BREATHING LESSONS KEY

The article comes out of the Guardian. It was written by Leo Hickman and was published on April 4, 2007.Read the subtitle of the text out loud to the students and elicit reaction. The article comes out of a serious paper, not a tabloid. How do they feel about the comparison being made? The article discusses the solutions to the problem so ask the students what they think these might be. After some discussion, distribute the texts and the question sheets. They ought to spend about two minutes per question but don’t tell them this; they will stop actually reading and work ÖSS style just to answer questions. You keep an eye open for your own information. The writing task that follows should, ideally, be done in class but could also be assigned as homework.

1.      The text states urban living should carry a health warning. Explain why.

      Because city air is bad for you / If you live in a major city then the air   

      pollution you suck  into your lungs each day could be shortening your   

      life expectancy even more than the radiation exposure suffered by   

      survivors of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

      .

2.      How does walking down Marylebone Road compare to smoking? Do you think this situation would be the same or different for Istanbul and your home town?

      A pedestrian would draw in the equivalent of one cigarette in 45   

      minutes. Open ended.

3.      When walking in a big city one should stay away from busy streets and thoroughfares,  street canyons, and (being behind) smokers and the leeward side of the road.

4.      The writer has various recommendations while crossing roads. He makes all these suggestions because every meter really does count when you are in close proximity to traffic.

5.      Read section three carefully and state clearly in your own words what you think exacerbate means. Make worse

6.      Which is healthier walking during your lunch break or walking in the rain?

      Walking in the rain.

7.      If you fail to clean your mask oily organic compounds will build up in the filter.

8.      Why are children in pushchairs at higher risk of being affected by air pollution?

a) they are smaller than adults

            b) they have a faster metabolic rate

            c) they breathe more rapidly

9.      Various advice is given as to where, when and how to exercise in the text. According to what you have read so far which location would be the best choice?

     Indoors or in a park.

10.   Where should you sit on a bus?

      On the side nearest the pavement / upstairs on a double-decker

11.    Why are modern homes worse in terms of pollution?

       Because they are centrally heated, carpeted and airtight

12.  The study in Hong Kong’s City University is mentioned to prove that height doesn’t seem to offer significant sanctuary.

13.  How do pollutants today compare to those in the mid 20^th century?

     They are 100 times smaller

OPTIONAL FREE WRITING

DISCUSS THE MEASURES WE CAN TAKE IN OUR BIG CITIES TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION

-Using cleaner energy (natural gas, solar, wind or geothermal energy)

-Producing more environmentally friendly motor vehicles

- Making filters compulsory for factories

- Planting more trees

- Educating the public starting early