A complaint about the rubbish collection service (1)

The system used for the rubbish/garbage collection in your local area is not working properly. This is causing problems for you and your neighbors. 
Write a letter to the local council. In your letter
- describe how the rubbish collection system is not working properly
- explain how this is affecting you and your neighbors
- suggest what should be done about the problem

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing with regard to making a complaint about the rubbish collection service on Cambridge Road. The bins have not been collected for nearly 3 weeks now.

Today I was going to take my children to school. We walked out the door and were shocked to see a big, horrible rat. My neighbour came out of his house and he saw a big rat too. This is unacceptable by any standards. Today my children came home from school but they did not want to. And, if they could stay at school, they would stay there so that they do not see the rats.  To begin with, roughly 2 weeks ago, my family and I began to notice that our bins had not been collected at their usual time. After speaking to several neighbours, we found that they also had not had their rubbish collected.

Now there are so many flies. When I went to the bins, there is also a problem with flies which are dirty and carry diseases. Moreover, I cannot understate the negative impact this had on our daily lives. It has deteriorated to the point where we cannot relax in our home, given how badly the rotting rubbish smells. In addition, my children are reluctant to leave the house to go to school now, as they are frightened of the rats and flies that have begun to swarm around the bins.

I think you need to empty the rubbish so that the rats and flies go away. If not, we will catch diseases and be frightened to leave our house. Please come this week and take the rubbish from my bin and put it in your rubbish collection truck.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Hwang

from Siwonschool Cambridge 13 Test 3 Writing Task 1 (194 words)

understate 과소평가하다, (실제보다) 축소해서 말하다
It would be a mistake to understate the seriousness of the problem. 그 문제의 심각성을 축소해서 말하는 것은 실수가 될 것이다.