Learn English with the News – Millennials Using Sicily’s €1 Homes

Millennials and houses? This has been a very difficult relationship, as new generations have found difficult job markets and even more difficult interest rates. But small towns all over Italy have been promoting 1 Euro homes, and one of the strongest demographics to take advantage of this initiative is surely the millennial generation! Watch the video and then do the accompanying English language exercises.

The news is a consistent source of entertainment, knowledge and discovery that never ceases to exist and always comes out with more and more material each day. Because it plays such a vital part in our lives and is so important to keep up with, it is without a doubt a piece of your everyday routine that can’t go ignored.

Whether it is to understand the ramifications of recent legislation passed, to hear about recent events and grasp the potential consequences to your country, or simply hear about what is happening in other countries in order to compare them to what’s happening in yours, the news is certainly a staple in our lives and the most consistent way to get information.

This is why Scrambled Eggs has decided to unite two of your biggest worlds: learning English and keeping up with what is happening in the world. We hope our challenging daily exercises, composed of listening, vocabulary and comprehension exercises in English, will satisfy both of those above worlds in a satisfactory and also entertaining way.

So enough about introductions, let’s get to today’s Learn English with the News topic:

Adapted from this article.

Now that you’ve had a listen, let’s put your knowledge to the test with some of our vocabulary and comprehension exercises:

And that’s it for today’s English lesson, where you can improve your English with the news and current events. Do you have any comments or special requests for us for the next edition of Learn English with the News? Be sure to leave any feedback you have in the comments section below, as we would love to help you on your quest to learn the English language!

For other Learn English with the News segments, be sure to check out the rest of our posts:

https://scrambledeggsinglese.it/tag/learn-english-with-the-news/

Full Text:

“The Sicilian town of Cammarata first made headlines around the world with its €1 house schemes. More recently, the town has promised to waive the fee completely for people who want to begin a new life there. Most of the homes will be in need of extensive restoration, in the neighborhood of €60,000-€80,000. Smaller homes may go for around €5,000 and could be refurbished for as little as €20,000.
Unfortunately, there was one big problem. So many people applied for the scheme and without staff dedicated to the project, the town authorities were overwhelmed. No houses ended up being given away.
As the pandemic progressed throughout 2020, Cammarata’s younger generation started returning home with a plan to bring the city back to life. It was a year of reflection and reassessment for many peoples’ lives as they began moving out of the city and into the countryside, often working remotely, which helped pave the way.
The scheme is running a little differently in Cammarata than it is in other towns. While others are selling houses to anyone who wants to take them on, Cammarata is looking to build a real community. Those who volunteer will be asking would-be buyers about what they’re looking for, their plans for the home, and to tell them more about the town, and Sicily.
Some might worry that an influx of foreigners might change the culture of such a small town but cultural exchange has always been a crucial part of Sicily’s history. It has long been an island of migration. In the 60s and 70s, countless Sicilians had been forced to leave their island in search of work, a trend that continued until the pandemic.
Those returning to the city are only doing the same as those in the past. As smart-working becomes widespread, it becomes the perfect time to make a radical change.”