How to Make Your House More Energy-efficient

Using less energy around the home is easier than you might think, saving your money while creating a healthier, more comfortable living space for you and your family. Changing a few old habits can make an impact on your energy bill, your comfort and the environment. Here are some handy tips to make your house more energy-efficient.

1 If your home has adjustable central heating, lowering the room temperature even slightly can make a difference. You may not feel it, but your wallet will. It is even more advisable to control temperatures at different times of the day.

2 If the weather allows it, head outside and dry your laundry on a clothesline. The sunlight will help eliminate bacteria and dust. While clothes dryers get the job done faster, they also use up energy. By hanging your clothes out you’ll be cutting greenhouse gases by about three kilograms per load.

3 Installing large windows on the northern side of your house can help you make use of sunlight’s natural warmth. To stay cool indoors on hot summer days, install blinds（百叶窗）to block the heavy sun. Put your desk near the window, then you don’t need a lamp in the daytime.

4 Be sure your hot-water pipes are properly wrapped. In an average home heating water accounts for more than one-quarter of the energy bill. Why let warmth go to waste before it reaches you?

5 When the time comes to replace appliances, select those that are both energy-efficient and of the appropriate size for your needs. Don’t buy bigger ones just because you can.

Task 1 16. Paragraph①（ ）

17. Paragraph②（ ）

18. Paragraph③（ ）

19. Paragraph④（ ）

20. Paragraph⑤（ ）

A: Wrap your pipes

B: Lower the heat

C: Take advantage of natural light

D: Hang clothes out to dry

E: Choose the right size for appliances

F: Buy more appliances

 

Task 2

21. Changing a few old habits can ___.

22. It is advisable to control temperatures ___..

23. When you dry the laundry on a clothesline, sunlight will help ___..

24. If the windows are installed on the northern side of the house, you can ___..

25. When choosing the appliances, you should___.

A: eliminate bacteria and dust

B: affect your energy bill

C: at different times of the day

D: make use of sunlight’s natural warmth

E: select those that are energy-efficient

F: on rainy days

We can infer from the passage that（ ）.

• A、Williams was hard on his dog

• B、Williams was a loving dog owner

• C、Prince was intelligent and faithful

• D、Prince was trustworthy but annoying

The word “annoyance”（para. 2） implies that Williams' family felt（ ）.

• A、very amazed

• B、a bit angry

• C、very pleased

• D、a bit disappointed