Ideal Homes
Read Ideal Homes and check the IELTS Reading answers. The traditional kampung houses of Malaysia do not need air-conditioning. Built on stilts and with steep roofs, they have year-round ventilation. The raised structure ensures a cooling breeze comes up through the floorboards, while the high roof…
Passage preview
The traditional kampung houses of Malaysia do not need air-conditioning. Built on stilts and with steep roofs, they have year-round ventilation. The raised structure ensures a cooling breeze comes up through the floorboards, while the high roof acts as a chimney to release hot air. The airtight, concrete boxes of modern city construction, in contrast, are heat traps, says Muhammad Peter Davis of University Putra Malaysia. He has calculated that typical modern Malaysian houses are 5°C hotter than the air outside. The builders of kampung houses “had no knowledge of modern science or engineering but they came up with the perfect design,” says Davis.
Vocabulary from this passage
8 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- conserve verb
To protect an environmentally or culturally important resource from deliberate harm, destruction, or wasteful overuse
International policies aim to conserve endangered marine habitats before they are irreparably damaged.
- dual function noun
A specific state where an object, system, or role serves two distinct and useful purposes simultaneously
The newly constructed urban wetlands serve a dual function of naturally filtering water and providing wildlife sanctuaries.
- emission noun
The production and atmospheric discharge of something, especially hazardous gas, radiation, or vehicular exhaust
Strict legislative frameworks have been implemented globally to curb the emission of greenhouse gases.
- optimum adjective
Most conducive to a highly favorable outcome; the absolute best or most favorable point
Athletes must maintain optimum nutritional levels to sustain peak performance during rigorous competitive training cycles.
- revive verb
To restore to life, consciousness, or vigor; to give new strength or public interest to something
The municipal council attempted to revive the declining local economy by offering generous corporate tax incentives.
- sophistication noun
The quality of having a high degree of complexity, refinement, or advanced technological development
The architectural sophistication of ancient Roman aqueducts remains a subject of immense academic fascination.
- thermal insulation noun
Materials or engineering methods utilized to substantially reduce heat transfer between adjacent objects or spaces
Upgrading the thermal insulation in residential properties drastically reduces overall municipal energy consumption.
- ventilation noun
The deliberate provision of fresh air to a room, building, or enclosed structural space
Proper subterranean ventilation is absolutely essential to prevent the buildup of hazardous toxic gases.
Answers with explanations
- 14. G
Paragraph G lists several **reasons** why clay (**a particular construction material**) is **advantageous**, including that it costs less, generates work, and acts as an excellent insulator. Therefore, paragraph G is the correct match.
- 15. E
Paragraph E describes a **construction design** (buildings focusing attention on a courtyard) that **benefits domestic interaction**, allowing **family members to spend time together**. Therefore, paragraph E contains this information.
- 16. A
Paragraph A describes traditional kampung houses which are built on stilts. The passage notes that a cooling breeze comes up **through the floorboards**, perfectly matching the description of a house that is **ventilated from below**.
- 17. J
Paragraph J provides an **example of self-sufficient energy supply**, describing how solar energy projects allow homes to operate independently from national grids. With a solar panel and battery, each home can **do its own thing**.
- 18. C
Paragraph C outlines **suggested methods of reducing temperatures in a city**, such as painting roofs white, planting trees, and using lighter-colored paving in Los Angeles. This matches the prompt.
- 19. D
The question asks which idea Davis holds. He is quoted in the opening paragraph on Malaysian kampung houses, whose builders **had no knowledge of modern science or engineering** yet **came up with the perfect design**. That paraphrases the idea that **traditional knowledge** can be **superior** to modern knowledge, since the untrained builders beat modern concrete boxes that are 5°C hotter than the air outside. The idea about people rejecting old styles to appear modern is a competitor, but that is the writer's comment in the next paragraph, not Davis's view. Answer: D.
- 20. G
Rosenfeld appears in the paragraph on California's air-conditioning use. His claim is that California needs **white paint**: painting roofs white, planting shade trees and choosing **lighter-colored paving** would **cut the annual air-conditioning bill** by US$170 million. That is a **very simple solution** to a cost problem. The idea about an innovation saving money on both cooling and heating is tempting, but nothing in his remarks concerns heating, and white paint is hardly an innovation. Answer: G.
- 21. A
Van der Ley is named in the paragraph on traditional building materials, where he promotes **clay** over **brick**. His arguments are economic and social: clay blocks cost only **half as much**, and clay **generates work** because people can find, mould and bake it themselves. Choosing this construction material therefore has a **socio-economic impact** on costs and local employment. The idea about solar power for villages also concerns developing countries, but it is about energy supply, not a material, so it does not suit him. Answer: A.
- 22. E
Lovins is quoted in the paragraph on low-energy technologies, with his **super-windows**. They let in invisible light but can be **tuned** to **allow in, or reflect away, infrared** radiation, described as 'the stuff that heats'. Letting heat in helps in cold weather and reflecting it away helps in hot weather, so one **innovation** cuts both heating and air-conditioning costs. The idea about a very simple solution matches Rosenfeld's white paint, not this adjustable technology. Answer: E.
- 23. FALSE
The statement claims the temperature in modern houses is **lower** than outside. However, the text explicitly states they are **5°C hotter**. Because the text directly contradicts the statement, the answer is FALSE.
- 24. TRUE
The statement claims the construction industry is **more to blame** than transport for global warming. The text confirms that the building sector contributes **31 per cent** of emissions, compared to transportation's **22 per cent**. Therefore, the statement is TRUE.
- 25. FALSE
The statement claims the use of wind towers is **widespread** in the Middle East today. The text states they are often little more than **museum pieces**, meaning they are no longer in widespread functional use. Since this contradicts the statement, the answer is FALSE.
- 26. NOT GIVEN
The text explains the function of the 'super-windows' promoted by Amory Lovins, but it provides no information whatsoever about whether they can be installed at **low cost**. Because this information is completely missing, the answer is NOT GIVEN.