PRE-READING:

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

Ex: What is a ‘Sleepbox’?

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.

FUTURISTIC ‘SLEEPBOX’ DEBUTS IN MOSCOW

We figured tourist lodgings in expensive cities couldn't get more "basic" than capsule hotels.

We figured wrong.

A Moscow company is now marketing "Sleepboxes" – freestanding, mobile boxes with beds inside – for travelers stranded overnight, or those in need of a quick snooze. The Sleepboxes are meant to be installed in airports – even at departure lounges – and rented for 30 minutes to several hours at a time.

A Sleepbox is currently installed at the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow.

"We travel a lot and many times we faced a problem of rest and privacy in airports," says co-designer Mikhail Krymov of design firm Arch Group, who together with Alexei Goryainov came up with the idea of Sleepbox. "And as we are architects, we like to think of solutions."

Measuring 1.4 meters wide, two meters in length and 2.3 meters in height, Sleepbox’s star feature is a two-meter-long bed made of polymer foam and pulp tissue that changes bed linen automatically.

It also comes with luggage space, a ventilation system, WiFi, electric sockets and an LCD TV.

The model unveiled in Moscow is a "hostel" version of the Sleepbox, which includes an additional bunk bed and fold-up desk.

"Imagine the situation that you are in the modern metropolis, where you are not a local resident, and you have not booked a hotel," the designers say on their website. "Thanks to Sleepbox, any person has an opportunity to spend the night safely and cheaply in case of emergency, or when you have to spend a few hours with your baggage."

The designers say that the box can be placed at railroad stations, expo centers and even on the streets of countries with warm climates.

"We hope that Sleepboxes will be available all over the world," says Krymov. "Today we are offering Sleepboxes to different companies in Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S.A. Generally the price of one box starts from US$10,000.

"The idea is to sell Sleepboxes to local companies, who will be local operators of the business."

We'd like to see them in offices for fatigued workers, as well as shopping malls for tired boyfriends and husbands.

Word count: 360 words

Source: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/futuristic-sleepbox-makes-sleeping-airports-easier-720511

SCANNING:

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

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.

• To figure (right or wrong) = To think wrongly or correctly about (Nghĩ rằng, cho rằng)

• To be installed = To be in place or set in a specific location (Được lắp đặt)

• To unveil = To show, reveal or disclose (Trưng bày, ra mắt công chúng)

Grammar:

Notice the special combination of adjectives and nouns in the following phrases we call collocations.

A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time.

Match the collocation on the left with its meaning on the right.

Sometimes a collocation can become so common and fixed it is like one word. These are called compound words. In the above list, capsule hotel, departure lounge, bunk bed, railroad station, expo centre and shopping mall are examples of compound nouns.

When you learn new words, pay attention to the words they appear with. Learning collocations and compound words will help you speak more fluently and accurately.

Can you think of other words that collocate with these nouns?

Discussion: Can you sleep easily when you are on a journey? What do you do when you are waiting at a bus station, railroad station or airport?

Would you use a sleepbox? Why or why not?

Answers:

Collocation quiz

1. b

2. g

3. d

4. l

5. i

6. e

7. m

8. o

9. h

10. n

11. a

12. j

13. f

14. k

15. c

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