86 SEMESTER CHECK Semester check 01 !! LESEN B2 Ich kann längere Texte, auch Berichte und Artikel, zu aktuellen Fragen sowie literarische Texte selbstständig lesen und verstehen. Read the text about ways to add green spaces to cities. First decide whether the statements (1–7) are true (T) or false (F) and put a cross ( ) in the correct box. Then identify the sentence in the text which supports your decision. Write the first four words of this sentence in the space provided. There may be more than one correct answer; write down only one. The first one (0) has been done for you. READING 1 What’s your progress with the learning goals of this semester? Make a mark on the line that shows where you see yourself, then do the tasks. Don’t forget to check your answers with the key. Download it using QuickMedia or go to www.oebv.at and enter p5t3mn. The future of urban nature It was once thought that forests and parks needed to be large areas. After all, forests require acres and acres of space, right? But with careful planning, mini-forests can thrive in lots as small as a typical parking lot or tennis court. Gardens can be planted in places that are often overlooked to create food forests in urban neighborhoods. Creating mini-forests The idea of mini-forests was formed by Akira Miyawaki, a young graduate student in the 1950s. He noticed that mature forests in Japan had greater biodiversity than landscaped gardens. However, mature forests take centuries to grow and acres of land. Miyawaki wondered if there was a way to speed up the process, to engineer a mature forest to flourish quickly in a small space. Miyawaki’s idea was successful. By discovering which species were native to Japan, he was able to select plants that would naturally grow in old forests and transfer them to landscaped mini-forests. Under the right conditions, his methods produced forests quickly in small spaces – sometimes ten times faster than what it would take for a diverse forest to grow naturally. Tiny forests can thrive anywhere. Crowded and polluted urban areas that need the most help maintaining clean air and water are suitable locations for mini-forests. The benefits of adding native trees to urban areas extend beyond their beauty. Trees remove carbon dioxide and air pollution, reduce water pollution, and serve as a noise buffer. They also provide habitat for other organisms such as birds and insects. Even though these green areas are small, they can even restore biodiversity to cities almost as well as a larger natural forest. Urban mini-forests also allow people to connect with nature without leaving the city. Living in a dense city can make it difficult to visit a forest. By bringing those plants to urban areas, residents will have a unique opportunity to learn about issues such as biodiversity, climate change, and habitat loss. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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