Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How is the weather today in your place?
- How often do you use air conditioning?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- recent /REE-suhnt/
- climate /KLAHY-mit/
- contribute /kuhn-TRIB-yoot /
- architecture /AHR-ki-tek-cher/
- deal with /deel with/
[adjective] – happening or starting from a short time ago
Weather patterns have changed in recent years.
[noun] – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place
I adapted quickly to the new climate.
[verb] – to be one of the reasons why something happens
Does smoking contribute to air pollution?
[noun] – the art and practice of designing and making buildings
This church is a perfect example of medieval architecture.
[verb phrase] – to do something about (a person or thing that causes a problem or difficult situation)
How do you intend to deal with this problem?
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Is it too hot in your home during the summer? A hot house is increasingly becoming an overheating office. Up to 30% of workers in the UK worked from home during the pandemic, compared to only 5% in 2019. On the other hand, working is tough if you reside in a location that turns into an oven in the summer. According to a recent government report on climate concerns, unless dwellings can be kept cool in the summer and heated in the winter, health and productivity will suffer.
According to some estimates, air conditioning alone could contribute to a 0.5°C increase in global temperature by 2100. The Passivhaus Trust supports Passivhaus-certified buildings, which are energy efficient and comfortable to live in. In 2019, the Stirling Prize for Architecture was awarded to Goldsmith Street in Norwich, a shared housing development that incorporates Passivhaus principles. “Our existing housing stock is in many cases poorly prepared to deal with rising temperatures,” says John Palmer of the Passivhaus Trust.
Mr. Palmer says that the government plans to construct 300,000 new homes each year, all of which must be built to endure the heat without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. Mr. Palmer believes that exterior shutters or overhangs that provide shade in the summer but don’t block light in the winter when the sun is low in the sky are a better alternative.
According to some estimates, air conditioning alone could contribute to a 0.5°C increase in global temperature by 2100. The Passivhaus Trust supports Passivhaus-certified buildings, which are energy efficient and comfortable to live in. In 2019, the Stirling Prize for Architecture was awarded to Goldsmith Street in Norwich, a shared housing development that incorporates Passivhaus principles. “Our existing housing stock is in many cases poorly prepared to deal with rising temperatures,” says John Palmer of the Passivhaus Trust.
Mr. Palmer says that the government plans to construct 300,000 new homes each year, all of which must be built to endure the heat without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. Mr. Palmer believes that exterior shutters or overhangs that provide shade in the summer but don’t block light in the winter when the sun is low in the sky are a better alternative.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- How many percentage of workers in the UK worked from home during the pandemic?
- What is the recent government report about climate concerns?
- How much heat could air conditioning contribute to global temperature by 2100?
- According to Mr. Palmer, what is the UK’s government plan?
- According to Mr. Palmer, what is the better alternative to strong insulation?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Do you work from home nowadays? Please tell me more about it.
- Could you put up with hot weather without using an aircon? Why or why not?
- If you were to design your house, what would you do with it to withstand hot weather?
- Do you agree with the idea that air conditioning alone might cause a 0.5°C rise in global temperature by 2100?
- What do you think of the UK’s government plan to build 300,000 new homes that can withstand the heat without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning? Please explain your answer.