Listening exercise
NPR: World's Tallest Building to Open in Taipei
by Melissa Block
All Things Considered  December 30, 2004
Link to the audio file here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4252073

Vocabulary:

officially
inaugurated
floors
feet
to top the record holder by
Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur
jade green
skyscraper
a series of
stepped segments
to taper
in-, then outward
to resemble
pagoda
stalk of bamboo
engineers
to account for the fact that
to stand
major fault line
to face
Dennis Poon
structural engineering consultant
obviously
destructive powers
to ensure
earthquake-proof
structural system
to provide
highly redundant
earthquake-resistant
system
super-tall
to get a bit of a jolt
crane
to topple
construction workers
unfortunate
tragedy
accident
proof
to behave
soundly
to react
proficiently
tower crane
to intend
typhoon
to strike
tuned mass damper
ton
sphere
pretty high up

what it's meant to do
to be located
meter
restaurant
sky observation tower
to consist of
steel plates
stacked up together
to form
spherical shape
pendulum
hung from
to swing
laterally
activated
in the opposite direction
in order to
to counteract
sway
given
attacks of September 11
target
to lease
office space
problematic
simulations
to stand up
to be hit by a plane
analysis
local
robustness
thoughtful
to take into consideration
scenarios
base of a building
to feel proud of
humankind
resource
to overcome
obstacles
psychological fear
to accept challenge
high-rise buildings
nowadays
safer
low-rise buildings
designers
team
to put forth
thoughtful thinking
careful design
detailed analysis
Thornton-Tomasetti Group

Listening comprehension questions:
1. Where did the Taipei 101 building get its name?
2. How tall is it in meters?
3. What natural threats does Taipei 101 face?
4. What positive spin did Poon put on the building regarding the 2002 earthquake and how it affected the project?
5. Describe the tuned mass damper.
6. Describe the function of the tuned mass damper.
7. What are Poon's feelings about Taipei 101?
8. a. Why does Poon think high-rises may often in fact be safer than low-rise buildings? b. What can this be compared to in the area of modes of transportation?
9. a. What is Dennis Poon's native language? b. Name three features of Dennis Poon's accent that differ from standard American English.
10. What are your feelings, if any, about the Taipei 101 building?

In case you missed the splendor of the Taipei 101 2006 New Year's fireworks display, you can watch a video of it here.


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