Taj Mahal | By Free School

🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 The Story of the Taj Mahal

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Renowned worldwide for its beauty and symmetry, the Taj Mahal is the most famous landmark in India. Located near the city of Agra, the Taj Mahal attracts millions of visitors each year, who come to see its beauty and remember the romantic story of its origins. 

The Taj Mahal - its name is Persian for 'Crown of Palaces' - is an elaborate mausoleum or tomb. It was built more than 350 years ago by Emperor Shah Jahan of India as a memorial for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who had died. Shah Jahan met his future wife when he was fifteen years old and she was fourteen, although they were not married until five years later in 1612. Their marriage was a happy one, as the two loved each other and were good friends as well. Shah Jahan gave his wife the title Mumtaz Mahal, which means 'Chosen One of the Palace,' and together they had fourteen children. It was while giving birth to her final child in 1631 that Mumtaz Mahal died. Shah Jahan was heartbroken and decided to build a memorial for his beloved wife in Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna river. 

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. It was an immense project: more than 20,000 workers were involved, and materials were transported by more than 1,000 elephants. The style of the buildings was inspired by Persian, Islamic, and Indian architecture, and the tomb was finished with huge slabs of white marble and decorated with many precious and semi-precious stones. Elaborate patterns of tile and even poems written on the walls in careful calligraphy decorated nearly every surface. The tomb took about 12 years to build, but the work was not over yet! The tomb itself is only part of a much larger complex and is surrounded by elaborate gardens with pathways and pools of water that are positioned to catch beautiful reflections. There are also minarets, a mosque, and a gateway. Construction of the rest of the complex took an additional ten years, meaning that the entire project took 22 years to build. The cost is estimated to have been 32 million Indian rupees, an equivalent of about $827 million US dollars today. It is said that Shah Jahan planned to build a second Taj Mahal across the river from the first, made completely of black marble, as his own tomb, but when his son overthrew him and rose to power the plans were discarded. Whether this is true or not, it is probably true that Shah Jahan did not plan to be buried in the Taj Mahal with his wife, but that is where his son buried him when he died. A slightly larger tomb for Shah Jahan was added next to Mumtaz Mahal's, marking the only place in the tomb that the symmetry is broken. Shah Jahan and his Queen are not actually buried in the tombs that are on display: those are empty. Instead, their bodies are buried beneath the Taj Mahal. 

Through the centuries, the Taj Mahal has survived. It has been described as 'poetry in stone', and 'a teardrop on the cheek of time,' and has been designated a World Heritage Site for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India" and a "universally admired masterpiece". Today it is a symbol of India and one of the most famous landmarks in the world, as well as an enduring symbol of a love that was meant to last forever. 

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. famous for something
2. The quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.
3. containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts
4. a building in which the bodies of dead people are buried
5. an object, often large and made of stone, that has been built to honour a famous person or event
6. (of a person) suffering from overwhelming distress; very upset.
7. extremely large in size or degree
8. to make someone feel that they want to do something and can do it
9. connected with the Muslim religion, or with people or countries who follow it
10. A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood, typically rectangular.
11. of great value because of being rare, expensive, or important
12. (the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush
13. a tall, thin tower on or near a mosque (= a Muslim holy building) from which Muslims are called to pray
14. a building for Islamic religious activities and worship
15. to defeat or remove someone from power, using force
16. to throw something away or get rid of it because you no longer want or need it
17. a work of art such as a painting, film, or book that is made with great skill
18. existing for a long time

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Being a Civil Engineer Vs. an Architect | By Interesting Engineering

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Both civil engineers and architects are involved in planning and designing structures. However, a civil engineer will concentrate on making sure that the structure will be safe and be able to endure every day in extreme conditions, while the architect will focus on the aesthetics of the structural work, as well as concentrate on the look, feel, and functionality. The civil engineer will analyze and evaluate the structural integrity of the design which the architect has created, and find ways to make the construction design possible by suggesting alterations/ modifications in order to turn the architect's vision into reality. Civil engineers and architects often work with each other, as their work sometimes overlaps. A good working relationship between the two professions will make a construction job more effective and successful. 

What's it like being a civil engineer?

