In some coastal countries where there is not enough land for an increasing population, living space can expand into the sea. For example, the land area of Hong Kong is small, but the population is large.Therefore, many of the city's poor are unable to find affordable homes in the city itself. They live in boats that are tied closely to each other by the shore. Such floating towns have given new ideas to a number of architects from different countries. These architects are working on several futuristic designs for oceanic cities. One of these designs, by Eckhard Schulze-Fielitz, is a huge city called 'New Venice'. It will be built on floating containers. The idea of floating cities has attracted special attention in Japan, which has an enormous population density. Like Schulze-Fielitz, the Japanese architect Kiyonori Kikutake has also suggested floating containers in his design of a town called 'Unabara' (Ocean). Another Japanese architect, Hidezo Kobayashi, has proposed building a city in a bay which will extend an existing city from the shore into the ocean. It will use both structures that float and structures that are securely tied to the bottom. Boats will pass over and around this city, and waves and tides will provide its energy. Kobayashi's city will also be a base for taking out mineral deposits that lie on the ocean floor.
1. According to the text, it is difficult for some people in Hong Kong to live in houses in the city
because __________________.
a) the houses are expensive for them
b) Hong Kong is on the coast
c) there are a lot of floating houses
d) the houses in Hong Kong are not big enough
2. Which of the following is true about 'New Venice'?
a) It is an oceanic city which was built in Japan.
b) It has an enormous population density.
c) It will be a floating city of the future.
d) In this city people will live in floating containers.
3. The Japanese are interested in floating houses because __________________.
a) floating cities are cheap
b) the Japanese architect Kikutake has already suggested the idea of floating houses
c) it is a good way of taking out minerals that lie on the ocean floor
d) Japan is very crowded
4. A possible title for this text is __________________.
a) Cities of Japan
b) Advantages of Building Cities on the Sea
c) Future Cities on the Sea
d) Modern Houses