雅思听力

🎧 Listening Transcript

Today we're going to discuss the history of urban planning. One key figure is Ebenezer Howard, who in 1898 proposed the idea of 'garden cities'. He believed that overcrowded industrial cities were unhealthy and that people should live in smaller, planned communities surrounded by green spaces. Howard's ideal city would have a population of about 32,000, with a central park, residential areas, and an industrial zone on the outskirts. Importantly, he suggested that these cities should be connected by rail, and each city would be self-sufficient in terms of jobs and services. Although his plan was never fully implemented, it influenced later suburban developments in Britain and the US.