Reading

1. SPEAKING Look at the photos and the titles of texts A—C. What do you think the texts are about?

(Nhìn vào các bức ảnh và tiêu đề của văn bản A—C. Bạn nghĩ gì về các văn bản?)

Answer:

I think that the texts are about different types of innovative housing solutions for people in need.

2. Quickly read texts A—C and check your ideas.

(Đọc nhanh văn bản A—C và kiểm tra ý tưởng của bạn)

Answer:

The texts are about different topics related to architecture and housing.

Text A is about a sculptor who creates unique shelters for homeless people using bits of rubbish.

Text B is about an artistic and surreal guest house in Viet Nam.

Text C is about a housing trust in England that is developing studio flats for homeless people using old shipping containers. Overall, the texts showcase innovative and unconventional approaches to housing and architecture.

Reading Strategy

When you find evidence in the text that supports an answer, underline it and note which question it refers to. If you do that, you can find it again easily when you are checking all your answers at the end.

3. Read the Reading Strategy. Match two of the texts with the photos below. Say what evidence you found to support your answers.

(Đọc Reading Strategy. Ghép hai trong số các văn bản với các bức ảnh dưới đây. Nói những thông tin bạn tìm thấy để hỗ trợ câu trả lời của bạn)

Answer:

1. B. The Crazy House

The Crazy House has gained recognition for its creative and unique architecture. There are almost no straight lines and no right angles at all. The structure of the house does not follow any rules, but everything looks harmonious. This weird structure is a maze of winding flights of stairs, dangerous-looking bridges, and sculptural rooms, each of which is named after an animal.

2. C. Well - contained housing

It is developing 36 studio flats in the town centre, using old shipping containers. The flats will have a window at each end and a toilet and shower room in the middle. On one side there'll be a kitchen and small dining table, and on the other side a living room with a sofa bed. At 24 square metres, they are smaller than a shared room in a homeless hostel.

4. Match the texts (A—C) with the sentences (1-4) below. Make a note of the evidence you found to support your answers.

(Nối đoạn văn (A—C) với các câu (1-4) bên dưới. Ghi lại bằng chứng bạn tìm thấy để hỗ trợ câu trả lời của bạn)

1. These homes can be found in two European countries.

2. The builder of these homes uses only recycled parts.

3. Each room in this house has a different animal theme.

4. These homes can be put together to make a block of flats.

[ A ] Living sculptures

Gregory Kloehn is a sculptor with a difference. Not only are his sculptures created from bits of rubbish, but each of his unique creations offers a homeless person somewhere to live. Gregory works in California, where there are a lot of people living on the streets. Each of his sculptures is no bigger than the average sofa, but the tiny, one-roomed shelters are as wonderful as mansions for a person who is sleeping rough. Gregory searches on rubbish dumps to find pieces to use. A washing machine door is as good as a normal window. A fridge door can make a fine front door, and has useful shelves on the inside. And each home is on wheels so that it can be pushed around easily.

[ B ] The Crazy house

With a view to bringing humans closer to nature, architect Dang Viet Nga created this surreal artistic guest house in Da Lat, Viet Nam. The Crazy House has gained recognition for its creative and unique architecture. There are almost no straight lines and no right angles at all. The structure of the house does not follow any rules, but everything looks harmonious. This weird structure is a maze of winding flights of stairs, dangerous-looking bridges, and sculptural rooms, each of which is named after an animal. In one room, guests are watched over by the glowing red eyes of a kangaroo. In another room, the window looks like the cobweb of a giant spider and the fireplace is in the form of an eagle's egg.

[ C ] Well-contained housing

If you heard that they were putting homeless people into shipping containers, you might be shocked. But that’s exactly what is happening in Brighton, England. The Brighton Housing Trust has been inspired by a similar housing estate in the Netherlands. It is developing 36 studio flats in the town centre, using old shipping containers. The flats will have a window at each end and a toilet and shower room in the middle. On one side there'll be a kitchen and small dining table, and on the other side a living room with a sofa bed. At 24 square metres, they are smaller than a shared room in a homeless hostel. But they are much more desirable and certainly spacious enough for one person. They are also stackable. The containers will sit on top of one another with stairs connecting them.

