Class, July 27, 2026

Class Objective: Build vocabulary through listening and reading activities 

1. Warm-up: What do you do?  I will give four problems.  Tell the group how you deal with that specific problem.  Pass the papers to each other to make sure each student can discuss their solution to that specific problem.

2. P. 11, We will watch the video about Farming Underground and discuss the problems this solves.

3. Speed Read.  We will read the following passage and answer questions in 10 minutes.

Underground Farming: A Creative Solution to the World's Food Shortage 

As the world's population continues to grow, cities need more fresh food for its citizens. However, there is not enough farmland near many large metropolitan areas. Furthermore, transporting vegetables from distant farms also increases pollution and makes food more expensive.  Therefore, finding new ways to grow food is becoming an important challenge.

Steven Dring and Richard Ballard have come up with a creative solution to this problem. They started an underground farm in London by using an abandoned World War II air-raid shelter. Instead of building a traditional farm, they transformed the empty tunnels into a place where vegetables can grow throughout the year. They use LED lights instead of sunlight and control the temperature and humidity with modern technology. Their farm also uses hydroponics, which allows plants to grow in water with nutrients instead of soil.

This underground farming system solves several problems. First, it produces fresh vegetables close to customers, so trucks do not need to travel long distances. As a result, transportation costs and pollution are reduced. Second, the controlled environment protects plants from bad weather, insects, and many diseases. This means the farm can produce food throughout the year without depending on the seasons.

Although underground farming has many advantages, it also has some challenges. The technology and electricity required to operate the farm can be quite expensive. In addition, not every type of crop grows well indoors. Even so, improvements in energy efficiency and farming technology may help reduce these costs in the future.

Overall, Steven Dring and Richard Ballard's underground farming project demonstrates how creative thinking can solve modern problems. As cities continue to grow, innovative farming methods like this may become an important part of providing fresh, local food while protecting the environment.

Multiple-Choice Questions: 

1. What is the main problem discussed in the essay?

A. There are too many farms in cities.
B. Cities need more fresh food, but there is limited farmland nearby.
C. People do not like fresh vegetables.
D. Farmers no longer grow vegetables.

2. Where did Steven Dring and Richard Ballard build their underground farm?

A. In a shopping mall
B. In an old factory
C. In an abandoned World War II air-raid shelter
D. Under a school

3. Why do they use LED lights?

A. To decorate the tunnels
B. To replace sunlight
C. To keep workers warm
D. To scare away insects

4. What is hydroponics?

A. Growing plants in water with nutrients 
B. Growing plants in soil with fertilizer
C. Growing plants in sand
D. Growing plants only outdoors

5. How does underground farming reduce pollution?

A. It uses more trucks.
B. It grows food on larger farms
C. It burns less electricity.
D. It grows food closer to customers

6. Which problem does the controlled environment help prevent?

A. Heavy traffic
B. High food prices only
C. Bad weather, insects, and many diseases
D. Population growth

7. What is one disadvantage of underground farming?

A. The technology and electricity can be expensive 
B. It cannot grow vegetables.
C. It requires a lot of sunlight 
D. It requires more farmland.

8. According to the essay, why can the farm produce food all year?

A. It depends on good weather.
B. It grows plants only in summer.
C. The indoor environment is carefully controlled.
D. It imports vegetables from other countries.

9. What does the author suggest about the future of underground farming?

A. It will probably disappear soon.
B. It may become more useful as technology improves.
C. It will replace every traditional farm immediately.
D. It is only useful for flowers.

10. What is the main purpose of the essay?

A. To entertain readers with a fictional story
B. To teach readers how to build a farm 
C. To compare two different countries
D. To explain a problem and describe an innovative solution

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Teachers

Image
By Nate Feldman I recently went to a school, and there I had two teachers.  They both taught me well, but they had some unique differences.   There was Mr. Franklin.  He was very playful in class.  He always taught using games and imagination.  Very often, he would tell stories to the class to learn something valuable and interesting.  He had a great sense of humor and liked to laugh.  At the beginning of class, he asked us what we would want to do for the day, so we decided the type of lesson. Then, there was his wife, Mrs. Franklin.  Unlike her husband, she wasn't so playful in class.  She always used the book for the lessons and stuck with it strictly.  She could laugh, but she was more serious during lessons.  Also, unlike her husband, she was the decision-maker in the class.  She told us what to do, and we would do it. The two teachers were so different, but I learned so much from them, and I think they were both amaz...
Read more

Soccer and American Football, A Comparison Essay

By Nate Feldman Comparison Essay: Soccer and American Football Do you like to play or watch sports?  Athletics play an important role in cultures around the world, and two of the most popular, soccer and American football, often create confusion for international students. Although both games involve teamwork, strategy, and intense competition, they differ greatly in rules, equipment, and global popularity. To begin, soccer is the world’s most widely played sport. It is simple to learn and requires very little equipment: a ball and an open space. The objective is straightforward.  Players use their feet to move the ball and attempt to score goals by kicking it into the opponent’s net. Except for the goalkeeper, players cannot touch the ball with their hands. Soccer matches are known for their fast pace and continuous action, with only a short halftime break. American football, on the other hand, is primarily popular in the United States, although there is a Canadian foot...
Read more

RW Class, Twilight: New Moon

 Warm-up / Pre-reading Discussion (5–10 min) Ask: What does “true love” mean to you? Ask: Have you ever felt very sad because someone close to you left or changed? What helped you move on?    2. Vocabulary   heartbroken , depressed , risk / risky , dangerous , vampire , werewolf , protect / protection , promise , disappear / vanish , sacrifice , friendship , enemy , rescue, choice, regret  3. Reading In “New Moon,” Bella loves Edward, a vampire. But when Bella accidentally hurts herself at the Cullen family’s house, one family member nearly attacks her — and Edward realizes it is too dangerous for Bella to stay near them. To protect her, Edward disappears — he vanishes.  This is a sacrifice he is willing to make for her safety. Bella is heartbroken and depressed. She begins doing risky things, like driving a motorcycle fast, just to feel close to him.  Sometimes, when she does risky things, she is able to hear Edward's voice in her head....
Read more