Milan wants to ban takeaway food after midnight

 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7LRqHbkG7g

The Italian city of Milan wants to introduce a law to ban the sale of takeaway food after midnight. The reason for this is to help local residents sleep. Many people have complained to the local government about the noise on the streets at night. There are often large and noisy groups of late-night revellers in downtown Milan. Local officials have decided to ban all takeaway food and drink in 12 districts of the city. Some of these areas are well known for their "wild" nightlife. The takeaway ban means people would not be able to buy pizza or ice cream after 12:30 a.m. on weekdays and after 1:30 a.m. at weekends and on public holidays. It would come into effect from mid-May and last until November.

Milan's deputy mayor explained why the ban was important. He said: "The goal is to seek a balance between socialising and entertainment, and the peace and tranquillity of residents." However, there are also many people who oppose the ban. A spokesperson for an Italian retail association said the ban on post-midnight food and drink would not stop the noise. He said: "A rule banning people from drinking a bottle of water or eating an ice cream or pizza while taking a stroll…won't solve a thing, as people will still stay outside." He asked: "Do you think a 25-year-old is going to go home at the stroke of midnight simply because they can't get a takeout?" He added: "What about tourists who want to eat ice cream?"

Similarly, the huge surge in the popularity of online shopping is creating chaos on the streets of our cities and on our road networks. As the number of online deliveries is skyrocketing, the number of delivery trucks making sure we get our parcels has also increased. The result is that hundreds more trucks are clogging up city streets. This is increasing congestion and adding to levels of pollution. There are literally hundreds more delivery trucks in cities around the world all trying to get parcels delivered on time. Delivery drivers are battling for often non-existent parking spaces. Many are forced to park illegally, or double park, adding to the gridlock for other road users. And the problem is set to intensify.

The BBC reports that the volume of parcel deliveries surged by almost 50 per cent between 2014 and 2016. It said this could continue to increase by up to 28 per cent a year over the next three years. Many cities have taken tough measures to counteract the problems associated with the increasing number of deliveries. Many cities in Europe and Asia have barred deliveries during times when roads are busiest. London is looking at the possibility of using buses for parcel deliveries. Some areas of London are also cracking down on food delivery motorbikes after their streets were being 'swarmed' by scooter riders. Food delivery companies in one London district must now apply for permission to operate.

3. BAN: Students A strongly believe takeaway food should be banned; Students B strongly believe otherwise. 

4. LATE-NIGHT ACTIVITIES: What are the good and bad things about these late-night activities? Complete this table .

	Good Things	Bad Things
Eating
Watching TV
Dancing
Star gazing
Midnight swim
Drinking Jogging

5.CITY TRAFFIC: What can we do about these things to reduce city traffic? Complete this table.

	Measure	How Effective?
Delivery trucks
Buses
Subway trains
Bicycles
Shoppers
Taxis

 

6. ITALIAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "Italian".  
7. MIDNIGHT SNACKS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best midnight snacks at the top.

• Pizza
• Toast
• Peanuts
• Fried chicken
• Muesli
• Bananas
• Brownie
• Curry

 

8.Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	introduce	a.	People who are having a good time at a party or celebration.
2.	sale	b.	Bring something into use or operation for the first time.
3.	residents	c.	People who live in a place.
4.	revellers	d.	The fun things people do in the evening or at night, like going to parties or concerts.
5.	downtown	e.	When something starts to be used or followed.
6.	nightlife	f.	The exchange of thngs for money.
7.	come into effect	g.	The central part of a city where there are many buildings and shops.

    Paragraph 2

8.	mayor	h.	Buying and selling things in stores.
9.	seek	i.	To find the answer to a problem and fix it.
10.	tranquillity	j.	To walk in a relaxed way, often without a particular destination.
11.	retail	k.	When everything is calm, peaceful and quiet.
12.	association	l.	A group of people who work or do things together because they have similar interests.
13.	stroll	m.	The leader of a city or town.
14.	solve	n.	To look for something.

 Vocabulary

    Paragraph 3

1.	surge	a.	The state of being blocked up (i.e. your nose when you have a cold) or so crowded with traffic that it is difficult to move.
2.	chaos	b.	an object  wrapped in paper in order to be carried or sent by post; a package
3.	skyrocketing	c.	Become more extreme in force, degree, or strength.
4.	clogging up	d.	A sudden large increase, usually a quick one that happens during an otherwise stable or quiet period.
5.	congestion	e.	Of a price, rate, or amount that is increasing very steeply, sharply or rapidly.
6.	parcel	f.	Becoming blocked, filled up or crowded so as to stop things moving.
7.	intensify	g.	Complete disorder and confusion.

    Paragraph 4

8.	volume	h.	Moved to one place in large numbers.
9.	counteract	i.	Taking severe measures against someone or something.
10.	associated	j.	The amount or quantity of something, especially when it is a great number.
11.	cracking down	k.	An area of a country, city or town.
12.	swarmed	l.	Act against something in order to reduce its force or make it harmless or ineffective.
13.	district	m.	Having the agreement from other for you to do something.
14.	permission	n.	Of a person or thing connected with something else.

9. SYNONYM MATCH A: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. introduce
2. residents
3. officials
4. districts
5. last
6. important
7. seek
8. oppose
9. stroll
10. simply

1. be against
2. start
3. essential
4. just
5. representatives
6. continue
7. walk
8. locals
9. look for
10. areas

10.SYNONYM MATCH B: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. surge
2. chaos
3. result
4. clogging up
5. intensify
6. volume
7. measures
8. barred
9. cracking down on
10. permission

1. amount
2. blocking
3. stamping out
4. havoc
5. actions
6. escalate
7. authorization
8. increase
9. banned
10. outcome

11.Role play

Role play Role  A – Clothes You think clothes are the best things to get delivered. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these things to be delivered of these (and why): Role  B – Food You think food is the best thing to get delivered. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these things to be delivered of these (and why):  Role  C – Furniture You think furniture is the best thing to get delivered. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these things to be delivered of these (and why):   Role  D – Books You think English teachers are the best things to get delivered. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these things to be delivered of these (and why):   OR ice cream electrical goods coffee English lessons

12.Discussion :

1. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Italy'?
2. What do you think of takeaway food?
3. What do you think of the takeaway ban?
4. What do you think of eating after midnight?
5. Are there any food laws in your town?
6. How noisy is it where you live?
7. What do you think of late-night revellers?
8. What kind of nightlife do you like?
9. Should there be a ban on alcohol at certain times?

11. Should there be a balance between entertainment and tranquillity?
12. Do you think the ban would stop the noise?
13. How might the ban damage businesses in Milan?
14. Do you think young people will go home at midnight?
15. How unfair might the ban be to tourists in Milan?
16. What takeaway food do you like most?
17. What questions would you like to ask Milan's restaurant owners?

logging up city streets

1. How important is online shopping for you?
2. How do you feel about online deliveries?
3. Are online deliveries making us lazier?
4. How much do you worry that online shopping is killing small stores?
5. How can we stop delivery trucks clogging up streets?
6. Are drone deliveries better than truck deliveries?
7. What should happen to trucks that park illegally?
8. How can we end gridlock on the roads?

11. Do you prefer online shopping or going to a store?
12. What do you think of barring truck deliveries at busy times?
13. What do you think of using buses to deliver parcels?
14. What do you think of food deliveries?
15. What do you think it's like to be a delivery driver?
16. What can we do about overconsumption?
17. What questions would you like to ask a truck delivery boss?