Unit 1 Living Green
Key to Exercises
Opener
Suggested answers for reference
1. There are a lot of simple things we can do to decrease energy consumption. Here are just a few examples:
Use energy efficient light bulbs for our most-used lights.
When we leave a room, turn off the light.
Turn off our computer/laptop when we are not using it.
Save water. Take quicker showers. When brushing teeth we should not leave faucet running.
Use reusable cloth shopping bags that are made from plant fibers.
Whenever possible, walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation.
2. Old clothes and books: Other people can reuse our unwanted clothes and books if we donate them.
Old clothes can also be made into other items such as cushion covers.
Old electrical equipment: Donate old electrical equipment to schools or community centers so that others can reuse them.
Rechargeable batteries: Unlike regular batteries that create unnecessary waste, rechargeable batteries can be reused many times before they need to be thrown away.
Jars and pots: By cleaning glass jars and small pots, we can use them as small containers to store odds and ends（零星物品）.
3. Living green means reducing one’s carbon footprint, or, more generally, making as small an impact on the natural environment as possible.
Yes, I have thought about it. I can take some small steps to restrict energy consumption. For example, taking shorter, cooler showers. In that way I can save energy by minimizing hot water use.
Reading & Interacting
I. Understanding the Text
1. Text Organization
Parts
Paragraphs
Main Ideas
Part One
Paras. 1-4
The writer and her family wanted to slow things down and decided to move to a property that was off the grid.
Part Two
Paras. 5-10
Living off the grid, the writer’s family had to deal with a lot of big challenges, and yet meanwhile gained many benefits.
Part Three
Para. 11
Conclusion: Going off the grid was a great experience for the writer’s family.
2. Comprehension Check
2.1 Focusing on the main ideas
After living in the city of Las Vegas for years, Alison Zeuschel and her family decided to move to the countryside. Their home hunting ended up in a very small town in Arizona where they purchased a house on 40 acres that was not only off the grid, but without access to any (public) utilities. Just imagine the challenges facing them, such as generating their own power and hauling their own water. However, they worked hard and succeeded in making the adjustment in a few months. In addition, they benefited a lot from living off the grid there. Most important of all, they came to know the importance of conservation and learned how to conserve power and water and how to reuse things, etc. In other words they learned how to live green.
2.2 Digging into detail
1. Her daughter wanted a horse. Her husband wanted property. Her son wanted a dirt bike. The writer herself wanted her family to be more self-sufficient.
2. The property was off the grid. It was actually not connected to any utilities — power, water or a sewer system.
3. They generated electricity by wind and solar power, and stored it in 16 golf cart batteries. Water had to be hauled in from a nearby town and stored in two tanks located on the property.
4. In her view, one of the greatest benefits was teaching her children the importance of conservation.
5. Other changes included reducing the amount of trash by recycling and composting, growing their own organic vegetables and reusing things that they would normally toss away.
2.3 Understanding difficult sentences
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. B
II. Focusing on Language in Context
1. Key Words & Expressions
1.1
1. Jack has no interest whatsoever in pursuing an acting career. He loves writing and directing.
2. The idea was to have users upload their medical records, so that they could be available at any time.
3. Traffic jams often build up when drivers slow down to see what happened in a crash.
4. A native New Yorker, Ben is familiar with the city, its neighborhoods, and all he has connections with.
5. You may have already seen your dream house. Before you put in an offer, you can do a few more things to ensure you purchase the right property for the right price.
6. Buying organic fruit and vegetables costs more, and for many shoppers, the benefits hardly seem worth the extra expense.
7. Self-sufficient living is the practice of providing for your own needs without outside aid or resources.
8. In the interview, the writer was asked how he set about writing a novel based on a dream he once had.
9. Are you thinking of becoming an insurance sales agent? Take this quiz to find out if this is the right career choice for you.
10. The rent for the apartment is reasonable; besides, the utilities are included, which means you don’t have to pay anything for gas, electricity and water.
11. A central heating and cooling system produces warm or cool air in one central area and distributes it throughout the building.
12. We were deeply shocked and saddened when we learned of the sudden death of our newly retired professor.
13. If you know the ins and outs of something, you know all the details about it and understand how it works.
14. It’s long been proven that we can accomplish any project if we break it up into small pieces and do the project one piece at a time.
1.2
1. consist of 2. tossed 3. overall
4. hauling 5. went out 6. in use
1.3
1. If you’re in business long enough, it’s inevitable you will meet with/face/encounter setbacks.
2. Hydroelectric power plants generate electricity in a much cleaner way than coal-fired ones.
3. Knowing the proper way to do laundry will help you avoid shrinking your sweaters and dyeing your white socks pink.
4. We really appreciate the invitation to your party, but my elderly mother lives with us and we don’t like to leave her alone in the evenings.
5. The hotel is OK but could make some adjustments to live up to its 5-star rating.
6. Most of us take electricity for granted. But do you know that about 1.5 billion people in this world have no access to electrical power?
