Unit 3 Four walls

3a Sky caves of Nepal

Reading mysterious dwellings
1 Look at the photo of some unusual caves. Then 3 Why was this place important historically?
read the extract from an article about the caves
and answ,erthe questions.
4 What was found in the caves?
1 What do you learn about the geography and
climate of this area?

5 What was the function of the earliest caves?

2 How many caves are there like the ones in the

6 Why did people choose to live in them?
photo?

Mustang, a former kingdom in north-central

Nepal, is home to one of the world's great
archaeological finds. In this 1 incredibly
inhospitable, wind-savaged place, hidden within
the Himalaya, there are an extraordinary number
of human-built caves.

Some sit 2 completely by themselves, a single

open mouth on a vast face of weathered rock.
Others are in groups, occasionally stacked
eight or nine stories high, an 3 entirely vertical
neighbourhood. Some were dug into cliff sides,
others were tunnelled from above. Many are
thousands of years old. The total number of
caves in Mustang, conservatively estimated,
is 10,000. Why anyone would build such
inaccessible rooms has for a long time been a
empty, though they showed signs of domestic
mystery and the evidence that might supply an
habitation. But in others the treasures he and his
answer has been almost 4 utterly erased.
team found were 7 quite simply stunning. In one
We know that 700 years ago, Mustang was a cave they discovered a 26-foot-long mural, in
bustlinq place: a centre of scholarship and art, another 8,000 calligraphed manuscripts. Many
and a key place on the salt trade route from caves seemed to be elaborate tombs full of
8 absolutely amazing riches.
Tibet to India. Salt was then an 5 extremely
valuable commodity. Later, when cheaper salt
Evidence now shows that the caves divide into
became available in India, an economic decline
three general periods. As long as 3,000 years
set in. Soon the region was ali but forgotten, lost
ago, they were used as burial chambers. Around
beyond the great mountains.
1,000 years ago, they became primarily living
Pete Athans first glimpsed the caves of Mustang quarters. Because the territory was frequently
while trekking in 1981. Many appear impossible fought over, people took refuge in them, placing
to reach unless vou are a bird and Athans, a safety over convenience. After AD 1400, when
6 very accomplished mountaineer, was stirred by
most people had moved to traditional villages,
the challenge they presented. the caves continued to be used - as meditation
chambers, military lookouts or storage units.
Over a twelve-year period, Athans made several Some remained as homes, and even today a few
visits. Most of the caves he looked into were farnilies live in them.
Language focus intensifying Vocabulary adverb and
adverbs adjective collocations
2 Lookat the intensifying adverbs in the article. Then 5 Match the adverbs (1-10) with the adjectives (a-j)
crossout the adverb(s) that could NOT replace each and make collocations,
adverb in the article.
1 deadly a amused
1 absolutely / extremely 2 desperately b familiar
2 extremely / utterly 3 hopelessly c obvious
3 completely / so 4 mildly d optimistic
4 entirely / really 5 painfully e reasonable
5 absolutely / very 6 patently f serious
6 extremely / so 7 perfectly g slow
7 absolutely / really 8 simply h unacceptable
8 incredibly / quite 9 vaguely unlucky
3 Complete the exchanges about the sky caves story 10 wildly wrong
with these intensifying adverbs. There is sometimes
6 Complete the sentences with collocations from
more than one possibility.
Exercise 5.
absolutely completely incredibly 1 I think your estimate that 90 per
quite really 50 totally very cent of the people will say 'yes' is
...........................................................................................................
It'll be more like
A: Youmust have to be a(n) 1 ... 40 per cento
skilled climber to get into these caves.
2 His name sounds to
B: Yes,you have to be 2 fearless. me. I think perhaps I met him at a party about
C: I find it 3 . incredible that three years ago.
people could have lived in these caves. 3 They were not to
D: I know. It must have been 4 .
win the match. They were leading right until
difficult to get provisions like food and water up the end.
to them. 4 Even if you bought the suitcase three years
ago, it's . to ask for a
E: I would 5 . love to be involved refund if it has a five-year guarantee.
in this kind of work.
5 I thought she was joking when she said she
F: I know. It must be 6 exciting to
was going to run the London marathon, but she
discover what's inside the caves.
was .
G: The entrances to some of the burial caves were 6 I wish he would speak more succinctly. I find
7 sealed with large boulders. his explanations . .
H: I know. The climbers had to 8 .
literally risk their lives to open them up. Vocabulary features in a home
4 Pronunciation stress in intensifying adverbs 7 Look at these features in a home. Would you find
them inside (I) or outside (O)?
a 'i 1.17Listen to these sentences with intensifiers
and underline the stressed syllables. conservatory courtyard games room
1 I'm utterly exhausted. garage/workshop gym home cinema
roof garden sauna veranda
2 l' d really appreciate that.
walk-in wardrobe
3 It's so hot today.
4 It's OK. I quite understand.
5 You're absolutely right.
6 It's very difficult to say.

b Practise saying the sentences with the same stress.