Answer:

1. [C] Well-contained housing - Evidence: "The Brighton Housing Trust has been inspired by a similar housing estate in the Netherlands. It is developing 36 studio flats in the town centre, using old shipping containers."

2. [A] Living sculptures - Evidence: "Not only are his sculptures created from bits of rubbish, but each of his unique creations offers a homeless person somewhere to live. Gregory searches on rubbish dumps to find pieces to use."

3. [B] The Crazy house - Evidence: "This weird structure is a maze of winding flights of stairs, dangerous-looking bridges, and sculptural rooms, each of which is named after an animal."

4. [C] Well-contained housing - Evidence: "They are also stackable. The containers will sit on top of one another with stairs connecting them."

5. VOCABULARY Match a—h with 1-8 to make compound nouns. They are all in the texts.

(Nối a—h với 1-8 để tạo danh từ ghép. Tất cả đều có trong văn bản)

Compound nouns

1. rubbish a bed

2. sofa b containers

3. front c door

4. dining d dump

5. shipping e estate

6. housing f flat

7. studio g house

8. guest h table

Answer:

[ A ] Rubbish dump

[ B ] Shipping containers

[ C ] Front door

[ D ] Sofa bed

[ E ] Housing estate

[ F ] Studio flat

[ G ] Crazy house

[ H ] Guest table

6. Read the texts again. Answer the questions.

(Đọc các văn bản một lần nữa. Trả lời các câu hỏi)

1. Where does Gregory Kloehn find the parts to make his houses?

2. What does Gregory sometimes use as a front door?

3. In what way does staying in the Crazy House bring guests closer to nature?

4. Apart from the UK, in which country have containers been made into flats?

Answer:

1. Where does Gregory Kloehn find the parts to make his houses?

• Gregory Kloehn finds the parts to make his houses on rubbish dumps.

2. What does Gregory sometimes use as a front door?

• Gregory sometimes uses a fridge door as a front door.

3. In what way does staying in the Crazy House bring guests closer to nature?

• Staying in the Crazy House brings guests closer to nature as the structure of the house does not follow any rules and it has almost no straight lines or right angles.

4. Apart from the UK, in which country have containers been made into flats?

• Apart from the UK, containers have been made into flats in the Netherlands.

7. SPEAKING Work in pairs. Discuss these questions.

(Làm việc theo cặp. Thảo luận những câu hỏi sau)

1. Which home is the most original and clever, do you think? Why?

2. Which is the most useful from a social point of view? Why?

3. Which of the homes would you like to live in? Why?

4. Which of the homes would you not like to live in? Why not?

Answer:

1. Which home is the most original and clever, do you think? Why?

• The answer to this question is subjective and varies from person to person. Some people might find Gregory Kloehn's Living sculptures the most original and clever because he creates homes for homeless people out of rubbish. Others might find the Crazy House the most creative and unique because of its surreal and artistic design.

2. Which is the most useful from a social point of view? Why?

• Again, this is a subjective question, and it depends on personal opinions. However, some people might argue that Gregory Kloehn's Living sculptures are the most useful from a social point of view because they provide shelter for homeless people. The Brighton Housing Trust's Well-contained housing might also be considered useful from a social point of view because they provide afford

3. Which of the homes would you like to live in? Why?

• This is a personal preference, and it varies from person to person. Some people might prefer to live in the Crazy House because of its artistic and unique design, while others might prefer to live in the Well-contained housing because of its affordability and location in the town center.

4. Which of the homes would you not like to live in? Why not?

• Again, this is a personal preference, and it varies from person to person. Some people might not like to live in the Living sculptures because they are small and made out of rubbish. Others might not like to live in the Crazy House because of its strange and surreal design, which might not be to everyone's taste.