels of ozone, PM10 and PM2.5 are all significantly higher than the levels recommended by international environmental and health organizations, which allows the government to cheat by declaring that the pollution isnt at dangerous levels (just dont ask for a definition of dangerous.) Politicians have made a few lame attempts to reduce car dependence and promote a green image; the mayor of Saltillo started a bicycle sharing program in March, but the bicycles dont work. The ex-governor of Jalisco cut the ribbon on two new sections of a major highway on a bicycle the highway has no bicycle lane.Mexico City has made some progress in the past twenty years and as indicated by the CAI report, its pollution is actually less noxious and dense than in other smaller Mexican cities. It has taken time and effort the construction of Metrobus, adding cycling lanes, cutting the number of vehicles on the road by improved enforcement of hoy no circula. But it still has a long slog ahead.Pollution is indeed the stuff of politicians nightmares: it kills constituents, but unlike smoking or fatty foods or alcohol, its not their problem to fix. Sure, you can tell people to risk their lives weaving in and out of traffic on bicycles or maybe suggest they dont inhale when they step outside, but the reality is that any major air clean-up is going to fall on the shoulders ofwhat? The government? Regulations have to be enforced, public transportation invested in, air quality tested, dirty fuel use curtailedthe list goes on and the politicians yawn, roll over and dream of the next highway construction project bearing their name.

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