[00:00.00] CHAPTER FIVE Reading
[00:-1.00]pages 82 and 83
[00:-2.00]SICK BUILDINGS
[00:-3.00]A wealthy American businessman
[00:-4.00]has just bought a small insurance company in South east Asia.
[00:-5.00]He has not visited it yet.
[00:-6.00]After he bought it,he heard that the staff were often sick.
[00:-7.00]He then sent Kate Ford,his personal assistant,
[00:-8.00]to inspect the office and give him a brief report on the possible health hazards
[00:-9.00]To:Mr P Thompson, Chairman,Mwgabux industries From:Kate Ford
[00:10.00]Health Hazards at Solid Insurance Ltd.
[00:11.00]I have investigated the possible health hazards
[00:12.00]in the office of Solid insurance Ltd,
[00:13.00]and I have also discussed the subject with the present manager of the company
[00:14.00]Mr C K Li,and most members of staff.
[00:15.00]General situation
[00:16.00]The office is situated on the fifth floor of a building which was completed in 1975
[00:17.00]Access is via elevator only.
[00:18.00]The office is rented from Profitable Properties Limited(PPL).
[00:19.00]Ventilation
[00:20.00]they complained of headaches,tiredness and respiratory problems.
[00:21.00]The poor ventilation is probably responsible.
[00:22.00]All windows in the office are sealed.
[00:23.00]We should consider replacing some of these with windows which can be opened
[00:24.00]All ventilation is provided by the building's central air conditioning system
[00:25.00]At present this provides a mixture of 20% fresh air and 80% recycled air.
[00:26.00]A higher percentage of fresh air is desirable.
[00:27.00]In addition,the main air intake is at ground level,facing a busy main road.
[00:28.00]This should be re-sited to the roof.
[00:29.00]There is no regular cleaning programme for the system,
[00:30.00]although this ought to be done at least once a year
[00:31.00]to ensure that dirt and dangerous bacteria do not pollute the system.
[00:32.00]We will need to raise these points with PPL,
[00:33.00]who may object because of the expense of making changes.
[00:34.00]Smoking
[00:35.00]Seven of the forty staff,including Mr C K Li,are regular smokers.
[00:36.00]The previous management did not have a non-smoking policy.
[00:37.00]We should consider introducing one immediately.
[00:38.00]This is the easiest problem to solve.
[00:39.00]Equipment
[00:40.00]The photocopying machines,which are frequently in use,
[00:41.00]are situated in a small room with poor ventilation.
[00:42.00]I believe these machines can produce ozone,a toxic chemical.
[00:43.00]We need to take expert advice on this problem.
[00:44.00]Most of the staff sit in front of desk-top computers all day,
[00:45.00]and have a break only at lunch-time.
[00:46.00]They have old chairs which are uncomfortable and too low.
[00:47.00]Many complain of eye strain and back problems.
[00:48.00]We need to purchase modern,adjustable chairs
[00:49.00]and introduce a system of regular breaks.
[00:50.00]Water system
[00:51.00]The men's and women's wash rooms are maintained in a hygienic state.
[00:52.00]However,several staff have been absent recently with stomach illnesses.
[00:53.00]A possible reason for this may be the drinking water from the pantry,
[00:54.00]which does not seem to be pure.
[00:55.00]The main water tanks on the roof have never been cleaned,according to Mr C K Li
[00:56.00]We should get an expert to test the water quality.
[00:57.00]We should get an expert to test the water quality.
[00:58.00]Noise
[00:59.00]The office has a high noise level.
[-1:00.00]This results in an increase in stress.
[-1:-1.00]However,the situation here could be improved
[-1:-2.00]by fitting sound proof tiles to the ceiling,
[-1:-3.00]since much of the noise comes from a plastics factory on the floor above
[-1:-4.00]Lighting
[-1:-5.00]There are old lights on the ceiling.
[-1:-6.00]Wherever you sit, they reflect on the computer screens.
[-1:-7.00]If we are changing the ceiling tiles,
[-1:-8.00]it would be a good chance to install a better lighting system.
[-1:-9.00]Conclusion
[-1:10.00]The workers'illnesses are genuine and staff morale is low.
[-1:11.00]Mr C K Li's failure to deal with any of these problems is very regrettable
[-1:12.00]Listening Skills
[-1:13.00]pages 86 and 87
[-1:14.00]Filling in forms
[-1:15.00]In these exercise,you will hear a conversation between Kate Ford
[-1:16.00]and one of the staff at Solid Insurance Ltd.
[-1:17.00]Listen and complete the form,as if you were Kate Ford.
[-1:18.00]A:Do come in,please sit down.Now,as you probably know
[-1:19.00]I'm doing a survey of all the staff here
[-1:20.00]because we want to improve the working conditions.
[-1:21.00]So I hope you tell me honestly about any problems,so that we can deal with them
[-1:22.00]B:Yes,of course.I think it's a very good idea.
