Putting the 'Green' in Greenhouse - Page 95

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Choice Reading · Ready for C2 Proficiency Student's Book, Macmillan

You are going to read an article about greenhouses. For questions 1–6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Known as the 'mar de plastico', or 'sea of plastic' in English, the area is somewhat of a modern-day phenomenon that has completely changed the fortunes of the region. In the middle of the 20th century, Almeria was one of the poorest of Spain's provinces, with a barren climate, remote location, and little industry. However, this all changed when farmers started to question how they could exploit their year-round temperate climate and counter the dry conditions that were so detrimental to growth. The answer came in the form of greenhouses, which retain water and heat while keeping the harsher elements out. With this ingenious development came the emergence of a new-found wealth within the region, and as farming in the region consisted of many family-owned smallholdings, this fanned out throughout the region, giving more horizontal growth and offering plentiful job opportunities unlike anything the area had seen previously. Almeria plays a crucial role in catering for ever-increasing demands for produce throughout Europe, exporting to nearly every country in the continent throughout the year. In a modern society which expects seasonal produce throughout the year, fulfilling these demands is essential, and Almeria continues to go from strength to strength in doing this. As well as creating a booming agricultural industry, a whole host of research and development companies have set up shop in the area. Nonetheless, intensive farming in the province is not without its fundamental challenges, especially in terms of sustainability and the local environment. One area which needs careful consideration in the long term is the methods of using water. Water scarcity may become an issue due to widespread use of water from underground sources for use in cultivation. Many environmentalists claim that in an area so arid as Almeria, the underwater sources can't replenish at the rate of their depletion. However, many farms have adopted more sustainable practices to help combat this, such as drip-feeding irrigation and the use of hydroponics, a soil-free method of plant-growing, which can reduce water use by around 80%. The other, more pressing, sustainability issue surrounding Almeria is the plastic waste generated by these greenhouses. The three-year lifespan of the plastic greenhouses causes a considerable amount of waste in the area, and its disposal leaves a lot to be desired, with much plastic waste polluting the surrounding environment. Addressing this is a rather more complex issue. While there are waste management services for farmers to use, they are not generally cost effective. A more environmentally-friendly answer may be in replacing plastic with glass. Albeit the material of choice for some large farming areas in northern Europe, many farms in the Almerian province, especially the smallholdings, are put off by the massive investment this would require. However, while these sustainability challenges are important to consider, the delicate interplay of progress and its environmental effects is far from cut and dried, especially when it comes to this kind of farming. In many ways, the greenhouses of Almeria could be considered a pinnacle of natural sustainability. Although this may seem strange, given the vision of plastic it displays, there are many ways in which Almeria is ecologically very sound. Firstly, the greenhouses, thanks to mild temperatures and abundant light, need little heating, which means very little traditional energy consumption is involved considering the large-scale of the food production, even taking into account transportation effects. Additionally, an unintended effect of the greenhouses has been to cool the area in the long-term, as the roofs reflect the sunlight. In a world which is constantly getting hotter, Almeria is one of the exceptions to this, which could be an important discovery for wider consideration. Finally, what cannot be forgotten is that with increasing demands, increased production is essential. If large-scale intensive farming like that of Almeria isn't used to feed populations, then alternatives are few and far between. Upscaling food production significantly, while reducing the environmental footprint may be the ideal objective, but real-life indicates that there always has to be some form of trade-off, and at the moment, Almeria, with perhaps a few tweaks, seems well-placed to be the food production model of the future.

to explain why the greenhouses in Almeria exist

to suggest the importance of the greenhouses in Almeria

to highlight the scale of the greenhouses in Almeria

to describe how the greenhouses in Almeria are overlooked

What is the author's objective in the first paragraph?

their resourcefulness in adapting to conditions

their resistance to the climate conditions

their persistence in developing growing conditions

their skilled approaches to poor conditions

What does the writer admire about farmers in the 1950s?

employ more people than any other industry in the region.

consist of families that were generally native to the region.

have more wealth than any other social group in the area.

are generally well-dispersed across the entire province.

The writer says that the owners of the greenhouses

It is a necessary evil that the area must live with.

There's little incentive for farmers to deal with it.

It makes the surrounding area less desirable.

Farmers will probably come up with an ingenious solution.

What is the writer's view on plastic waste in the area?

It largely functions on natural resources.

It keeps seasonal temperatures consistent.

It creates less transport pollution.

It generates energy that is used in the area.

How does the greenhouse industry in Almeria contribute to sustainability?

It is a pragmatic food supply option to cater for growing needs.

It is a trend that is unlikely to continue in the future.

It needs some slight adaptations before being adopted internationally.

It has to further consider the environmental effects of production.

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

More C2 Proficiency Multiple Choice Reading practice · All C2 Proficiency practice