Energy Engineering lecture 6 [modalità compatibilità]. 2019.2020/Energy Engineering_Le… · and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight

ENERGY ENGINEERING_Lecture 6 08/04/2020

Prof.ssa Elena INTORCIA 1

ENGLISH COURSE

Prof.ssa

Elena INTORCIA

� Microlanguage: The greenhouse effect – Alternative living

� Attending classes from English for Me, Chapter 2: «The American educationsystem»



Impact of the CoronaVirus Lockdown on our environment

NO2 concentration since the 1st week of 2020. The Climate Side of COVID-19

Nitrogen Dioxide



� Air pollution has dropped significantly in China and globally

� The waters of Venice are clean once again

� New York's air has also gotten cleaner

� Air pollution is dropping as planes are getting grounded

� Emissions from coal combustion are falling in China

� Domestic energy use rising, commercial use is falling further reducing emissions

So, which are these (temporary) «benefits» for the environment?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/05/

opinion/letters/coronavirus-

climate.html



https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-45439003/swedish-teen-greta-thunberg-skips-school-for-climate-protest

We can now meet our Paris Climate Accord goals

sooner

Human-generated emissions cause global warming.

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane are gases

that collect in the atmosphere and prevent heat from

radiating from earth’s surface into space, creating

what’s known as the greenhouse effect.

The 32-page document establishes a framework for

global climate action, including the mitigation of and

adaptation to climate change, support for developing

nations, and the transparent reporting and strengthening

of climate goals.



THE

GREENHOUSE

EFFECT

Heat from the sun shines onto the

Earth.

It passes through a

blanket of gases in our

atmosphere.



Some of the heat energy is

reflected back into space.

Some of the heat energy is

absorbed by the blanket

of gases.

The ‘greenhouse’ gases (methane, nitrous

oxide, water vapour and carbon dioxide) are

essential to life on Earth. Without them heat

energy would escape back into space.

Earth would be a very chilly

place with an average

temperature of -18°C !



The gases work a bit like

glass in a greenhouse to

trap in warmth.

But the earth is getting

warmer and warmer.

WHY?

The greenhouse gases help to keep the

temperature of the earth in balance. This

process is called the Greenhouse Effect.

Human activities are creating more

greenhouse gases including carbon

dioxide, CO2.

As we burn more fossil

fuels, for example, the

blanket of greenhouse

gases becomes thicker.



More greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

mean that more heat energy is absorbed.

We call this increase in the temperature of

the earth ‘global warming’.

Eleven of the last twelve

years have been the hottest

since records started in 1858.

Think about ways that you

could reduce your carbon

footprint and be part of the

climate-change solution!

Incoming radiation from the sun takes form of ultraviolet and visible radiation.

Some of this radiation is absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and some of the radiation is reflected back into space by the Earth’s surface (ground).

The radiation which is reflected back into spacetakes form of infrared radiation.

The greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation and reflect it back towards the Earth’s surface.

The greenhouse effect, from Green Issues, p.10



Thus, heat energy becomes trapped inside earth’s atmosphere and accumulates, leading to the greenhouse effect and an increase in average mean temperatures on earth.

Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally, this radiation would escape into space—but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. That's what's known as the greenhouse effect.



Global warming reduces ice/snow cover. This causes a decrease in albedo and increases the rate of heat absorption by the Earth.

CHAIN REACTION:

/alˈbiːdəʊ/

fraction of light that is

reflected by a body or

surface



Effects:

� Rise in mean sea level by the melting of ice on land.

� Extreme weather such as heat waves and heavy floods.

The solubility of carbon dioxide in the sea decreases with increasing temperature, leading to an increase in atmosphere carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) concentration.

WRITING

PRACTICE

Write a short

definition of

climate change,

then report one or

more recent

episodes related

to it.



ALTERNATIVE LIVING

Watch this short video and take notes about each of

its three sections.

Green Issues, p.11 (www.ing.unisannio.it/intorcia)

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY� One of the biggest challenges we face today: …

� What do we need energy for?

� Which problems are caused by traditional energy sources?

