Living walls – a successful environmental project
Read Living walls – a successful environmental project and check the IELTS Reading answers. Canadian entrepreneur Alan Darlington, president of Nedlaw Living Walls and holder of a PhD in plant sciences, admits that people may have a point when they say that academics don’t necessarily make good bus…
Passage preview
Canadian entrepreneur Alan Darlington, president of Nedlaw Living Walls and holder of a PhD in plant sciences, admits that people may have a point when they say that academics don’t necessarily make good businessmen. While good ideas come up in university labs and classrooms all the time, he acknowledges that bringing them to the marketplace requires a different skill set. Yet Dr Darlington’s combination of two existing green technologies into a single breakthrough innovation is not only a laboratory success story, but the heart of what is today a multi-million-dollar business. And, he says, ‘I've been a part of the whole sequence, from working in the lab to making it work as a business.’
Vocabulary from this passage
6 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- cascading greenery noun
Lush plant growth hanging or falling downward in dense, graceful layers
The architectural design featured cascading greenery to improve indoor aesthetic appeal and air purity.
- contaminated environment noun
A natural or physical surrounding that has been polluted or corrupted by hazardous substances
Bioremediation techniques were deployed to restore the contaminated environment near the industrial plant.
- growth medium noun
A liquid or solid substance designed to support the growth of microorganisms or plants
Scientists cultivated the beneficial bacteria within a nutrient-rich growth medium inside the laboratory.
- prestigious adjective
Inspiring respect and admiration through having high status, distinction, or notable achievement
The university received a prestigious award for its pioneering research in sustainable agricultural methods.
- progressive thinking noun
Forward-looking and innovative intellectual approaches that favor gradual social or environmental improvement
Adopting sustainable building materials reflects the progressive thinking necessary for modern urban development.
- substantiate verb
To provide evidence, facts, or data to support, prove, or validate the truth of a claim
Researchers gathered empirical evidence to substantiate their hypotheses regarding urban air pollution.
Answers with explanations
- 1. astronauts
The question asks whose **environment** Darlington initially researched **recycling air** for. The text states his work "involved finding methods to **recycle the air which astronauts breathe**". The word **"recycle"** matches **"used again"**, leading directly to the noun **"astronauts"**.
- 2. microbes
The question needs a word that goes with **"plants"** in a **method discovered by the team**. The text mentions "integrating two ideas: the use of natural **microbes**... and the use of **plants**". Therefore, the plural noun **"microbes"** is the correct answer.
- 2-3: commission
2: The question needs a word that goes with **"plants"** in a **method discovered by the team**. The text mentions "integrating two ideas: the use of natural **microbes**... and the use of **plants**". Therefore, the plural noun **"microbes"** is the correct answer.
3: The question looks for what Darlington **received** from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence** to **support his project**. The text says "the **funding** he obtained from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)** was key." Thus, **"funding"** is the exact word needed.
- 3. funding
The question looks for what Darlington **received** from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence** to **support his project**. The text says "the **funding** he obtained from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)** was key." Thus, **"funding"** is the exact word needed.
- 3-4: C
3: The question looks for what Darlington **received** from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence** to **support his project**. The text says "the **funding** he obtained from the **Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)** was key." Thus, **"funding"** is the exact word needed.
4: The flow chart states the **installations resulted in** something for **Nedlaw**. The passage notes that the flourishing living walls "have led to **Nedlaw receiving** a number of prestigious **awards**." The plural noun **"awards"** fits the grammar and meaning perfectly.
- 4. awards
The flow chart states the **installations resulted in** something for **Nedlaw**. The passage notes that the flourishing living walls "have led to **Nedlaw receiving** a number of prestigious **awards**." The plural noun **"awards"** fits the grammar and meaning perfectly.
- 5. rainforest
The notes describe advantages of living walls, starting with creating a **pleasant environment similar to** something. The text says they "provide an **environment** which can make being indoors **seem like** a walk through the **rainforest**". **"Similar to"** matches **"seem like"**, making **"rainforest"** the answer.
- 6. dust
We need a noun representing what is **removed** from the **air**. The text states the system actively moves air, "**eliminating** at least 90 per cent of the **dust** present in the **air**." **"Remove almost all"** matches **"eliminating at least 90 per cent"**, leading to **"dust"**.
- 7. ventilation
The question asks what **equipment** becomes **unnecessary to install**. The text says "business owners **don’t have to worry about** using **ventilation** systems". **"Don't have to worry about"** means it's **"unnecessary"**, and **"systems"** matches **"equipment"**, making **"ventilation"** the correct modifier.
- 8. sickness
The notes look for something **reduced** among **employees**. The passage mentions evidence that they may "**cut down sickness** among **staff**". **"Cut down"** means **"reduce"** and **"staff"** means **"employee"**. Therefore, the noun **"sickness"** is correct.
- 9. productivity
We need a word describing what **increases** as a result of **positive feelings**. The text says the walls "**improve productivity** by making employees feel more **cheerful and motivated**." **"Cheerful and motivated"** represents **"positive feelings"**, and **"improve"** matches **"increase"**, so **"productivity"** fits perfectly.
- 10. TRUE
The statement claims Darlington believes **academics may lack the ability to turn ideas into commercial success**. The text says he acknowledges that "**academics don’t necessarily make good businessmen**" and that "bringing them to the marketplace requires a different skill set." This directly supports the claim, so it is **TRUE**.
- 11. FALSE
The question states he **switched focus due to technical problems**. However, the text explicitly says he switched because he "**needed to find a better market** for it than space was likely to offer." It was a **business decision**, not a technical problem, making the statement **FALSE**.
- 12. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims it was **difficult to persuade his team** to spend three more years. The text mentions that "Developing the project **required another three years**", but it says absolutely nothing about whether it was **difficult to persuade his team** to do this. Therefore, this information is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 13. FALSE
The statement says the wall survives **"without any further care."** The text directly contradicts this by stating "The plants get **monthly maintenance visit** as part of the package." Because regular maintenance is clearly required, the statement is **FALSE**.