[-1:23.00]A:Good!Now,you are Mr Parkinson,aren't you?What is your first name?
[-1:24.00]B:It's Ian.
[-1:25.00]A:How do you spell that?
[-1:26.00]B:I-A-N.
[-1:27.00]A:I-A-N,right,and your surname?
[-1:28.00]B:P-A-R-K-I-N-S-O-N Parkinson.
[-1:29.00]A:Thank you.And what is your job title,Mr Parkinson?
[-1:30.00]B:I'm an accountant.
[-1:31.00]A:Accountant.And how long have you been with the company?
[-1:32.00]B:Two and a half years altogether.
[-1:33.00]A:Two and a half years.
[-1:34.00]Now,Mr Parkinson,looking back over the last year
[-1:35.00]how many days were you absent from work due to ill health?
[-1:36.00]B:Let's see,about ten days,I think.
[-1:37.00]A:And what was the treatment did you require?
[-1:38.00]B:I've been to the doctors several times about my back.
[-1:39.00]and just resting at home is usually enough.
[-1:40.00]I haven't had to stay in hospital.
[-1:41.00]A:I see.What sort of health problems have you had?
[-1:42.00]Any respiratory problems,you mentioned the cough.
[-1:43.00]B:Yes,I've had a cough for a long time,
[-1:44.00]and I often get a headache after a day at work.
[-1:45.00]A:Any trouble with your eyes or back pain?
[-1:46.00]B:My eyes are fine, but I have had a lot of back trouble.
[-1:47.00]A:Anything else?
[-1:48.00]B:Yes,I had a broken wrist last summer.
[-1:49.00]A:A broken wrist?
[-1:50.00]B:Yes,but that was nothing to do with the office
[-1:51.00]I just fell over while I was playing tennis,that's all.
[-1:52.00]A:Aha,oh I see,anyway I'll make a brief note of it.
[-1:53.00]Oh,by the way,I forgot to enter your age.
[-1:54.00]B:I'm thirty-two.
[-1:55.00]A:Thirty-two,thank you.Now,I believe you're a smoker,Mr Parkinson.
[-1:56.00]B:Yes,I'm afraid so.
[-1:57.00]A:So,how would you feel if we introduced a non-smoking policy?
[-1:58.00]I suppose you would object of that.
[-1:59.00]B:No,I think it would be desirable to have one.
[-2:00.00]My wife keeps telling me to stop smoking,
[-2:-1.00]if we had a non-smoking policy in the office,
[-2:-2.00]it would help me to give up smoking,
[-2:-3.00]and it would be better for the nonsmokers,too.
[-2:-4.00]So I would be in favour of that.
[-2:-5.00]A:Right,that's very good.
[-2:-6.00]Now,do you have any problems with your equipment or furniture in the office
[-2:-7.00]B:Yes,my chair is terrible,it's too low,and the lighting is very poor.
[-2:-8.00]It's difficult to see the computer's screen clearly.
[-2:-9.00]A:So that's the chair,too low, and poor lighting.
[-2:10.00]Right,so which of these five things worry you the most?
[-2:11.00]I'd like you to choose three things and rank them in order from 1 to 3.
[-2:12.00]B:Let me see...well,No.1 is the furniture,
[-2:13.00]the lighting was probably be No.2 and I guess,air quality is No.3
[-2:14.00]A:You do use a desktop computer in your work, don't you?
[-2:15.00]B:Yes.A:How often do you take a break?
[-2:16.00]You ought to take a break about every hour.
[-2:17.00]B:No,we can't do that.
[-2:18.00]The manager complains if we not touch desks all the time.
[-2:19.00]We can only take a break at lunch time
[-2:20.00]A:So how many hours a day are you using the computer?
[-2:21.00]B:Not all the time I would say I use it about four hours a day.
[-2:22.00]B:Well,I don't think they are very good at all.
[-2:23.00]I would say that I'm quite dissatisfied.
[-2:24.00]They need to be improved.
[-2:25.00]A:And do you have any other commends
[-2:26.00]or things you like to mention about the office conditions?
[-2:27.00]B:Well,yes.I'm rather worried about what would happen if there was a fire.
[-2:28.00]The door to the stairs is usually locked
[-2:29.00]and stairs are often blocked with rubbish
[-2:30.00]A:I'll make notes of that.Door to stairs locked,
[-2:31.00]stairs blocked with rubbish I'll look into that.
[-2:32.00]Right,thank you for your help,Mr Parkinson
[-2:33.00]B:Thank you.
[-2:34.00]SPEAKING Page 93
[-2:35.00]A Final e on short words
[-2:36.00]The pronunciation of short words
[-2:37.00]with a short vowel sound changes when a final e is added.
[-2:38.00]Then the vowel is pronounced in the same way as the name of those letters
[-2:39.00](a,e,i,o,u) in the alphabet.