2. Usage
1. He spoke to her looking away, as though to avoid meeting her eyes.
2. I hope to arrive in Hangzhou at 2:20 pm to catch the 3:10 train to Ningbo.
3. Maria refused to attend a party to which Lucia was also invited.
4. You may want to consider going on strike if you think you are paid unfair wages.
5. I remember feeling really happy when I was told they had found a house that could meet our needs.
6. If I fail to pass the exam on the first attempt, can I take the exam again?
7. The hotel and its staff are great. We really enjoyed staying there during our trip to Nanjing.
8. It is not only your health that will improve if you give up smoking, but also the health of your family.
9. Few of my friends could resist playing this computer game.
10. Please remember to pay back the money to Mary the moment you receive your salary next month.
3. Sentence Patterns
3.1
1. It was the day before yesterday that they set out. / It was they that set out the day before yesterday.
2. It was by the roadside that I found the lost wallet. / It was I that/who found the lost wallet by the roadside. /It was the lost wallet that I found by the roadside.
3. It was not until he got everything ready for the experiment that Xiao Wang left the lab.
3.2
1. It took my parents half an hour to finally find their way back to the hotel. / It took half an hour for my parents to finally find their way back to the hotel.
2. It took us almost two hours to work out this difficult math problem. / It took almost two hours for us to work out this difficult math problem.
3. It will take us more than three months to accomplish this art project. / It will take more than three months for us to accomplish this art project.
4. Comprehensive Practice
4.1 Cloze
If you want to know all the ins and outs of living green, then you should visit Backsbottom Farm. It is run by Rod and Jane, who have tried to be as self-sufficient as possible. They use a horse to haul the logs they cut from their woods. The fields are nourished by organic waste from the horse and their other animals rather than chemicals. They rely on a windmill to generate their electricity and when the wind slows down the lights go out and they have to set about looking for the candles. Jane, who was brought up in a home where constant electric power was taken for granted, admits it was hard to make the adjustment when they first arrived at the farm, but adds that overall they really appreciate their new way of life.
4.2 Translation
1. Jack is so diligent a student that he never goes anywhere without a book.
2. This is an outline of my paper; any of your suggestions will be truly appreciated.
3. Whether you’re buying or renting, you’ll need to be fully aware what kind of property best suits you and your lifestyle.
4. It is dangerous to ride a bicycle on an icy road, so we have to use the brake to slow it down.
5. If we put all our energy and effort into this project, we will definitely accomplish it in a few more months.
6. I am thinking about moving to a three-bedroom house located near the town center. In addition, it is within walking distance to the train station.
7. A lot of the things we take for granted as trash, such as newspapers, magazines, old computers and cellphones, can actually be recycled or reused in one way or another.
8. — What questions can I ask when inquiring about a job?
— You may ask if the position is still available and how long you have to wait before getting to know if you will be given an interview.
Reading & Comprehending
Reading 1
1. Comprehension Check for Reading 1
1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F 6. F 7. T 8. T 9. T 10. F
2. Translation
1. 在一个国际大都市（澳大利亚的悉尼）的郊区，有五周时间尝试无车的生活方式，有机会践行我们有关可持续发展和健康的价值观，这令我们激动不已。
2. 一路上，尽管多数地方都辟有自行车道，但是车道上常常满是垃圾和其他障碍物。
3. 无车生活的好处包括没有车的维修保养、没有车险，也无需担心别人破窗盗窃、偷车或撞车。
4. 我们打算延续全家的努力，过可持续的生活，同时倡导更多的支持性政策，例如增加自行车道、步行道和更好的公交选择，从而减少对汽车的依赖。
Reading 2
Comprehension Check for Reading 2
1. Currently there are 27 million rooftop solar water heaters in China. Nearly 4,000 Chinese companies are manufacturing these devices.
2. That is because such a device provides hot water without consuming any fuel, and the cost of installation is only a few hundred US dollars, which can be recouped by the average house in just a few years.
3. First, such devices cost a lot more to install in America than in China. Secondly, people in America live in much larger homes as compared to those in China. Thirdly, people in the US typically have water tanks in their basements or garages.
4. Because they would help dramatically lower energy costs and at the same time cut carbon emissions.
Integrated Skills Practicing
I. Viewing & Listening
1. Michael and Diana’s innermost house is about 12 feet square. There is no electricity, no hot water, and yet they lead a life of luxury here.
2. Diana says you enter timeless time here, and without the distractions of modern life, it’s easy to forget about everything but the moment.
3. Fire is a necessity. It heats the home and bathing water. It’s the couple’s only stove or oven.
4. No refrigerator means no meat, no ice-cream, but vegetables taste like the sun and earth without a hint of cold storage.
5. Diana said she was looking for emptiness when she came here seven years ago. But over time, that has changed. Now she is here, like her husband, in search of completeness.
III. Writing
Model paper for your reference
I believe that it is possible to live a green, sustainable life. To accomplish this goal, we need to be familiar with the small adjustments we can make in our everyday lives. The first thing that comes to my mind is that, instead of using cars, we should set about traveling by public transport whenever available. Secondly, we should take care not to take electric power for granted. When we leave a room, all the lights should be turned off. In fact, anything electrical that is not in use should be unplugged. Thirdly, we can recycle. Many things that we use are recyclable. If we get a container to collect the recyclable things, we can contribute to the conservation of natural resources and reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gas generated. In addition, a lot of things can be reused rather than being tossed in the trash, such as fabric shopping bags and the reverse side of printed paper. (160 words)