3b The city solution
listening urban vitality
1 li 1.18 You are going to listen to part of a lecture
to a group of first-year architecture students
describing two opposing views of cities. Read the
statements. Then listen to the lecture. Does the
speaker agree (A) or disagree (D) with each view?
4 Answer the questions about the words in bold in
these sentences from the lecture.
1 The chairman of the London County Council
described his city as 'a tumour'.
A tumour is an abnormal grawth or swelling.
Where would you usually find a tumour?

1 In the past, cities were dirty, unhealthy places

to live. 2 ... housing where recent migrants from the
country raised large families in cramped and
2 People are moving away from cities in search of
squalid conditions.
more space.
Which word means 'dirty' and which means
3 Big cities are more efficient places to live.
'lacking space'?
2 '!li 1.19 Listen to the first part of the extract and
complete the summary of Howard's vision of cities 3 Also living in London at that time was a mild-
of the future. Use one word in each space. mannered man named Ebenezer Howard.
People should be encouraged away from the Is mild-mannered a positive or nega tive trait?
1m. to live in 2 ...
cities. Here they would live in houses with
4 ... how the tide of urbanisation could be
3 • in the 4.
stopped.
m

of the city and 5 ... . to their

workplace on the 6 .... . Around Tide here is used to rnean 'an irresistible flow in
the city, there would be a 7 .... a certain direction'. What thing in nature does
where food would be grown to feed the tide norrnally describe?
inhabitants. The optimum number of people for
these towns would be 8 . 5 He points to the efficiency of cities.
3 li 1.20 Listen to the second part of the extract Is points giving an exarnple or accusing
and answer the questions. someone of sornething here?

1 How many of the world's population live in

cities today?
2 What does Ed Glaeser see slums as a sign of?
6 Cities contain the damage to nature rather than
spread it.
Which meaning of contain is used here: 'to
hold', 'to consist of', or 'to limit'?

3 What do cities offer their inhabitants?

4 What do people living in cities use less of?

5 What kind of place has Letchworth become?

 Unit 3 Four walls

Vocabulary towns 7 Rewrite these sentences with more emphasis.

1 I love the feeling of space in Berlin.
5 Choose the correct option and make collocations.
1 a dormitory neighbourhood / town
oold in
2 a sprawling city / village
2 The friendliness of the people in Istanbul really
3 a housing estate / suburb strikes you.
ouneil
4 a leafy metropolis / suburb
:lling. 5 a market city / town
ir? 6 a vibrant metropolis / suburb 3 I liked Los Angeles, but I found it very
7 a sleepy metropolis / village polluted.
i the 8 a historic city / estate
d and
language focus emphatic 4 You will not find such dramatic buildings as in
neans Dubai anywhere else in the world.
structures
6 t§l1.18 Rewrite these sentences with more
a mild- emphasis. Then listen again and check your answers.
5 The sense of history in Jerusalem is amazing.
ud. 1 He was referring to the appalling slums that a
trait? booming city had spawned.
Whathe ...
6 It's rare to find a place where nature and man-
ma de structures blend so well together.
2 He proposed drawing people away from the
~flow in metropolis.
re.does What ...
8 Dictation talking about a trip
3 In 1907, his vision actually became reality when
the garden city of Letchworth was built. Ij 1.21 Listen to a conversation about a visit to
Russia. Complete the answers.
In 1907, his vision actually .
A: What did you think of Moscow?

4 Large cities have spread around the world, not B: I ...

mer than small garden cities.
It is ... A: And how did it compare to St Petersburg?
'to
B: Very .
5 Urbanisation has not only spread, but expert
opinion now sees this as a positive trend.
Not only .... A: Well, that's not so surprising. It is much further
west.
6 In his book Triumph of the City - which, B: Yeah, ...
incidentally, I recommend you read - Ed Glaeser

In his book Triumph of the City - which, incidentally, A: Did you go anywhere else, then?
B: Well, .

