ING LIS

NPR aired a series last year called Poisoned Places about regions living with industrial pollution. We're reviving that series this week, but the news isn't all grim. This morning we take a look at a city that has cleaned up its air: Houston. How are the news described in the text?. Entirely negative. Not completely bad. Extremely worrying and without hope. Totally optimistic.

That metropolitan area is home to hundreds of petrochemical plants. They produce about a quarter of the nation's gasoline and about a third of the plastics that are in our cars, cupboards and just about everywhere else. In the last decade, Houston's air has improved dramatically. When has the quality of the air begun to improve in this city?. During the past ten years. During the past five years. As soon as the petrochemical plants closed permanently. When the law concerning air quality index changed in favour of a healthier environment.

If you want to get to the heart of Houston's petrochemical industry, take a trip out onto the Houston ship channel. It's a muddy brown body of water that's surrounded by refineries, tank farms and petrochemical companies as it winds inland from Galveston Bay toward downtown. Dana Blume is standing on the deck of a fireboat plying the channel. She's been monitoring the air and water for the Port of Houston Authority for the past 14 years. And she says you sure notice those smoggy summer days. How is the shipping channel described?. As a crystal-clear body of water. As almost dry. As a busy waterway. As unattractive to look at.

It's hot. It's harder to breathe. I mean I'm fortunate. I don't have respiratory issues. But I do worry about my child and other children who play on days that it's a high ozone day. Who gives cause for concern during high ozone days?. The young. The elderly. The employees of the petrochemical companies. The city wildlife.

In recent years, those high ozone days have come less often, and they're less intense when they do strike. I can look out of my office window now and almost every single day see downtown. And that wasn't the case 10 years ago. How is the quality of the air a decade ago described?. It was nicer than today. It was of a better quality than today. It was unbreathable some days. It was almost one hundred percent pure.

Air pollution regulators were on the verge of making a multibillion-dollar mistake. This involves a little chemistry. Ozone is created in the air when one kind of pollution - nitrogen oxide - reacts in sunlight with chemicals called volatile organic compounds. Regulators were focusing their efforts overwhelmingly on nitrogen oxides, cranking down on them so hard, compliance would cost $4 billion a year. What is ozone?. A chemical used to produce ethylene. A complex gas in the atmosphere. The brand name given to a commercially available product. Suspended dust particles.

The most bang for the buck would come from cutting back on volatile organic compounds like ethylene, which is used to make polyethylene plastic. Chemicals like these are produced in abundance along the ship channel. You're talking about billions of pounds of fluids and liquids a day being produced in Houston. And if you only lose .001 percent of that, it's a massive amount of material, and that was being ignored, totally, completely. Why is ethylene considered so dangerous?. The vapours it releases are extremely toxic. It is highly corrosive. It is an extremely volatile chemical. It contains carcinogenic ingredients.

Scientists had a new technology to help them address it. That's a camera that can see what the human eye cannot. It looks at infrared light. And when a chemical like ethylene is in the air, it appears in the infrared camera like a darkcloud. Jason Harris from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was on the side of the road just north of the Houston Ship Channel one winter morning, looking out at tank farms for signs of leaks. What are the petrochemical companies using to detect leakage at their processing plants?. X-ray photography. Infrared cameras. Colouring. Sonar devices.

We did some flyovers of the ship channel. We attached a similar camera to a helicopter and flew over the industrial areas and saw some pretty eye-opening things. Barges carting chemicals up and down the channel turned out to be leaking this stuff into the air. And some types of storage tanks turned out to leak as well. Steve Smith from the chemical giant Liondell Bassell says his company didn't want to lose its products into the air, so they bought nine of the infrared cameras, at about $100,000 apiece, to find their own leaks. The first time a helicopter with an infrared camera flew over the shipping channel …. the crew were surprised at what they saw. the camera malfunctioned. the helicopter crashed into some moored barges. the camera was dislodged by a pigeon.

We are able to fix things sooner and we are able to fix the right things as opposed to thinking that it might be one problem when in fact the camera shows us something different. And therefore, we can do the right thing sooner and obviously have lower emissions and a cleaner environment. And, of course, save the company money by reducing its pollution taxes and avoiding potential fines. Larry Soward was one of the commissioners on the Texas environmental board during those critical years when Houston's air improved. He says getting industry to this point wasn't quite as painless as you hear tell these days. How are petrochemical companies benefiting from using infrared cameras?. They prevent the companies from breaking the law. The companies receive government funding for every camera that is bought. The cameras are maintenance free. no training is required for first time users.

