Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1.
flexible
(adj.) [flek-suh-buhl] – capable of adjusting to a particular situation or use
Example:
She can easily meet friends because of her flexible
personality.
2.
built-in
(adj.) [bilt] [in] – made a part of something (usually not detachable)
Example:
We plan to put built-in cabinets in
the kitchen.
3.
eliminate
(v.) [ih-lim-uh-neyt] – to remove something (or someone)
Example:
She was eliminated from the
competition because she was overqualified.
4.
suitable
(adj.) [soo-tuh-buhl] – appropriate for some purpose or use
Example:
The use of air conditioning is suitable
in warm places.
5.
joint
(n.) [joint] – (in anatomy) it refers to the point of connections of bones
Example:
People suffering from arthritis experience joint
pains.
Article
Read
the text below.
Indian engineer Kranthis Kiran Vistakula developed a unique jacket which is flexible to both hot and cold weather.
Vistakula,
who was then a student in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in
Boston, came up with the idea because he wanted to have a kind of clothing that
can keep him warm during winter and keep him cool when the heaters were turned on
in the school rooms.
Vistakula
applied the principle of Peltier effect which is used in cooling electronic
gadgets like laptops. According to this principle, when electricity passes
through the meeting point of two different metals, a difference in temperature
occurs. As a result, one side ‘heats up’ while another side ‘cools down’. In
electronic devices, built-in fans are needed to blow off
heat and prevent overheating.
Vistakula
was able to eliminate the need of fans by using special
materials to create tiny, light, and immovable parts suitable to the clothing. He also
attached rechargeable batteries which would produce the electricity needed in
the clothing. The jacket can produce a temperature from zero to 100 degree
Celsius.
Aside from
jackets, Vistakula’s company, Dhamma Innovations, also manufactures mufflers,
shoes, helmets, and knee and elbow pads that are used to soothe joint pains.
Vistakula’s
team targets to scale up production and to make the company’s products more
affordable for consumers. They are also hoping to become a hundred-million-dollar
company in 3 to 4 years.
Viewpoint
Discussion
Enjoy
a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
What do you think
are the advantages and disadvantages of people living in a country with four
seasons in terms of clothing?
·
Are there any
advantages of having different kinds of clothes?
Discussion B
·
What are the
things you consider when shopping for clothes?
·
Would you ever buy
the products made by Vistakula?