7 We often ignore the fact that poor people are

attracted to cities because they offer opportunity.
A: How was that?
The thing ....
B: Amazing ....

8 Cities themselves very seldom make people

poor.
Very seldom ....
3c Biomimetic architecture
listening the influence of
nature
1 Ij 1.22 Look at the photos and captions. Then
listen to an interview with an architectural
historian about 'biornimetics'. Answer the
questions.
1 What does 'biomimetics' mean?

2 How do the three structures in the photos relate

to biomimetics?
3 Match these words in bold from the interview with
the correct definition.
2 Ij 1.22 Listen again and choose the correct option 1 ... the term biomimetics, which was coined in
(a-c). Pause the CD each time before moving onto the 1950s ...
the next questiono a first created b made popular
1 According to the historian, the term 2 ... hi-tech swimsuits that replicate shark skin.
biornimetics: a use b irnitate
a is relatively recent. 3 ... he created a very organic-looking building ...
b is an old science.
a simple b natural
c can be applied to anything that copies
nature. 4 ... one of the most hideous buildings in the
world.
2 The examples of new materials she gives are
materials that copy: a beautiful b ugly
a water-based animals. 5 ... to imitate the heating and cooling system in
b animals in general. a termite mound.
c animals and plants. a small hill b body
3 When designing the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi
took inspiration from: Word focus wall
a models he had made.
4 Complete these sentences and make idioms with
b natures forms.
wall.
c the human body.
1 He rarely listens to my suggestions. Often I feel
4 The design of the Sagrada Familia:
as if I'm banging my against a
a confused the public, brick wall.
b divided public opinion.
c brought Gaudi great fame. 2 She's a great teacher, but her methods are
pretty the wall. Yesterday
5 There are a lot of biornimetic buildings now she braught a jar of flies into the class to
that are: demonstrate random movement.
a named after animals, 3 I would like to have been a on the
b known by the name of something in the wall when that conversation took place!
natural world.
4 It's OK. I have money. I withdrew some cash
c given nicknames by their creators.
earlier from the ... . ....in the wall.
6 The Eastgate Centre in Harare uses biomimetics 5 I hope the builders finish soon. The constant
to avoid: drilling is driving me . the wall.
a becoming too cold. 6 They finally found an investor so prevented the
b looking like a conventional office and
business from going . the wall.
shopping complexo
c having to be cooled artificially. 7 If he gets elected, I'm afraid the .
is on the wall for green energy initiatives. He
doesrr't believe in alternative technology.
 Unit 3 Four walls

3d A relaxation area
Reallife making 3 Pronunciation linking

recommendations a '" 1.24 Listen to these phrases and write the

sound or letter that links and to the word before.
1 t 1.23 Listen to part of a discussion about a
proposal to put a new coffee lounge into a large 1 food and water ...
open plan office which is on the 14th floor of an 2 tea and biscuits
officeblock. Write down two of the arguments 3 vanilla and chocolate .
mentioned in favour of the proposal and one
4 wait and see .
against it.
5 go and ask ...
For 6 you andme ...

'with b li 1.25 Look at these phrases and mark the

words which are linked. If an extra sound (!w I I

din Ij/ or Ir/) is needed, mark this too. Then listen

and check your answers.
1 first of all
Against
kin. 2 with a bit of luck
3 as a matter of fact
ng ... 4 as far as I'm aware
5 between you and me
2 Speaking skill making a case 6 let's be honest
e
t 1.23 Complete the phrases used by the 7 at the end of the day
speakers to make their recommendations. Then 8 I've no idea, I'm afraid
min listen again and check your answers.
C Practise saying the phrases in the same way.
1 First of . I should say that I think
I

it's basically a good idea.

4 Listen and respond giving your opinion
2 It's got a lot of things to it.
3 But I . to say there's a risk in that. li 1.26 Imagine you are at a meeting to discuss
proposals for a new recreation and games room
4 The idea of putting in some area that feels more
ith at your workplace. Your colleagues ask you some
intimate and homely really to me.
questions. Respond with your own words. Then
S The informal chats are something we shouldn't compare what you say with the model answer that
feel ..............................................
the importance of. follows.
a
6 What I is, if we assume that
1
people relaxing and having coffee at work ... What do you think
7 50 I'm very much in favour of this proposal, of this idea?
particularly.... . that we are all
It real/y appeals to me
working in ...
actual/y. I think every
8 ... induding a screen with industry news on it workplace should
1 lhe
in the room is a dever . have such a space.