There are apps that are meant to actually be productive. And let's hear about one of those now. In San Francisco, a group-software-developers formed a non-profit called Code for America. They're developing apps to help cities function better for their citizens. This year, the organization is working in nine cities around the U.S. Which statement is NOT true about Code for America?. The founding members intend to make money with it. Each of the members is a computing specialist. It is the name given to an application. The application has been designed to help citizens.

Andrew Hyder's a 31-year-old urban planner who's one of three Code for America fellows in Kansas City for the year. I caught up with him at a hackathon, an all-night gathering of like-minded young people who come together to brainstorm and write code or software. Hence the name Code for America. His twitter handle - hackyourcity - reflects the communal ethos around here that hacking now has a positive connotation. You take a system and maybe break it apart and find what pieces you could build for cheaper or easier, and then put it back together in this new form that can help everyone out, you've left it better than you found it. What is the narrator’s opinion about the hacking of this app?. He does not see it as something negative. Hacking of any sort is despicable. He does not see it as beneficial. It is totally impossible.

Andrew Hyder's a 31-year-old urban planner who's one of three Code for America fellows in Kansas City for the year. I caught up with him at a hackathon, an all-night gathering of like-minded young people who come together to brainstorm and write code or software. Hence the name Code for America. His twitter handle - hackyourcity - reflects the communal ethos around here that hacking now has a positive connotation. You take a system and maybe break it apart and find what pieces you could build for cheaper or easier, and then put it back together in this new form that can help everyone out, you've left it better than you found it. What are the intentions of these hackers?. Retrieve valuable information that can later be sold. To find weaknesses in the firewalls. To make as many improvements in any way possible. To test their own programming abilities.

That's what Code for America fellows are trying to do. They're working on criminal justice systems in New York and Louisville, and in San Francisco and San Mateo on health and human services. // In the Kansas City area, the fellows are looking at ways to spur economic development. In which city are the Code for America members trying to stimulate economic growth?. New York. Kansas City. San Francisco. Miami.

The other thing you would never know is that it took John Harvey and his non-profit redevelopment group City Vision, days, weeks, even months to penetrate the bureaucracy to begin to get this work done. John Harvey says no commercial real estate company's ever going to jump through the same hoops as City Vision - whose mission it is to clean up bad neighbourhoods. The overall aim of City Vision is to …. demolish any neighbourhood they believe to be an eyesore. find potential clients for real estate development. give rundown neighbourhoods a complete make over. encourage financial investment in wealthy housing estates.

The Code for America fellows will leave Kansas City in November. But the organization plans to leave its footprint here with something called The Brigade. It's a group of local volunteers who will continue helping citizens engage with city government online. Why was The Brigade set up?. As a maintenance team in case the application malfunctioned. To oversee and detect any incorrect use of the application. To provide a helpdesk for citizens’ queries or doubts about the application. To continue improving the software used in the application.

These days engineers – rather than setting out to create new inventions – work on refining designs that already exist. These refinements can be related to size, shape, increased power or more efficiency. And usually we are talking about a combination of these refinements. What is the main concern of engineers today, according to the text?. Producing brand-new inventions. Enhancing and upgrading established designs. Abandoning traditional projects completely. Returning to outdated, less effective methods.

Let’s take the motor as an example. You are probably all familiar with the name Michael Faraday who invented the electric motor in the 1820’s. Well, the first motor was a fairly simple device – and we have been improving on its design and looking for new applications for it ever since its birth. These days there are endless projects going on around the globe where engineers are trying to modify existing motors in order to be able to use them in new contexts and in traditional contexts – but with better – more efficient results. What is the intention of current motor-related projects?. To eliminate their industrial use. To apply motors solely in new areas. To adapt motors for both fresh and traditional purposes with greater effectiveness. To preserve motors in their original form.

In Faraday’s time engineers and scientists had a more or less free rein when it came to experimenting and research. If they had enough money to carry out their plans then there was nothing to stop them. These days engineers have to take into consideration all kinds of environmental issues. We are driven by different quests – to conserve energy is one of the most important. Industry demands quality and efficiency but we must never forget the environmental issues that lie behind every single engineering advance. What distinguishes engineering today from that of Faraday’s era?. Modern engineers enjoy more freedom to experiment. Ecological concerns now play a fundamental role. Project budgets are limitless nowadays. Energy conservation was a bigger priority in the 1820s.