Civil engineering is a very demanding yet fulfilling career, as the engineer work on a project from its inception right to its completion. When you drive over a bridge, see a building, fly out of an airport or visit a museum, a civil engineer has had a major part in that project. Civil engineers have many duties; they interact with clients, customers, inspectors, suppliers, vendors, architects, and design teams. They submit and revise drawings many times over until they are approved. They also spend time tendering, looking at reports, doing cost estimates, analyzing designs and infrastructures, testing, commissioning, and spend time on construction sites to see what progress is being made on projects. Construction sites need to be visited and monitored frequently, in all kinds of weather conditions, to make sure work is going smoothly and disputes are resolved in a timely manner in order to meet specific deadlines.

What's it like being an architect?

Being an architect can be very challenging and competitive. University does not teach you everything you need to know, but it does develop your creative talents and opens your mind to new ideas. You will learn about business and the technical aspects of architecture when you start working in the field. You will also develop useful contacts and relationships with contractors, engineers, and clients. Practicing architecture for most architects is not about designing, but about coordinating projects, solving design problems, and overseeing the details of the construction. All these mundane and uninspiring tasks will lead to a successful design. Over time, you may prefer either the design aspect, or the technical aspect of the job and may veer towards doing one over the other. The direction you take in your career will dictate what your typical day will be like. Architectural design focuses on the design of a building, the use of 3d models, sketching, renderings, etc. Technical design focuses on the construction, documentation, and details of a project. There is also the business side of architecture, and if you find you prefer that side of the picture, you can branch out and become a project manager. Try to get an opportunity to spend some time in an architecture office if you can.  See if you like what people are doing there, chat with them and see if they are the type of people with whom you like to work.  This is really the best indicator of whether you will enjoy being an architect or not. 

Do architects and civil engineers work together?

The two main designers of a structure are the architect and the civil engineer; both professions being integral to the structure's execution and construction. Their responsibilities often overlap. The architect will design a space to meet the client's needs, and will come up with the blueprints for both the inside and outside of a building. Because the architect is ultimately responsible that the building is safe for its occupants, he or she will work closely with a civil engineer to ensure the structure meets all the appropriate building codes. The civil engineer can also advise and/or select the appropriate structural materials, and help with specifying the plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems that will be needed. 

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. to do things and be part of an activity or event
2. Focus one's attention or mental effort on a particular object or activity.
3. to continue to exist for a long time
4. A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.
5. The quality of being suited to serve a purpose well; practicality.
6. to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something
7. the quality of being whole and complete
8. a change, usually a slight change, in the appearance, character, or structure of something
9. to have some parts or features that are the same
10. (of a task) requiring much skill or effort.
11. the beginning of an organization or official activity
12. to communicate with someone
13. someone who is selling something
14. the process of choosing the best or cheapest company to supply goods or do a job by asking several companies to make offers for supplying the goods or doing the work
15. bring (something newly produced, such as a factory or machine) into working condition
16. A disagreement, argument, or debate
17. to solve or end a problem or difficulty
18. wanting very much to win or be more successful than other people
19. to watch organize a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly
20. very ordinary and therefore not interesting
21. not making you feel excited or interested
22. to change direction
23. to influence something or make it necessary
24. a device that shows a value or a change in level, speed, etc.:
25. necessary and important as a part of a whole
26. the act of doing or performing something in a planned way
27. finally, after a series of things have happened
28. a person who lives or works in a room or building

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How modern highways are built | By Interesting Engineering

🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 How modern highways are built

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From the Autobahn in Germany to the sprawling U.S federal highway system, highways are some of the most important pieces of transportation infrastructure around the world. We often take them for granted but have you ever considered what sort of engineering goes into the construction of highways? Let's take a closer look!

The construction of any highway begins with the planning phase. Before laying the foundation, engineers and officials spend a lot of time determining the best route for traffic to flow through cities and across regions. Since highways last for so long they don't just consider the transportation problems of today but also think and plan out many decades into the future. After a plan for the highway is made, the next step is handing off the concept to a team of surveyors, architects, and engineers to complete the initial design. Surveying teams use GPS-based scanning tools to carefully map out the land where a highway will be built. The teams collect a massive amount of data including soil properties, drainage capabilities, future development potential, environmental effects, and even a complex digital point cloud that perfectly models the terrain. Once the data is collected, the design is finalized over what is usually a process of many years. The next step is construction. Since most highway systems are built by governments, choosing a company or companies to undertake the construction is usually done through a bidding process where different companies compete to offer the best price, quality, speed, and other factors. Like buildings and other structures, highways will need to hold a significant amount of weight throughout their lives which is why they need a very strong foundation. The phases of the construction process for highways usually looks like this:

1. Build up embankments and cut down hills to flatten out the terrain where the highway will be built.
2. Then, bulldozers and other heavy equipment will grade the soil and dirt, perfectly leveling out and smoothing the terrain together to create a subgrade.
3. Depending on the highway, engineers will often lay down different layers of soil. This soil is then heavily compacted to build up a strong sub-base grade to lay the roadway on top of.
4. While compacting soil down to its maximum density, engineers will lay down road drainage and storm sewer systems to ensure that the highways don't flood. After these preparatory and foundation laying steps are completed, the paving process can be started.