;h

it
u
:lthe

~e
3e High-rise living
Writing an opinion essay
1 Look at the elements of an opinion essay (1-4).
Then read the two paragraphs (a and b) from an
opinion essay about whether it is good for people
to live in high-rise buildings. Which elements do
the paragraphs represent?
1 analyse the question and set your terms of
reference
2 give your opinion and present the arguments
supporting it
3 evaluate counter arguments
4 make your conclusion
ri So, as with ali things, in the end we must choose
between their advantages and disadvantages.
For me, even though the benefits of high-rise
building to the wider environment are qreat. they
are still small when set against the human cost.
After ali, what use is a pleasant environment
if most of the time you are isolated from your
fellow human beings in a small flat 70 metres
from the ground?
m It is true that the pressure for space in our cities
has demanded ever taller buildings. Indeed, it is
neither possible nor desirable to keep expanding
our cities outwards into valuable green belt
outside the city limits. Perhaps it could be argued
that high-rise buildings are an acceptable solution
for non-residential uses, such as offices, hotels,
etc.
2 Do you think the writer is for or against high-rise
living? What arguments does he/she concede to
the other side?
3 Writing skill linking devices
Match these phrases and sentences balancing ar
reinforcing arguments.
1 Living in an apartment building in the centre
may seem unrelaxing,
2 Even though we live 20 storeys up,
3 It feels much nicer to live in an old house.
4 Our building is not the tallest in the
neighbourhood.
5 The council has limited apartment blocks to
five storeys.
6 We wanted to feel part of a community,
a However, there are some other taller buildings.
b but it is extremely convenient.
c
d
so we bought a house in a residential suburb.
Admittedly, maintenance is expensive.
e our view of the city is blocked by other
buildings.
f lndeed, there are some over 60 stareys high.
4 Write your own answer to the question: Is it good
for people to live in high-rise buildings? Follow the
structure suggested in Exercise 1. You can use
ideas from those two paragraphs if you wish.
 Unit 3 Four walls

Wordbuilding suffix -able 4 411.28 Underline the stressed syllables in the

words in these sentences. Then listen to the
1 Complete the sentences with adjectives formed sentences.
from these verbs.
rise 1 There are only two interesting buildings in the
afford contact do forget like are a around Newport.
-to
move retrieve walk watch 2 The green belt should definitely be pratected
from developers.
1 Sorry, but I don't think the solution is
........We need to think of 5 Underline the stressed syllables in sentences
something cheaper. from the listening extracts in this unit. Use the
audioscript at the back of your book. Then listen
2 It's not too far from the hotel to the old city-
and check.
it's certainly ...
or 3 She's very talkative - I was exhausted
after half an hour 's conversation. But I Check!
don't mean to criticise her: she's ais o very
itre 6 Do this crossword. AlI the answers are in
Student's Book Unit 3.
4 The date is . if it's not
convenient for you. Across

5 If there's anything urgent, I'll be 1 makes one crazy: me up the wall (6)
.................
at work tomorraw - but 5 a flight of steps: case (5)
probably not after that until I get to Tokyo on 6 a man-made material used in building walls
to Thursday. and foundations (8)
6 I think what you're asking isnt 7 green, with lots of trees; as in a ... suburb (5)
......I just don't think the 8 see without being seen; a ... on the wall (3)
timeframe you've allowed is realistic.
lings. Down
7 It was a fun film but not very interesting.
1 clearly, very; as in ... odd (10)
You know those actions films - very
ub, ..............................................................
, but also instantly 2 alive, buzzing; as in a ... city (7)
3 a city whose spread is uncontralled is
8 I think a lot of damage has been done by his described as ... ing (6)
comments. I just hope that the situation is 4 a basic wooden home or building (5)

;h.
1 2 3
;ood Learning skills listening: 1

lhe
bottom-up strategies - - I---

2 When you listen to fast native speech, you will

often be faced with the difficulty of decoding the
~ I---
4 5
sounds you hear. Look at this list of key things to I--- 1 1
-
recognise in native speech.
I--- I--- ;--- -
1 being able to recognise a word from its
stressed syllable
6
2 understanding the place of weak forms
(auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles) in a 1 1

sentence
-
3 understanding linking so that you can 7

separate the words that have been linked 1

8
4 picking out the key word in a sentence (those
1
that carry the meaning)

3 411.27 Look at the stressed syllables in the

words in this sentence. Then listen to the
sentence.
The development of energy-efficient homes
has changed the way houses are built.