The Daily: How Air Conditioning Conquered America from August 16, 2024:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/16/podcasts/the-daily/air-conditioning-climate-warming.html
Some of the people who meet with me are discussing the above podcast episode this week. As I listened to it, it occurred to me that there are quite a few words and expressions worth reviewing! If you want to take this quiz, you can read the sentences that are roughly what is uttered in this piece about air conditioning and then tackle the questions about the underlined words! Answers will follow at the end of the week.
It’s a paradox.
It isn’t conducive to conducting a podcast.
They have a window unit.
They have central air.
It’s integral to life there.
We gave it a lot of thought.
There are downsides to this.
We contend with the heat.
The buildings have adobe walls.
They live in bungalows.
They live in cottages.
There’s cross-ventilation in the house.
It’s a long story that plays out over decades.
At that point, it’s off to the races.
It has extended its reach.
Walk us through how our reliance on air conditioning is dangerous to us.
The ubiquitous tall glassy box
Offices that become a cauldron
Air conditioning lulls people into moving to these places.
By conveying this message, you’re putting this problem on individuals.
We all bear some responsibility.
Fundamentally what we’re talking about is…
What if we came up with a different idea?
What if we revived the idea?
Quiz: Terms and Expressions from How Air Conditioning Conquered America
Multiple Choice
1. What is a paradox?
a) A situation with two opposing yet related elements
b) A straightforward truth
c) A mathematical formula
d) A scientific discovery
2. What does it mean when something is "conducive to" an activity?
a) It discourages the activity
b) It helps or supports the activity
c) It is irrelevant to the activity
d) It prevents the activity from happening
3. What does "cross-ventilation" refer to?
a) A heating system in the house
b) A design that allows air to flow freely through a house
c) A type of air conditioning unit
d) A method of blocking air from entering a house
4. What does "off to the races" imply in this context?
a) Starting an action or process quickly
b) Going to a horse racing event
c) Stopping something from happening
d) Losing momentum
5. What does it mean that "air conditioning lulls people into moving to these places"?
a) It discourages people from moving
b) It makes people sleepy
c) It gives people a false sense of comfort, encouraging them to move
d) It prevents people from considering relocation
True/False
6. If something is "integral to life," it is essential or very important.
a) True
b) False
7. "Fundamentally what we’re talking about is…" refers to a minor detail in the discussion.
a) True
b) False
8. "Putting this problem on individuals" means assigning responsibility to people rather than larger entities.
a) True
b) False
Matching
Match the following terms to their definitions:
9. __Window unit__
10. __Central air__
11. __Adobe walls__
12. __Bungalow__
Definitions:
a) Walls made of a type of clay and straw mixture
b) A small, single-story house
c) An air conditioning system that cools an entire building
d) A cooling device fitted into a window
Short Answer
13. Explain what is meant by "We all bear some responsibility."
14. Describe a situation where something might be considered a paradox.
Fill-in-the-Blank
15. A story that "__________ over decades" takes place over a very long period.
16. When someone says, "What if we revived the idea?" they are suggesting to __________ an old idea back into consideration.
17. The term "ubiquitous tall glassy box" refers to a common modern __________ design.
18. "Offices that become a __________" are highly stressful or unbearably hot.