There are many different paving options for roadways but the main two highway choices are asphalt or a type of concrete. Asphalt uses a chemical compound known as bitumen, a byproduct of petroleum to essentially glue together crushed rock. This mixture is heated, laid, and then compacted to make the roadway surface. Concrete utilizes cement, water, and an aggregate like sand or rock. Concrete roadways are built by pouring the concrete into forms used to carefully shape and smooth the road surface. Asphalt is less durable compared to concrete but it's also far cheaper and faster to lay, especially for long stretches of road. Concrete, on the other hand, is highly durable but it's very expensive and time-consuming to use for constructing roadways. The choice will depend partly on cost considerations, environmental conditions, and what the roadway will be used for. After the paving process is completed, the roadway will undergo a period of testing. Engineers use seismology equipment to measure vibrations and fluctuations in the road surface. Engineers will also do load testing on the roadway making sure that the highway can support the necessary amount of weight. Finally, engineers have to check that the highway can support high water flow rates through its drainage system to help prevent accidents due to inclement weather.  After all of these construction and certification steps, the roadway can be opened up to the public for use. 

The process of constructing a highway usually takes many years. For example, plans for the Pan-American Highway which is made up of a series of interconnected roadways stretching across Canada, The United States, and 12 nations in South America began as far back as 1923. Construction on the first part of the roadway began in the 1940s. Today after almost 100 years of work, the road from the tip of North America to the tip of South America is still incomplete. The United States really loves highways too because not only does the U.S have the longest road network in the world but it is also home to the widest highway in the world. The Katy Freeway in Texas spans a monstrous 26 lanes across at its widest point and more than 219,000 vehicles drive across it every day. Highways are marvels of engineering indeed but they often go unremarked. Hopefully now as you're traveling across the highways of the world you'll appreciate the immense amount of engineering and planning that goes into them.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. a part of something
2. the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively
3. to not show that you are grateful for someone or something, and forget that you are lucky to have them
4. to pass or give something to someone
5. a principle or idea
6. of or at the beginning
7. very large in size, amount, or number
8. the system of water or waste liquids flowing away from somewhere into the ground or down pipes
9. an area of land, when considering its natural features
10. to try to be more successful than someone or something else
11. an artificial slope made of earth and/or stones
12. to become level or cause something to become level
13. a heavy vehicle with a large blade in front, used for pushing earth and stones away and for making areas of ground flat at the same time
14. An underground conduit for carrying off drainage water and waste matter.
15. done in order to get ready for something
16.  covering an area of ground with a hard, flat surface of pieces of stone, concrete, or bricks
17. a black, sticky substance, often mixed with small stones or sand, that forms a strong surface when it becomes hard
18. An incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.
19. a dark, thick oil obtained from under the ground, from which various substances including petrol, paraffin, and diesel oil are produced
20. broken into small pieces by being pressed very hard
21. to press something together in a tight and solid way
22. to use something in an effective way
23. to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change
24. the scientific study of the sudden, violent movements of the earth connected with earthquakes
25. a change, or the process of changing, especially continuously between one level or thing and another
26. (of the weather) unpleasantly cold or wet
27. with different parts or things connected or related to each other
28. Having the ugly or frightening appearance of a monster.
29. not noticed
30. extremely large in size or degree

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Seollal, Korean New Year | By Learn English with KT

  🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 Seollal, Korean New Year

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Seollal, Korean New Year, is one of the most important national holidays in Korea. It is celebrated on the third of February, according to the Lunar calendar, a calendar based on the different phases of the moon, and it is a three-day national holiday. Traditionally, families gather from all over Korea at the house of their oldest male relative to pay their respects to both elders and ancestors. 

During Seollal celebrations, it is customary for all members of the family to wear hanbok, the colourful traditional costume. These clothes are simple dresses for women or vests and loose-fitting trousers for men. Hanbok outfits are often coloured with bright reds, pinks, or oranges.

