Read the text and answer the questions.

A few years ago, Paul Gerner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas to ask them what it would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously improved student learning. "I think half of them fell off their chairs," Gerner says.

Gerner manages school facilities for Clark County, Nevada, a district roughly the size of Massachusetts. By 2018, 143,000 additional students will enter the already crowded public-education system. Gerner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary school prototypes ; they plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings.

Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County, which stands out for its vastness, such aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the realities of a desert climate. "One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation ," Mark. McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. "You have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be really expensive to cool."

Surprisingly, the man responsible for one of re most progressive green-design competitions has doubts about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. "I don't believe in the new green religion," Gerner says. "Some of the building technologies that you get are impractical. I'm interested in those that work." But he wouldn't mind if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power. "You never know what's going to start the interest of a child to study math and science," he says.

1. WHat new type of school design is being explored?
2. Where are they being tried?
3. Is location causing a problem for this type anywhere?
4. Where?
5. Why is it a problem there?
6. What is a benefit of the new school type?
7. Who asked for school designs featuring energy savings and cheaper building plans?
8. Did his specifications surprise anyone?
9. How many schools does he need to build?
10. How many new pupils will be coming into the school system?
11. Whay can't they squeeze into the current buildings?
12. Are all of the new schools built already?
13. How many are done then?
14. How many teams are currently working on designs?
15. How many will have their designs used for other schools?
16. Is everyone a hug fan of the new ecological based building philosophy?
17. Who has doubts?
18. WHay?
19. Does he think there is anything good about the trend?
20. What subjects in particular?

Numbered answers:
1. Green schools
2. all over
3. yes
4. Clark County
5. desert climate
6. teaching students about the process of harvesting wind and solar power.
7. Paul Gerner
8. yes
9. 73
10. 143,000
11. they are already crowded
12. no
13. unknown
14. Four
15. three
16. no
17. Gerner
18. Some of the building technologies are impractical.
19. Some green features might inspire students.
20. math and science