Unit 6 Building Solutions Lesson A

Unit 6

Building Solutions

Gold in this unit

​You will:

1. Read about unusual buildings.

2. Learn about a city built on water.

3. Explore some unusual structures around the world.

Think and discuss

Open Ended

1. How would you describe a typical home in your town or city?

For example, what materials is it made from?

Open Ended

2. What makes a neighborhood a nice place to live?

Lesson A

Pre-Reading

A. Look at the photos and infographic, and read the captions on pages 80-83. Match each one with a description (a-c).

Multiple Choice

Photo on page 80-81

• An underground skyscraper

• An office building that people live in

• A home made from things that people threw away

Multiple Choice

Infographic on page 82

• An underground skyscraper

• An office building that people live in

• A home made from things that people threw away

Multiple Choice

Photo on page 83

• An underground skyscraper

• An office building that people live in

• A home made from things that people threw away

B. What words would you use to describe each building?

C. Who does the writer mention in the passage?

.

Scan the passage on pages 80-82 for people's names and occupations, and complete the information below.

.

Then read the whole passage to check your answers.

Developing Reading Skills

GETTING THE MAIN IDEAS

What is the main idea of the passage on pages 80-82? Complete the statement.

Multiple Choice

People are using ----- to create places to live and work.

• modern materials and nonprofessional builders

• available resources and adapting to local conditions

• abandoned homes and office buildings

ORGANIZING SUPPORTING DETAILS

One way to understand and remember supporting details is to organize them in a chart.

Complete the chart using the information below. Refer to the passage on pages 80-82.

Drag and Drop

a. Caracas, Venezuela​ is:​ ​

Placeholder

​ building: ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Location

City in a Tower

Description

Materials

Recycled Homes

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

b. an underground building ​​is:

Placeholder

building: ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Description

Earthscraper

Location

Materials

City in a Tower

Recycled Homes

Drag and Drop

c. materials thrown away by building companies is: ​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Materials

Recycled Homes

Location

Description

City in a Tower

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

d. Huntsville, Texas is: ​

Placeholder

building:​ ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Location

Recycled Homes

Description

Materials

City in a Tower

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

e. a building abandoned by a construction company is:​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Description

City in a Tower

Location

Materials

Recycled Homes

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

f. empty offices is: ​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Materials

City in a Tower

Location

Description

Recycled Homes

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

g. glass for a roof is:​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Materials

Earthscraper

Location

Description

City in a Tower

Recycled Homes

Drag and Drop

h. houses made from recycled wood is: ​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Description

Recycled Homes

Location

Materials

City in a Tower

Earthscraper

Drag and Drop

I. Mexico City is: ​

Placeholder

building:​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Location

Earthscraper

Description

Materials

City in a Tower

Recycled Homes

UNDERSTANDING REASONS

Writers often use reasons that explain cause and effect relationships. They use words like because, so, therefore, and since. Some words come before the reason (since, because), and others come after or before a result (so, therefore).

Complete the chart by matching each reason below with the correct idea.

Multiple Choice

1. Torre David was empty.

• He thinks throwing away materials is a waste.

• There are no elevators.

• The construction company closed.

• They can't build up.

• The local people are not professional builders.

Multiple Choice

2. Taxis take people to the higher floors of Torre David.

• He thinks throwing away materials is a waste.

• There are no elevators.

• The construction company closed.

• They can't build up.

• The local people are not professional builders.

Multiple Choice

3. Dan Phillips wants to build houses with unused materials.

• He thinks throwing away materials is a waste.

• There are no elevators.

• The construction company closed.

• They can't build up.

• The local people are not professional builders.

Multiple Choice

4. Dan Phillips provides help with building skills.

• He thinks throwing away materials is a waste.

• There are no elevators.

• The construction company closed.

• They can't build up.

• The local people are not professional builders.

Multiple Choice

5. The Earthscraper architects plan to build underground.

• He thinks throwing away materials is a waste.

• There are no elevators.

• The construction company closed.

• They can't build up.

• The local people are not professional builders.

BUILDING VOCABULARY

A. Choose the best word to complete each sentence.

Multiple Choice

1. Each of Phillips's houses is ----- because each one has a special style that is unlike any other.

• community

• materials

• residents

• unique

Multiple Choice

2. ----- for building houses include concrete, wood, and cement.

• community

• materials

• residents

• unique

Multiple Choice

3. People who live in Torre David like to help each other. For example, many people in the ----- helped to plant trees.

• community

• materials

• residents

• unique

Multiple Choice

4. Some ----- of Torre David opened a store in the building. These people are able to live and work in the same place.

• community

• materials

• residents

• unique

B. Match each word with the correct definition.

Multiple Choice

1. construction

• to give someone hope or confidence

• relating to work that requires special training

• the act of building something

• a method or procedure for doing something

Multiple Choice

2. encourage

• to give someone hope or confidence

• relating to work that requires special training

• the act of building something

• a method or procedure for doing something

Multiple Choice

3. professional

• to give someone hope or confidence

• relating to work that requires special training

• the act of building something

• a method or procedure for doing something

Multiple Choice

4. technique

• to give someone hope or confidence

• relating to work that requires special training

• the act of building something

• a method or procedure for doing something

GETTING MEANING

FROM CONTEXT

Multiple Choice

A. The writer says that people have found creative ways to make the most of the resources they have. What do you think this phrase means? Choose the correct answer.

• To create something that didn't exist before

• To make something bigger or more important

• To get as much value as is possible out of something

Multiple Choice

There was an abandoned building in the neighborhood. A resident noticed it and saw an opportunity. So she -----

• a. turned it into a shop that sold things people needed

• b. looked to see what was behind it

• c. thought it was a terrible waste

CRITICAL THINKING

Open Ended

Analyzing. What are some possible problems with living in one of the places described in the passage?