🔥 Warm-Up — Before You Read
Discuss these questions with a partner or write short answers.
📝 Environmental & Policy Vocabulary
Study these words and phrases before reading the summary.
| Word | Meaning in Context | Type |
|---|---|---|
| denizens | inhabitants or occupants of a particular place | Noun |
| debacle | a sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco | Noun |
| biomass | the total mass of organisms in a given area | Noun |
| eradicating | destroying completely; putting an end to | Verb (Gerund) |
| retrofitting | adding a new component or accessory to something that did not have it when manufactured | Verb (Gerund) |
| apocryphal | of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true | Adjective |
| asymmetric | having parts that fail to correspond to one another in shape or size; unequal | Adjective |
| leached | drained away from soil, ash, or similar material by the action of percolating liquid | Verb |
✏️ Vocabulary Practice
Type the best word or phrase from the vocabulary list.
📖 Article Summary
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool repeatedly turns green with algae because it is a shallow, warm, and nutrient-rich environment. Built on a former marsh, the government has historically fought this algae using chemical treatments like hydrogen peroxide. However, this is a losing battle because the chemicals burst the algae cells, releasing organic matter back into the water which then serves as the perfect nutrient mix for growing new algae.
Instead of continuing this cycle of "chemical warfare," natural pool designers and scientists suggest returning the area to a wetland ecosystem. By retrofitting the pool with biofilters—a system of plants, gravel, and microbes (biofilm)—the ecosystem could strip the water of the nitrogen and phosphorus that algae need to bloom. This concept mimics natural pools found across Europe and North America.
While transforming the basin into a massive "Reflecting Swamp" would be highly challenging, require massive footprint changes, and cost tens of millions of dollars, it could provide a durable solution. Ultimately, the author argues that adopting this approach would mean signing a truce with nature rather than fighting an asymmetric war against an organism we depend on for oxygen.
🧩 Key Ideas / Problem & Solution
Focus on the logical sequence explaining why the pool is green and how it could be fixed.
1. The Ideal Habitat
The shallow, warm water fed by the Tidal Basin creates perfect growing conditions for algae.
2. The Chemical Trap
Chemicals kill the algae by bursting their cells, which releases nutrients that feed the *next* wave of algae.
3. The 2012 Reconstruction
Engineers made the pool shallower and used a water source without filtering out nutrients first.
4. The Biological Hero
Biofilms on gravel and wetland plants can naturally consume the nitrogen and phosphorus, starving the algae.
5. The Grand Scale
A natural fix is hard because the 6.8 million-gallon pool must handle D.C. heat and goose droppings.
6. The Truce
Enlisting nature as an ally instead of fighting it could turn a national debacle into a clear-flowing success.
✏️ Concept Practice — Match the Idea
Choose the concept that best fits the description.
✅ Comprehension Check
Choose the best answer. The choices are shuffled automatically.
💬 Short Answer
Answer in your own words.
🔧 Grammar Focus A — Warfare Metaphors
The author uses intense metaphors related to war to highlight how futile the government's current strategy against nature is. By framing it as a war, the author sets up the ultimate solution: a "truce."
Look at these examples from the article:
- Aggressive Action: "Most politicians’ preferred response has been chemical warfare."
- Failing Strategy: "You’re fighting a losing battle... one the federal government has waged for a century."
- Unequal Conflict: "The U.S. is engaged in asymmetric warfare with enemies..."
- The Solution: "It’s time to sign a truce with nature."
| Warfare Metaphor | Base Meaning | Contextual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| warfare | military operations | using aggressive chemicals to destroy living organisms |
| losing battle | a fight that cannot be won | continuously trying a solution that makes the problem worse |
| asymmetric | not matching / unequal | a superpower fighting tiny microbes that outnumber and outpace it |
| truce | an agreement to stop fighting | accepting nature and letting it manage the ecosystem |
✏️ Metaphors Practice
Type the correct warfare vocabulary word (warfare, losing, asymmetric, truce) to complete the sentence.
🔧 Grammar Focus B — The Passive Voice in History
When discussing history, construction, or policies where the *action* is more important than *who* did it (or when the "who" is a faceless government entity), writers frequently use the passive voice.
Structure: Object + Form of "To Be" + Past Participle
| Active Voice (Focus on the actor) | Passive Voice (Focus on the object/action) |
|---|---|
| Workers paved the Reflecting Pool with asphalt. | The Reflecting Pool was paved with asphalt. |
| Contractors reconstructed the basin in 2012. | The basin was reconstructed in 2012. |
| Engineers installed a treatment plant. | A treatment plant was installed. |
✏️ Passive Voice Practice
Rewrite the verb in the brackets to complete the passive voice sentence.
✍️ Writing Task — Opinion Paragraph
Write a paragraph answering this question:
Your paragraph should include:
- your opinion clearly stated
- at least 2 reasons supporting your view
- at least 1 passive voice sentence
- at least 2 vocabulary words from Tab 2 (e.g., debacle, eradicating, retrofitting)
Model Paragraph
In my opinion, governments should invest the money required to filter historical monuments naturally rather than continuing chemical treatments. First, attempting to control nature with chemicals is often a costly debacle that requires constant maintenance without truly solving the root cause. Second, by retrofitting these pools with natural ecosystems, we create sustainable habitats that respect the environment. For example, if a massive biofilter is installed, it provides long-term clarity and reduces the need for electricity and hazardous materials. Monuments should reflect our highest ideals, which includes a harmonious relationship with the natural world.
💡 Discussion Questions
1. The article claims that trying to kill algae is like pulling weeds, scattering their seeds, and throwing fertilizer on them. Why is this analogy effective?
2. Winston Churchill allegedly said that Americans will always do the right thing, after they’ve tried everything else. Do you think this applies to environmental policy in your country as well?
3. If a "Reflecting Swamp" means half of the pool's area would be occupied by plants and gravel instead of clear water, would that ruin the visual design of the monument?