The Great Smog of 1952
by Christopher Klein
Comprehension
Read and answer
1. State whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
a. The formation of smog was a common occurrence in London. [T]
b. The government took swift action to ensure the safety of its citizens. [F]
c. Life in the city went on as usual in spite of the smog in 1952. [F]
d. The smog harmed all living things, from people to animals and plants, in London. [T]
2. Use the timeline to sequence the events that led to the Great Smog of 1952.
a. The layer of warm air high above the surface trapped the stagnant, cold air at ground level.
b. The poisonous, reeking smog settled in the city with no breeze to drive it away.
c. Londoners used coal to heat their houses and diesel-fuelled buses for transport.
d. Thousands of tons of soot mixed with the fog, turning it a sickly yellow.
e. In December 1952, a high-pressure weather system stalled over Southern England.
Fill in the brackets with the letters a, b, c, d or e, indicating the sequence.
Ans : - [d] ⇒ [c] ⇒ [e] ⇒ [a] ⇒ [b]
Reference to context
3. "As the day progressed, a veil of fog - not unusual in a city famous for its cool, misty weather - began to enshroud … city landmarks."
a. Name the three city landmarks that the author mentions.
= The name of the three city landmarks that the author mentions are - the Big Ben, the St Paul's Cathedral, and the London Bridge.
b. Smog was not an uncommon occurrence in London, and the people were quite used to them. Quote two lines from the text that tell us this.
= Two lines from the text that tell us that 'Smog was not an uncommon occurrence in London, and the people were quite used to them.' are -
i) "As the day progressed, a veil of fog - not unusual in a city famous for its cool, misty weather - began to enshroud Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge and other city landmarks."
ii) "Heavy fog was, after all, a common occurrence in London and there was, according to most reports, no immediate sense of urgency to this smog event."
c. Explain one major difference between fog and smog, based on the text.
= Fog becomes smog when it combines with smoke. Fog begins to turn sickly shade of yellowish brown as it mixed with thousands of tons of soot pumped into the air by London's factory smokestacks, chimneys and automobiles. A high-pressure weather system causes a temperature inversion, in which a layer of warm air high above the surface trapped the stagnant, cold air at ground level. The temperature inversion prevents London's sulphurous coal smoke from rising.
4. "Many found the effort futile and simply abandoned their cars."
a. What was the 'effort' that many found futile? Why?
= The 'effort' was that drivers turned on their headlights and hung their heads out car windows to inch ahead through the thick gloom in the middle of the day.
Many of them found the 'effort' futile because the smog was too dense and it paralyzed London for five days and crippled all transportation, except for the London Underground train system.
b. What do you think these people did instead?
= I think these people parked their cars in a safer place and simply waited for the smog to be clear.
c. Write a short description (100 words) of a busy London road scene during the smog of 1952, from your imagination, based on the sentence quoted above.
= During the smog of 1952, on a busy London road, there is a different picture from the usual. All the drivers and vehicle staffs are getting irritated because of the invisibility. The pedestrians are gasping to walk in such dense smog. Conductors holding flashlights in front of the buses to avoid accident. Boat traffic on the River Thames has come to a halt. Travellers bump into the parked cars and some hurts themselves. All the shops are closed except some small tea boards and medicinal stores. The police are being frustrated to control the situation and maintain the law and order. The rogues like pickpockets and burglars are hiding in the shadow of the smog to get escape from the police.
Reflect and answer
5. When was the 'deadly impact' of the smog finally realized? Why wasn't it realized earlier?
= The 'deadly impact' of the smog finally realized when deaths form bronchitis and pneumonia increased more than sevenfold and the death rate in London's East End increased nine fold.
It was not realized earlier because heavy fog was a common occurrence in London and there were no immediate sense of urgency to this smog event. Initially, the British government was slow to act during the Great Smog.
6. What steps did the government take in 1956 to deal with the problem? How do you think they helped?
= To deal with the problem, in 1956, the government passed the Clean Air Act of 1956, which restricted the burning of coal in urban areas and authorized local councils to set up smoke-free zones. Homeowners received grants to convers from coal to alternative heating system.
I think the Act was not implemented properly. As in 1962, 750 people died due to the same hazard. The deadly fogs periodically occurred.
7. Imagine that you have been asked to prepare a list of five things that your school can do to prevent pollution. Write down your recommendations. Remember, these have to be practical solutions that can be adopted. Here are some ideas.
a. Use energy-efficient fluorescent lights.
b. Fix leaks in faucets and pipes.
c. Use non-chemical pest control methods.
= First of all, I would recommend to plant a lot of trees every year. They make the air fresh and reduce pollution.
Secondly people should start car pooling immediately, this will reduce the amount of carbon particles in the air.
Then we should reduce using motor vehicles as much as possible. Instead, we would walk or use bicycle to reach shorter distances.
We can switch to electric scooters form the petrol scooters. That will stop a major portion of air pollution.