I amone of the many city people who are always saying that given the choice weshould prefer to live in the country away from the dirt and noise of a largecity.I have managed to convince myself that if it weren't for my job!wouldimmediately head out for the open spaces and go back to nature in some sleepyvillage buried in the country.But how realistic is the dream?Cities can befrightening places.The majority of the population live in massive towerblocks,noisy,dirty and impersonal.The sense of belonging to a community tendsto disappear when you

livefifteen floors up.All you can see from your windows is sky,or other blocks offlats.Children become aggressive and nervous--cooped up at home all day,withnowhere to play;their mothers feel isolated from the rest of the world.Strangely enough,whereas in the past the inhabitants of one street all kneweach other,nowadays people on the same floor in tower blocks don't even sayhello

to eachother.Country life,on the other hand,differs from this kind of isolatedexistence in that a sense of community generally binds the inhabitants of smallvillages together.People have the advantage of knowing that there is alwayssomeone to turn to when they need help.But country life has disadvantages too.While it is true that you may be among friends in a village,it is also truethat you are from the exciting and important events that take place in cities.There's little possibility of going to a new show or the latest movie.Shoppingbecomes a major problem,and for anything slightly out of the ordinary you haveto go on an expedition to the nearest large town.The city-dweller who leavesfor the country is often oppressed by a sense of unbearable stillness andquiet.

What,then,is the answer?The country has the advantage of peace and quiet,butsuffers from the disadvantage of being cut off;the city breeds a feeling ofisolation,and constant noise batters the senses.But one of its mainadvantages is that you are at the centre of things;and that life doesn't cometo an end at half past nine at night.Some people have found(or rather bought)a compromise

betweenthe two:they have expressed their preference for the"quiet life"byleaving the suburbs and moving to villages within commuting distance of largecities.They generally have about as much sensitivity as the plastic flowers theyleave behind--they are polluted with strange ideas about change and improvementwhich they force on to the unwilling original inhabitants of the villages.

According to the author,why are cities frightening?查看材料

• A.Because the pressure of work may make people suffer
• B.Because many blocks in city are dirty,noisy and impersonal
• C.Because it's hard to find a good job in city
• D.Because living in a city is not safe