Read the text about a new kind of house and do the following tasks.
THE HELIOTROPE
A unique eco-house in Freiburg, Germany
Freiburg is a town of 200,000 inhabitants situated in picturesque countryside on the edge of the Black Forest in southern Germany.
It is a university town, an important industrial and commercial centre, and a tourist resort. But today it is best known as the ecological capital of Germany. The old town is completely pedestrianized, recycling is a way of life and people use bicycles and public transport to commute. In one part of the town cars are forbidden: drivers must park on the edge of the suburb in a special car park with solar panels on the roof. The result is that very few residents own cars.
On the outskirts of the town there is a special district where all the houses are solar-powered. Here there is a detached house, which at first sight looks rather strange. When people see it for the first time, they stand in amazement trying to understand what it is. It is an experimental Eco-house called the Heliotrope. This is the German architect Ralph Disch’s brain-child which has the shape of a cylinder with a unique solar panel system installed on the roof. It is worth mentioning that the designer of the project is thought to be an ardent fan of eco-friendly living accommodation and an enthusiast of alternative energy resources. Even 25 years ago, Disch was against the construction of a nuclear power plant in his city.
It looks like a smallish tower block sitting on a narrow platform. In the centre of the house there is a spiral staircase, and as you go upstairs, you can see large bright rooms with triple-glazed windows and spacious balconies. Here you feel very comfortable since there is a lot of light and air; you would like to stay here for a long time.
But what is happening? You feel something rotating... Yes, the room rotates along with you. So, the most amazing thing about the house is that it turns round. The house follows the sun from morning to night, in order to maximize the energy it produces. By the way, even in nasty weather, the house is provided with the energy stored up from previous days. Enormous solar panels provide the energy required for the heating, the cooker, the fridge, the light bulbs and all other domestic appliances.
Although the house rotates very slowly, the movement is noticeable. It feels a bit like being on a ship in a calm sea or in a house high up in a tree. The good news is that the technology works: the house produces five times more electricity than it consumes.
Freiburg is a window into the future, which shows how urban life may change. Perhaps one day we will all live in houses like the Heliotrope. If we do, we’ll never have to worry about electricity bills again. And we‘ll never be bored with the view. One wants to believe that soon large industrial cities, along with capital from businesses will use modern technology, trying to save the ecology of our planet for future generations. These good intentions may finally help us get rid human selfishness in relation to our home planet.
GLOSSARY:
on the edge of на краю
pedestrianized делать место пешеходной зоной
suburb окраина
solar-powered работающий на солнечной батарее
a brain-child детище
a solar panel солнечная батарея
to rotate вращаться
an ardent fan истинный поклонник
to be installed устанавливать
TASKS:
I. Decide if the statements 1–6 are True (T), False (F) or Not Stated (NS).
1. Freiburg is a town of 600,000 inhabitants located in picturesque countryside on the edge of the Black Forest in southern Germany.
2. In the centre of the town there is a special district where all the houses are solar-powered.
3. The experimental Eco-house is called the Heliotrope.
4. Although the house rotates very slowly, the movement is unnoticed.
5. There are several Eco-houses in Berlin, too.
6. As you go upstairs you see large bright rooms with triple glazed windows and spacious balconies.
II. Choose the right item.
1. People use … to commute in Freiburg.
a) telephone
b) cars
c) bicycles and public transport
2. Freiburg is a town of 200,000 inhabitants located in picturesque countryside on the edge of the … in southern Germany.
a) Brown Forest
b) Black Forest
c) Green Forest
3. It feels a bit like being … in a calm sea, or in a house high up in a tree.
a) on board the plane
b) on a ship
c) on a space ship
4. It is the most amazing thing about the house is that it …
a) has 57 floors.
b) is made of cardboard.
c) turns round.
5. You feel very comfortable inside the house because … in it.
a) there is much beautiful furniture
b) there is much light and air
c) there are many wonderful paintings
6. In … of the town cars are forbidden
a) one part
b) northern part
c) old part
III. Answer the following questions.
1. Who originated the idea of building the Heliotrope?
2. Why are people amazed when they look at the Heliotrope?
3. What helps provide the house with energy?
4. What does the Heliotrope look like?
5. What should a human being do today to save the planet for future generations?
6. If you had a chance, would you live in the eco-house? Explain your choice.