E

Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?

For Brian McGarry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?

I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large southfacing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant

limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.

After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.

Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic andenvironmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.

1.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.

A. consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer

B. had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory

C. appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors

D. refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing

2.Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______

A. using south-facing windows to take in solar energy

B. Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy

C. supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system

D. placing more demands and restrictions on the design

3.How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?

A. very unaffordable

B. Energy-consuming

C. comfortable to live in

D. Awkward to use

4.What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?

A. supportive B. critical

C. oppositive D. doubtful

In 1947 a group of famous people from the art world headed by an Austrian conductor decided to hold an international festival of music,dance and theatre in Edinburgh. The idea was to reunite Europe after the Second World War.

At the same time, the “Fringe” appeared as a challenge to the official festival.Eight theatre groups turned up uninvited in 1947,in the belief that everyone should have the right to perform,and they did so in a public house disused for years.

Soon,groups of students firstly from Edinburgh University, and later from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge,Durham and Birmingham were making the journey to the Scottish capital each summer to perform theatre by little-known writers of plays in small church halls to the people of Edinburgh.

Today the “Fringe”,once less recognized, has far outgrown the festival with around 1,500 performances of theatre,music and dance on every one of the 21 days it lasts. And yet as early as 1959,with only 19 theatre groups performing,some said it was getting too big.

A paid administrator was first employed only in 1971, and today there are eight administrators working all year round and the number rises to 150 during August itself. In 2004 there were 200 places housing 1,695 shows by over 600 different groups from 50 different countries. More than 1,25 million tickets were sold.

1.What was the purpose of Edinburgh Festival at he beginning?

A. To bring Europe together again.

B. To honor heroes of World War 11.

C. To introduce young theatre groups.

D. To attract great artists from Europe.

2.Why did some uninvited theatre groups come to Edinburgh in 1947?

A. They owned a public house there.

B. They came to take up a challenge.

C. They thought they were also famous.

D. They wanted to take part in the festival.

3.Who joined the "Fringe" after it appeared?

A. They owned a public house there

B. University students.

C. Artists from around the world.

D. Performers of music and dance.

4.We may learn from the text that Edinburgh Festival.

A. has become a non-official event

B. has gone beyond an art festival

C. gives shows all year round

D. keeps growing rapidly

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