Learn English with the News: “Building melts car”

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Today we will be looking at a really crazy news story that is happening right now in London.

Find out more by:

1. Reading the text
2. Understanding the vocabulary
3. Watching the video

Text

It’s called the Walkie Talkie because of its shape – and it’s definitely London’s hottest new building. Reflected sunlight from the glass windows is causing problems on the streets below.

The owner of a Jaguar was horrified to find his car was melting in its parking space – which has since been closed off to vehicles. People who work in the area say the luxury car isn’t the only victim.

– Yesterday people were feeling this bike saddle. It actually caught alight and the smoke was rising up off of there. But also it just gets so hot and you put your hand out into the light and immediately it’s like scorching you right away.

– It gets the top of your feet the worst if you’re wearing leather shoes. You can’t stand it for too long.

This restaurant has suffered a melted chair and damaged tiles. The burning question though, is: how to solve the problem? Solar Physicist, Simon Foster has a possible solution.

– Coating some sort of kind of paint or something that scatters the light out so it doesn’t come down or absorbs some of that energy so it’s not as hot down here but obviously you’ve got to cover that entire surface or the area, which is a problem. And that’s gonna take a long time and you’ve actually got to come up with the coating that will actually go on the glass.

On reflection, perhaps it’s best to avoid this part of London for the time being.

Vocabulary

Reflected – to show the image of (something) on a surface.

Horrified – to cause (someone) to feel horror or shock : to greatly upset and shock (someone).

Melting – to change or to cause (something) to change from a solid to a liquid usually because of heat.

Victim – a person who has been attacked, injured, robbed, or killed by someone else.

Saddle – a leather-covered seat that is put on the back of a horse.

Alight – full of light : lighted up.

Scorching – very hot.

Suffered – pain that is caused by injury, illness, loss, etc. : physical, mental, or emotional pain.

Damaged – to physically harm (something).

Tiles – a  usually flat piece of hard clay, stone, or other material that is used for covering walls, floors, etc.

Coating – a thin layer or covering of something.

Scatters – to cause (things or people) to separate and go in different directions.

Video