Seollal is known for its feast of traditional Korean food. One of the main dishes during this holiday is tteokguk, a soup made of beef, vegetables, egg, and rice cakes. According to Korean traditions, tteokguk symbolises starting out the year with a clean mind and body. Other classic foods eaten on the New Year’s Day include mandu, a type of dumpling. Making mandu is a multi-day family activity, involving preparing its ingredients and wrapping the dumplings. Another commonly enjoyed dish during seollal is three-color namul, a popular vegetable dish. It is made up of three vegetables that are coloured green, white, and brown. Popular choices include spinach, fern shoots, and balloon flower roots. 

After finishing a meal, it is customary for the entire family to pay respect to their ancestors with a brief prayer. The younger generations of the family pay respect to their elders by performing sebae, a deep bow. Once sebae is completed, the elders offer their blessings and wishes for a prosperous year. Children often receive sebaetdon, or New Year’s money, as a gift. For the remainder of the day, family members spend quality time and share stories with one another. 

Seollal is more than just a holiday to mark the beginning of a new year. It is a special occasion for Korean people. Not only is it a time for paying respect to ancestors, but it is also an opportunity to spend time with family members, eat traditional foods, exchange gifts, listen to stories and have fun.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. any member of your family from long ago, for example, the grandparents of your grandparents
2. According to the customs or usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances.
3. the set of clothes typical of a particular country or period of history, or suitable for a particular activity
4. a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people
5. the words that someone says or thinks when they are praying
6. the movement of bending your head or body forward, especially as a way of showing someone respect or expressing thanks to people who have watched you perform
7. a prayer asking for God’s help, or a prayer of thanks for God’s help
8. rich and successful

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Tet (Lunar New Year) in Vietnam | By Awabe

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Lunar new year or Tet is Vietnam's main holiday. It is the grandest and most important occasion in the year which falls somewhere between the 19th of January and 20th February on the western calendar. Tet marks the beginning of spring and for agrarian people the start of a new year. Tet's preparations and celebrations used to be spread over months but nowadays the holiday is much shorter. A great deal of excitement still builds up well before tet however streets are decorated with coloured lights and red banners. Shops are full of goods people are busy buying gifts, cleaning and decorating their houses, and cooking traditional foods. Homes are often decorated with plants and flowers. At this time peach blossom is traditional at tet in the north while apricot blossom is traditional in the south. The kumquat tree with its ripe deep orange fruit is popular throughout the country. One of Tet's most special foods is Banh Chung (Chung Cake) which is made from sticky rice, green beans, and fatty pork. Mut (Jam) is candied fruit such as sugared apples, plums, or tomatoes is also popular. On the days of Tet, everyone tries to be nice and polite to each other. People believe that what they do on the first day of the year will influence their luck during the whole year thus only positive comments should be made. People visit other family members or friends and they exchange new year's wishes. Children receive their lucky money inside red envelopes. Many people go to the pagodas to pray for a happy year for themselves and their families. Both children and adults take part in games and various forms of entertainment. Tet is really a time of fun and festival throughout the country.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. impressive and large or important
2. relating to the land, especially the use of land for farming
3. a strip of material showing a name, such as of a sports team, or a message, which is often put in a place where it can be seen by many people
4. a small flower, or the small flowers on a tree or plant
5. a small, oval fruit that looks like an orange and has a sweet skin that can be eaten
6. (of fruit or crops) completely developed and ready to be collected or eaten
7. to put sugar in or on something
8. a tall religious building in Asia with many levels, each of which has a curved roof

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COVID variant Omicron: What are the main symptoms? | BY Al Jazeera English