So, back to motors. What’s happening at the moment is very exciting. A new kind of motor has been developed which uses internal permanent magnets embedded within the rotor. These magnets improve the motors’ flux density and torque density. What does this mean? Well, for a start the motors use less energy, considerably less than traditional motors. This is because there is less heat loss. A side effect of this is that the machines using the new motors have increased precision. Size and speed are two further aspects. The new motors are a lot smaller and speed control is more efficient. This is especially important when we use the motors in gearboxes or cranes for example. What is one outcome of motors equipped with internal permanent magnets?. They generate additional heat. They are bulkier and slower. They waste less energy and increase accuracy. They no longer require regulation of speed.

Omron has just developed a motor with an internal magnet that is being applied to high power applications. Things like huge industrial plants and building projects. There is already talk of using the new motors to replace the ones currently used in hydraulic systems. Where is Omron’s new type of motor being utilized?. In small domestic devices. In heavy-duty uses such as massive factories and construction works. Exclusively in hydraulic equipment. Only in farming tools.

Yaskawa Electric is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of motors. They have developed a motor with a power rating of 55KW and a rated speed of 1500rpm. This is much greater power than we have seen up till now. So, motors are increasing in power and decreasing in size. In the world of engineering this is a notable achievement. What is remarkable about Yaskawa Electric’s new motor?. It combines higher output with reduced dimensions. It is the tiniest motor ever produced. It has the weakest power rating so far. It is limited to hydraulic systems.

What is the name of the city suffering from heavy air pollution?. Denver. Detroit. Houston. Boston.

When has the quality of the air begun to improve in this city?. During the past ten years. During the past five years. As soon as the petrochemical plants closed permanently. When the law concerning air quality index changed in favour of a healthier environment.

How is the shipping channel described?. As a crystal-clear body of water. As almost dry. As a busy waterway. As unattractive to look at.

Who gives cause for concern during high ozone days?. The young. The elderly. The employees of the petrochemical companies. The city wildlife.

What is ozone?. A chemical used to produce ethylene. A complex gas in the atmosphere. The brand name given to a commercially available product. Suspended dust particles.

Why is ethylene considered so dangerous?. The vapours it releases are extremely toxic. It is highly corrosive. It is an extremely volatile chemical. It contains carcinogenic ingredients.

What are the petrochemical companies using to detect leakage at their processing plants?. X-ray photography. Infrared cameras. Colouring. Sonar devices.

The first time a helicopter with an infrared camera flew over the shipping channel …. the crew were surprised at what they saw. the camera malfunctioned. the helicopter crashed into some moored barges. the camera was dislodged by a pigeon.

How are petrochemical companies benefiting from using infrared cameras?. They prevent the companies from breaking the law. The companies receive government funding for every camera that is bought. The cameras are maintenance free. no training is required for first time users.

A mobile device can be used to …. oven-cook a pizza. buy pizzas. double check that a pizza is ready for eating. simulate cooking activities.

Which statement is NOT true about Code for America?. The founding members intend to make money with it. Each of the members is a computing specialist. It is the name given to an application. The application has been designed to help citizens.

Where is the organisation implementing this application?. In nine cities outside the US. In nine states around the US. In nine US cities. In nine cities in one US state.

How many members does Code for America have?. One. Two. Three. Four.

What is the narrator’s opinion about the hacking of this app.?. He does not see it as something negative. Hacking of any sort is despicable. He does not see it as beneficial. It is totally impossible.

What are the intentions of these hackers?. Retrieve valuable information that can later be sold. To find weaknesses in the firewalls. To make as many improvements in any way possible. To test their own programming abilities.

In which city are the Code for America members trying to stimulate economic growth?. New York. Kansas City. San Francisco. Miami.

The overall aim of City Vision is to …. demolish any neighbourhood they believe to be an eyesore. find potential clients for real estate development. give rundown neighbourhoods a complete make over. encourage financial investment in wealthy housing estates.

Why is Code for America a potential benefit for the local Government and its citizens?. It has reduced the time it takes to retrieve information from various sources. It can be used on mobile phones. It can be downloaded for free. Any bureaucratic enquiry can be processed twenty-four hours a day.

When was the initial version of Code for America presented to Governmental officials?. At the beginning of the month. After the end of the season. Before the beginning of last month. Towards the end of the previous month.

What is the downside to the app?. It is not compatible with some operating systems. It is too technical for most citizens to use. The older members with no computing knowledge cannot take advantage of it. Citizens have to pay each time they want to use it.

Why was The Brigade set up?. As a maintenance team in case the application malfunctioned. To oversee and detect any incorrect use of the application. To provide a helpdesk for citizens’ queries or doubts about the application. To continue improving the software used in the application.