� Why is the development of alternative energy sources becoming important?

� Which forms of energy do we need?

� What kind of energy will we be using in the future?

� Which green energy is used in Iceland?

� What are they building in the UAE?

� Describe the main features of this place.



FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY

� Find information about environmental projects in Italy and/or abroad.

� Some examples are CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) in Powys, Wales and the Eden Project, Cornwall, England.

� carbon footprint:

� climate change:

� development:

� factory:

� harmful:

� safe:

impronta di carboniocambiamento climatico

sviluppo

dannososicuro

Word bank: Alternative energy

industria

EXPANDING VOCABULARYCONSTRUCTING WORD BANKS



� to damage:

� to design:

� to increase:

� to reduce:

� to supply:

danneggiareprogettareaumentare

fornireridurre

CHAPTER 2

Attending

classes



THE AMERICAN

EDUCATIONSYSTEM

4

B.A. Degree in four-year College

21

3 20

2 Junior or Community College

19

1 18

5 M.A./M.Sc. in University 22

8

Ph.D. (Doctorate of Philosophy)

25

7 24

6 23

primary education

secondary

education

undergraduate

graduate

Grade Age

AssociateDegree

S.A.T. (Scholastic Aptitude Test)



In the USA there are private and public

schools.

Children aged three, four, and five attend

the Kindergarten; at the age of 6 they start

Primary education, followed by

secondary education and university.

There are three main systems, according to the place where you live, or the school you choose to attend:

Grade Age



� the system called 6 plus 3 plus 3: there are six years of primary education, 3 years of junior and 3 years of senior high schools;

Grade Age

� the system called 6 plus 6: there are six years of primary education and six years of combined Junior and Senior high school;

Grade Age



� the system called 8 plus 4, with 8 years of combined primary and junior high school and 4 years of secondary high school.

Grade Age

GRADES (voti)

Students are graded with letters:

� A � excellent

� B � good

� C � average

� D � poor

� E � very poor

� F � failure



The total number of grades (anni scolastici) is 12

and not all the schools offer the 12 grades.

During their last year of high school students sit

the S.A.T. (Scholastic assessment test) if they want

to attend a college or university.

There are private and state colleges and

universities.

Foreign languages, which used to be taught at

high schools only, are now being introduced during

the last few years of elementary school in some

areas (although in some cities, state schools don’t

offer any foreign language teaching).

The most popular foreign languages:

American Sign Language � deaf people



Elementary students are usually given homework; however, the workload (carico di lavoro) is lighter than in many countries. The workload increases with higher grades.

Secondary school students must take certain ‘core’

curriculum courses for a prescribed number of years or

terms, as determined by each state.

These generally include english, mathematics, general

science, health, physical education and social studies or

social sciences (which may include american history and

government, geography, world history and social

problems).

In addition to mandatory subjects students choose ‘electives’ (optional subjects), which supplement their future education and career plans. Electives usually comprise around half of a student’s work in grades 9 to 12. Students concentrate on four subjects each quarterand are seldom pushed beyond their capability or capacity for learning.



The nation’s most sweeping education law — the elementary and secondary education act of 1965, better known as no child left behind.



STILL SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL

� America spends a lot of money per student

� The U.S. ranks fifth in spending per student

� Socio-economic class plays a larger role in the U.S. than in other countries

� A different starting line – educational expectations are lower for black children

� Separate and Unequal – More than 2 million black students attend schools where 90 % of students are from minority students.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (No Child Left Behind) is a landmark in education reform designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of America’s schools.

With passage of No Child Left Behind, Congress emphasized federal efforts to support elementary and secondary education in the United States.



S.A.T. � Test for college admissions- introduced in 1901- includes three 800-point sections (maths, critical reading, and writing)- possible scores from 600 to 2,400

Since education standards and requirements differ

from state to state, most colleges require students to

take standardized tests, namely ACT, SAT, TOEFEL.

There is no national diploma � the value of a

degree depends on the prestige of the university.

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

You can attend a Junior or Community Collegefor two years to obtain an Associate degree.