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The five most common symptoms associated with the omicron variant include runny nose, fatigue which can be mild or severe; headache; sore throat as well as sneezing; However there are other symptoms that are also common with other variants. These include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, as well as loss of smell. Although this is less common with the omicron variant. Omicron is different than other variants because of the mutations. 32 mutations around the spike protein itself which mean that it has changed shape and is better able to enter the cells of the body and replicate faster, replicating 70 times faster than previous variants and has a higher ability to reinfect. So you're more likely three to four times more likely to be reinfected if you've had the previous covid with the Omicron variant. Overall, we also see that based on early data the reproduction number is between three to five. The existing vaccines still do help protect against severe symptoms of Omicron but we are seeing much higher rates of breakthrough infection with just two doses which is why it's very important to get a booster jab as well. With a booster, we see that protection against severe symptoms goes up to 80 percent compared to the halving effect that we've seen with Pfizer just with two doses alone. The risk of hospitalization has decreased with Omicron; however, due to its increased ability to transmit, it's very high transmissibility. This means that we have many more people who are affected with Omicron at the same time and the growth rate is much higher than for any other variant that we have seen before. So, because it's spreading much more quickly across the population, many more vulnerable people will all be sick at the same time. So the public health threat remains because it will apply a significant amount of pressure on a health care system. So even if Delta had higher rates of hospitalization, it impacted fewer people at the same time. We will see that younger people may have milder symptoms, but those with underlying conditions and the elderly will still be at a greater risk of hospitalization with omicron and can develop complications. Overall, if we look at the advantage that is given by being milder is essentially canceled out by the sheer rate of growth.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. any feeling of illness or physical or mental change that is caused by a particular disease
2. more liquid than usual
3. extreme tiredness
4. the way in which genes change and produce permanent differences
5. to make or do something again in exactly the same way
6. to infect again
7. A sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.
8. an injection
9. the act of taking someone to hospital and keeping them there for treatment
10. the fact of a disease, etc. being able to be passed from one person or animal to another
11. able to be easily physically or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked
12. not violent, severe, or extreme
13. real but not immediately obvious
14. used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing except
15. an extra medical problem that makes it more difficult to treat an existing illness
16. to send air out from the nose and mouth in an explosive way that you cannot control

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How bridges are built over water? | By Interesting Engineering

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Bridges are marvels of engineering that stand inconspicuously amongst us. We don't think of them much even when we are passing over them. Nowhere are these structures more impressive then when they are built over water which brings us to the question; how are bridges built over water? 

When the water is shallow, construction is easy. A temporary foundation is made on which piers are built to support the upper structure and the bridge is then built! It's when the water is deep that other techniques are needed. There are many methods to complete such a task in deep water but here we will explore the main three. These three methods of bridge-building are called battered piles, cofferdams, and caissons. 

Let's begin with battered piles. These are poles that are driven into the soil underneath the water. Piles are hammered into the water until they turn outward or inward at an angle. This makes the piles firm and increases their ability to carry lateral loads. Piles are inserted in the ground using pile drivers. These are mechanical devices that may be transported to a location on a floating pile driving plant. Pile drivers may also be cantilevered out over the water from piles that have been installed in advance. With the use of pile frames, pile hammers, and winches, pile drivers hammer the piles into the soil until they turn outward or inward at an angle. The piles are now ready to carry lateral loads and can provide the foundation of support for the bridge. The next step is to construct the pile caps above the piles. Once this is done the bridge is ready to be built. 

Next up are cofferdams. These are temporary enclosures made by driving sheet piling into the bed of a body of water to form a watertight fence. This is called the cofferdam. There's more to this bridge-building technique. Once the sheet piles have been inserted in the water to create a cofferdam. The water is pumped out of the enclosure. Now, the construction workers can build the bridge as if they are working on dry land. The process then becomes relatively easy. 

Finally, caissons may be used. There are two types of caissons: open and pneumatic. An open caisson is a structure that is usually shaped like a box. It is open at the top and bottom. The caisson is usually constructed on land then floated into position and sunk so that the upper edge is above water level. The caisson has a cutting bottom edge so that it sinks through the soft silt on the bed. Inside is a series of large pipes or dredging wells. These are used to dredge up the bed material. As more material is dredged up the caisson sinks and more sections are added to the shaft to keep it above water. 

Once the caisson reaches the correct depth, concrete is laid to seal the bottom and then more concrete is poured into the caisson to form a solid post. A pneumatic caisson is similar to an open caisson but it has an airtight bulkhead above the bottom edge. This is fitted with airlocks. The space between the cutting edge and the bulkhead is called the working chamber. In this space, the water is removed using air pressure. Construction workers can then enter the chamber and excavate the soil. It is important that the air pressure in the chamber be carefully monitored so the workers do not get the bends. 