[-2:40.00]a mad made
[-2:41.00]e pet Pete
[-2:42.00]i hid hide
[-2:43.00]o not note
[-2:44.00]u us use
[-2:45.00]Exercise A1
[-2:46.00]1.This is a cube.
[-2:47.00]2.Turn off the tap.
[-2:48.00]3.Is this the site?
[-2:49.00]4.Can you hop on one leg?
[-2:50.00]5.Take the dog to the vet.
[-2:51.00]6.This is a steep slope!
[-2:52.00]7.Cane furniture is popular.
[-2:53.00]8.Look at that tiger cub!
[-2:54.00]9.What a lovely scene!
[-2:55.00]10.I hit my shin on a rock.
[-2:56.00]11.The hose was very long.
[-2:57.00]12.Clothes fade in the sun.
[-2:58.00]Exercise A2
[-2:59.00]1.You can make an excellent kite from a kit.
[-3:00.00]2.Hello,pal.You look pale.Do you feel all right?
[-3:-1.00]3.After a long, hot walk,
[-3:-2.00]we were glad to find a cool glade of trees for our picnic.
[-3:-3.00]4.I like the way your hair is cut.It makes you look very cute!
[-3:-4.00]5.The fins of the shark are used to make a fine soup.
[-3:-5.00]6.The plane went into a spin and crashed.
[-3:-6.00]The poor pilot injured his spine.
[-3:-7.00]7.If you win the competition,you will receive a bottle of wine.
[-3:-8.00]8.I'm sorry,but I hate that hat.It looks silly.
[-3:-9.00]9.I keep pins in this pine box.
[-3:10.00]MORE LANGUAGE INPUT(5)
[-3:11.00]pages 98 and 99
[-3:12.00]A Reading
[-3:13.00]Indoor Air Quality Problems
[-3:14.00]Generally speaking,
[-3:15.00]a school has far more occupants per square metre than an office building.
[-3:16.00]The fact is that with an increasing urbanization,
[-3:17.00]the student population in many schools is still growing.
[-3:18.00]Therefore,an awareness of possible indoor air quality problems
[-3:19.00]is important for teachers and students alike.
[-3:20.00]Most indoor air pollution in schools comes from sources inside the school building
[-3:21.00]For example,photocopiers,manufactured wood products like desks and chairs
[-3:22.00]and carpeting cleaning products and pesticides
[-3:23.00]may all emit harmful elements into the air.
[-3:24.00]Other pollutants may also accumulate
[-3:25.00]in specific areas such as laboratories and toilets.
[-3:26.00]Meanwhile,outdoor air that enters a school building through windows
[-3:27.00]and other openings can also bring vehicle exhausts into the classrooms.
[-3:28.00]Outdated ventilation systems in some older schools
[-3:29.00]increase the risks of indoor air quality problems.
[-3:30.00]Poor indoor air quality can cause serious respiratory problems.
[-3:31.00]Younger students in particular are affected.
[-3:32.00]Children's respiratory systems are still developing
[-3:33.00]They are more sensitive to the air pollutants.
[-3:34.00]Children also have higher respiration rates than adults.
[-3:35.00]As a result,they are likely to inhale more of the pollutants than adults do
[-3:36.00]There is a lot that we can do and should do.
[-3:37.00]For instance,increasing ventilation rates,banning smoking,
[-3:38.00]storing paints and pesticides in closed containers,
[-3:39.00]and using those pollutant sources in periods of low or no occupancy
[-3:40.00]are all easy and effective means to prevent the problems
[-3:41.00]Of course,of all the measures to take,education is on top of the list.
[-3:42.00]When everyone in the school fully understands the matter,
[-3:43.00]a safer and healthier learning environment with cleaner air can be created
[-3:44.00]B Listening
[-3:45.00]In 1950,30% of the world's population lived in urban areas
[-3:46.00]By 2000,the proportion of urban dwellers had risen to 47%
[-3:47.00]and it expected to reach 60% by 2030.
[-3:48.00]At the current rate of change,
[-3:49.00]the number of urban dwellers will equal the number of rural dwellers
[-3:50.00]in the world in 2007.
[-3:51.00]There are 2.9,000,000,000 inhabitants in urban areas today
[-3:52.00]and 4.9,000,000,000 are expected by 2030 ,
[-3:53.00]whereas the world has 6.1,000,000,000 inhabitants
[-3:54.00]and is expected to have 8.1,000,000,000 by 2030.
[-3:55.00]More than 150,000 people
[-3:56.00]are being added to the urban population in developing countries every day
[-3:57.00]Greater Tokyo,Japan,already has 26,000,000 people,
[-3:58.00]Sao Paulo,Brazil 18,000,000 and Bombay,India,18,000,000
[-3:59.00]It is predicted that by 2015,
[-4:00.00]the world will have 23'megacities'with populations over 10,000,000
[-4:-1.00]and more than 500 cities with populations of 1,000,000 or more.
[-4:-2.00]The prediction is that by 2025,2/3 of the world's people will live in cities