PRE-READING:

Look at the title and predict the main ideas of the article. Then, write down three wh-questions about the text.

Ex: Why is it called a ‘hobbit house’?

WHILE READING:

Set a time limit to read this article. An average reader can read at the speed of 250 words per minute. Note down your reading speed regularly to check your progress.

SKIMMING:

Within the time limit, read and summarize the main ideas of the paragraphs in your own words. Do not worry about unfamiliar vocabulary.

Man builds stunning ‘hobbit house’ for just £3,000

A man has built a hillside home reminiscent of a hobbit house from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings — on a budget of just £3,000.

Simon Dale constructed the woodland home for his family in Wales, taking only four months to fully complete the project with help from his father-in-law. Built with "maximum regard for the environment" it contains a cosy living room, an open-plan kitchen and a split-level bedroom area. The home is also adorned with fairy lights and wooden furniture to complete the look.

"These sort of low-cost, natural buildings have a place not only in their own sustainability but also in their potential to provide affordable housing which allows people access to land and the opportunity to lead simple, sustainable lives," he said.

Designed to be fully sustainable, the home is heated by a wood burner while solar panels on the roof provide power. It also has water supplied by a nearby spring — completing provider-free utilities.

"Being your own have-a-go architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself," said Dale. "Building from natural materials does away with producer's profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings".

Dale completed the home while his wife and two children camped in the nearby countryside, moving in after the timber frame and roof had been completed. Despite having no previous experience as a builder or carpenter the ambitious plans came to fruition.

"This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverance and a mate or two to give a lift now and again," he explained.

Dale is currently working on a new home in Pembrokeshire as part of the Lammas project, Wales' first authorised 'low impact' ecovillage.

You can make a donation to contribute to Simon Dale's eco-homes project here - http://www.simondale.net/house/donate.html

Word count: 326 words

SCANNING:

Use your notes to identify where you can find the answers to the questions you made in the pre-reading stage.

VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT: What do the following words or phrases taken from the article mean? Look back at the article to understand how the word is being used.

1. (built) with ‘maximum regard for the environment’

a. taking up the largest amount of space possible

b. built to cause as little pollution and use as few natural resources as possible

c. built to take advantage of beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.

2. the look

a. appearance and style

b. view

c. aspect

3. provider-free utilities

a. software on a local hard disk

b. having electricity and water, but not from a commercial supplier

c. water and power provided free by the supplier

4. ‘have-a-go’

a. energetic and active

b. talented

c. amateur trying a job normally done by a professional

5. ‘low-impact’ eco-village

a. small village

b. a village that has little effect on the economy

c. a village that only has a small effect on the environment

POST-READING:

Glossary:

• Pay attention to how the word is combined with other words in context. Do not learn the meaning of the word without sentences. Vietnamese should be the last resort after you have tried all the learning strategies.

• Reminiscent (of sth) (adj): making you think of something similar (Gợi nhớ lại điều gì đó)

• Cosy (adj): warm and comfortable (Ấm cúng)

• Open-plan (adj): an open plan office, school, kitchen etc does not have walls dividing it into separate rooms (Không vách ngăn, mở)

• Split-level (adj): a split-level house or room has floors at different heights in different parts (Lệch tầng)

• Adorn (v): to be decorated with something (Tô điểm, trang trí)

• Fairy lights (plural noun): small coloured electric lights used for decoration, especially on a tree at Christmas (Đèn nhỏ dùng trang trí cây thông)

• Sustainable (adj)/sustainability (n): that can be continued for a long time (Bền vững)

• Utilities (plural noun): services such as gas or electricity provided for people to use (Các dịch vụ công cộng như điện nước)

• Cocktail (n): a mixture of different substances (Hỗn hợp các chất)

• Carcinogenic (adj): likely to cause cancer (Có thể gây ung thư)

Idioms and Expressions:

• The look: the appearance of something (Vẻ ngoài, thiết kế bên ngoài)

• Provider-free utilities: having electricity and water, but not from a commercial supplier (Các dịch vụ công cộng miễn phí (do tự nhiên mang lại) như điện, nước)

• Have-a-go: amateur trying a job normally done by a professional (Ngẫu hứng, không chuyên)

• Low impact: affecting or altering the environment as little as possible (Ít gây hại đến môi trường)

• Eco-homes: houses that are friendly to the environment (Nhà thân thiện với môi trường)

Discussion: Find a study friend. Talk together about the ‘hobbit house’ (make use of both the pictures and the text). Would you like to live in a house like this? Do you think you could build one?

Think about your own house and home life. Talk with your study friend about some ways you can reduce the impact of your house and lifestyle on the environment. Try to use the vocabulary learned in the article in speaking and writing your summary.

Answers:

1. b

2. a

3. b (the electricity comes from a solar panel, and the water from a spring)

4. c

5. c (eco- means ecological e.g. ecotourism)

Source:http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Man-builds-stunning-hobbit-yahoofinanceuk-1514084024.html

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).