But how do engineers pick which technique to use? This all depends on the condition of the site and the technology available. These are important decisions to make that only experts can fully handle. Now that you know a bit more about how bridges are built you can admire them even more. After all, all bridge-building techniques are impressive feats of Engineering.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. in a way that is not easily or quickly noticed or seen
2. having only a short distance from the top to the bottom
3. a low structure built at the edge of water, used especially for getting into and out of boats
4. A pile driven at an inclination to the vertical to provide resistance to horizontal forces
5. to hit or kick something with a lot of force
6. relating to the sides of an object or plant or to sideways movement
7. Support by a long projecting beam or girder fixed at only one end (used in bridge construction)
8. a machine that lifts heavy objects by turning a chain or rope around a tube-shaped device
9. an area surrounded by fences or walls
10. having no openings to allow water to get in
11. operated by air pressure
12. Go down below the surface of something, especially of a liquid; become submerged.
13. sand or soil that is carried along by flowing water and then dropped, especially at a bend in a river or at a river's opening
14. to remove unwanted things from the bottom of a river, lake, etc. using a boat or special device
15. a deep hole in the ground from which you can get water, oil, or gas
16. to cover a surface with a special liquid in order to protect it
17. completely closed so that no air can get in or out
18. a wall that divides the inside of a ship or aircraft
19. something difficult needing a lot of skill, strength, courage, etc. to achieve it

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Building with Concrete vs. Wood - Which is Safer? | By Civil Mentors

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Wood and concrete have been used in construction for thousands of years and for a good reason. Both materials have properties that make them appealing building materials. In this video, we will tackle the age-old debate between wood and concrete. But before we dive headfirst into this heated debate, there are a few considerations you need to keep in mind. As professionals in construction, we know that you can look at this question from various perspectives, which ultimately affects your interpretation of the advantages and disadvantages listed below. We also recognize the distinction between immediate advantages and long-term benefits. In other words, the benefits that material provides in the long term may outweigh the drawbacks you experience today. Therefore, you should keep your own priorities in mind as you watch this video. 

According to a study, concrete is the second most used material after water, and there are lots of reasons why it is so popular. Still, there are advantages and disadvantages to using concrete as a building material: 

On the other hand, when we think of wood we often imagine a natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly building material. And in many ways, it is. Wood stores carbon dioxide, which results in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2432 metric tons (equal to taking 500 cars off the road for a year). It is inexpensive, light, and easy to work with. A natural resource (readily available, presenting promising opportunities). 

On the other hand, concrete is often criticized for being unsustainable as it takes a lot of resources to produce. Cement, a main component of concrete is one of the world's biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Many people assume that because cement production is bad for the environment, so is concrete production. But the truth is far more complicated than that. Let's take a closer look. Concrete is durable - its lifespan is actually two or three times longer than other common building materials. Concrete is great at absorbing and retaining heat, which means it will increase the energy efficiency of a building and reduce HVAC expenses. Its reflective properties will decrease air conditioning costs in the hot summer months. Concrete produces little waste as it can be produced in batches specific to project needs. 

So now the question is which is safer concrete or wood? 

Last but not least, there's safety. In general wooden structures are not as safe as concrete buildings. Wood is vulnerable to external threats like fire, wind, insects, and moisture. All of which can result in structural damage and safety risk. While concrete is a durable, strong material, it too poses some safety risks. For example, if a concrete structure collapsed, either at a jobsite or once the building is occupied, falling concrete could seriously injure anyone who is nearby. Also, if you are a builder working with dry or wet concrete, you may experience irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, or skin. Furthermore, exposure to silica, a made ingredient in dry concrete, can even cause far more serious health issues, including lung cancer. Now that you know everything about building with concrete and wood, which one would you choose?

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. attractive or interesting
2. to try to deal with something or someone
3. (a) serious discussion of a subject in which many people take part
4. the act of thinking about something carefully
5. a particular way of considering something
6. finally, after a series of things have happened
7. an explanation or opinion of what something means
8. a difference between two similar things
9. to be greater or more important than something else
10. a disadvantage or the negative part of a situation
11. something that is very important and must be dealt with before other things
12. able to continue over a period of time
13. the act of making something, or of something becoming, smaller in size, amount, degree, importance, etc.:
14. the act of sending out gas, heat, light, etc.
15. to express disapproval of someone or something
16. to accept something to be true without question or proof
17. involving a lot of different parts, in a way that is difficult to understand
18. the length of time for which a person, animal, or thing exists
19. to keep or continue to have something
20. the good use of time and energy in a way that does not waste any
21. able to send back light, hear, energy, or sound from a surface
22. a group of things that are dealt with or produced at the same time
23. able to be easily physically or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked
24. to cause something, especially a problem or difficulty
25. (of a structure) fall down or in; give way.
26. (of a building, seat, etc.) being used by someone.
27. a painful or sore feeling in a part of the body
28. The state of being exposed to contact with something.

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