1 . The behaviour of a building’s users may be at least as important as its design when it comes to energy use, according to new research from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). The UK promises to reduce its carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, part of which will be achieved by all new homes being zero-carbon by 2016. But this report shows that sustainable building design on its own — though extremely important—is not enough to achieve such reductions: the behaviour of the people using the building has to change too.
The study suggests that the ways that people use and live in their homes have been largely ignored by existing efforts to improve energy efficiency, which instead focus on architectural and technological developments.
“Technology is going to assist but it is not going to do everything,” explains Katy Janda, a UKERC senior researcher, “consumption patterns of building users can defeat the most careful design.” In other words, old habits die hard, even in the best-designed eco-home.
Another part of the problem is information. Households and bill-payers don’t have the knowledge they need to change their energy-use habits. Without specific information, it’s hard to estimate the costs and benefits of making different choices. Feedback facilities, like smart meters and energy monitors, could help bridge this information gap by helping people see how changing their behaviour directly affects their energy use; some studies have shown that households can achieve up to 15 percent energy savings using smart meters.
Social science research has added a further dimension, suggesting that individuals’ behaviour in the home can be personal and cannot be predicted—whether people throw open their windows rather than turn down the thermostat, for example. Janda argues that education is the key. She calls for a focused programme to teach people about buildings and their own behaviour in them.
1. As to energy use, the new research from UKERC stresses the importance of________.| A．zero-carbon homes | B．the behaviour of building users |
| C．sustainable building design | D．the reduction of carbon emissions |
| A．the ways | B．their homes | C．developments | D．existing efforts |
| A．The importance of changing building users, habits. |
| B．The necessity of making a careful building design. |
| C．The variety of consumption patterns of building users. |
| D．The role of technology in improving energy efficiency. |
| A．can be bridged by feedback facilities | B．affects the study on energy monitors |
| C．brings about problems for smart meters | D．will be caused by building users’ old habits |
| A．The social science research is to be furthered. |
| B．The education programme is under discussion. |
| C．The behaviour of building users is unpredictable. |
| D．The behaviour preference of building users is similar. |
Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.
The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.
Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customers, especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.
A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics, watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, an reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled with food.
The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordable but practical as well.
The food, especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill (烤肉架).
The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different style of grilled meat.
One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grille chicken pieces served with cither rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Cbelo Kabob, kabob consisting of grilled beef.
Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a place that should not be overlooked.
1. When first entering the restaurant, one can find that it ________.| A．is splendidly decorated |
| B．has pleasant smells of kabobs |
| C．is crowded with dining tables |
| D．looks like a common restaurant |
| A．Watching news events on TV. |
| B．Drinking a kind of black coffee. |
| C．Reading local English newspapers. |
| D．Discussing world topics in low voices. |
| A．is served in small amounts |
| B．is rather expensive |
| C．is rich in variety |
| D．is very healthy |
| A．Rice | B．Chicken | C．Bread | D．Beef |
| A．occupies a large space |
| B．owns a favorable location |
| C．is popular for its special food |
| D．has a quiet environment inside |