4


21

3 20

2 Junior or Community College

19

1 18



If you want, you can continue your studies at a four-year college to obtain a Bachelor of Art Degree (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science Degree (B.Sc.).

At this stage you are an undergraduate.

4


21

3 20

2

Junior or Community College19

1 18

5 M.A./M.Sc. in University 22

After that you can move to the second level degree– now you are a graduate – and obtain a Master ofScience (M.Sc.) or a Master of Art (M.A.) at aUniversity; it lasts one year.

Then, if you wish to continue your studies, you canattend a course to become a Doctor of Philosophy(Ph.D.); it lasts three years.



sophomore

freshmen

junior

senior

Students attending a high school or a college are

called as follows:

� a 1st-year student is called freshman;

� a 2nd- year student is called sophomore;

� a 3rd-year student is called Junior;

� a 4th-year student is called Senior.

Tuition fees (tasse/rette universitarie)

• public universities are in part financed by their

states (45%).

• Private universities are totally independent

financially. They rely on student tuition and on

donations from businesses and from alumni.

• In both public and private universities students

must pay fees.

/ə'lȜmnaǺ/



� Parents must save years to send their children to college.

� Loans from banks and the federal government.

� Federal «work-study programs» � students work between 10 and 20 hours a week.

FINANCING SOLUTIONS

EMPHASIS ON ATHLETICS

� Universities have

baseball, football or

basketball teams.

� Students might be

admitted or granted

a scholarship based

on their athletic

performance.

� Benefits students

from minority

backgrounds.



QUESTIONS1. When does compulsory education start in the USA?

2. How is it structured?

3. How long does it last?

4. What is the school leaving age in the USA?

5. What is the S.A.T.?

6. Which possibilities are offered to students whowish to go on studying?

8. How are students referred to at university?

9. How many meanings does the word grade havewhen referred to education?

7. What is the Community College and which

academic title does it award?

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING

COMPARATIVES



Comparative of majority

La Fisica è più difficile dell’inglese.

Physics is harder than English.

hard: difficile più difficile: harder

easy: facile più facile: easier

involving: coinvolgente

più coinvolgente: more involving

La Fisica è difficile quanto l’inglese.

Physics is as hard as English.

La Fisica è meno difficile dell’inglese.

Physics is less difficult than English.

Comparative of equality

Comparative of minority

as + adjective + as

less + adjective + than



La Fisica è la materia più difficile.

Physics is the most difficult subject.

Relative superlative

the most + adjective

L’inglese è la materia più facile.

English is the easiest subject.

the + adjective-est

La Fisica è molto difficile.

Physics is very difficult.

Absolute superlative

very + adjective

L’inglese è la materia meno difficile.

English is the least difficult subject.

Relative superlative

the least + adjective



Grammar

Revision

Present Perfect Simple vs Present

Perfect Continuous

TRANSLATE

1. Finora abbiamo aspettato 10 minuti.

2. Vado in palestra da circa un anno.

3. Sta piovendo da stamattina alle 7.

4. Ci conosciamo da anni.

5. Sono già stato tre volte negli USA.

6. Eric è interessato alla fisica da quando era bambino.

7. Non vedo Carlo da secoli.

8. Giada non ha mai vinto un quiz.



TRANSLATION

1. Finora abbiamo aspettato 10 minuti.

2. Vado in palestra da circa un anno.

3. Sta piovendo da stamattina alle 7.

We’ve been waiting for 10 minutes so far.

I’ve been going to the gym for about one year.

It’s been raining since this morning at 7.

4. Ci conosciamo da anni.

5. Sono già stato tre volte negli USA.

We’ve known each other for years.

I’ve already been to the USA three times.



6. Eric è interessato alla fisica da quando era bambino.

7. Non vedo Carlo da secoli.

8. Giada non ha mai vinto un quiz.

Eric has been interested in Physics since he

was a child.

I haven’t seen Carlo for ages.

Giada has never won a quiz.

Documents

Energy Engineering lecture 6 [modalità compatibilità]. 2019.2020/Energy Engineering_Le… · and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight