今天的课程 Today's course 是给我们山水学堂的高年级学生准备的 is for the seniors of inMountains Home School。大家不需要我来解释 You don't need me to explain，什么是温室了吧 what a greenhouse is, don't you？
白狐 White Fox，你来给大家解释一下 explain to others，什么是温室 what is a greenhouse？

差不多是这样子 That is about right。温室 greenhouse 就是 is just 温暖的室内空间 a warm indoor space，一个房间 a room。在这个温暖的房间里 In this warm room，植物会长得更健康 plants grow healthier。在英语里 In English，温室的翻译 the translation of a greenhouse 是 is 绿色的屋子 a house of green colors，因为西方国家 because in western countries 有些家庭 some families 会在花园里建一个温室 will build a greenhouse in their gardens，一般 normally 就是一个 just a 里面绿意盎然的屋子 flourish room。

但是中国 But in China 没有这样的传统 there is no such tradition，包括 including 以前的有钱人家 the riches at the time。

我们学堂为什么 Why would our school 要组织同学们 want to organize students 在这里建一个温室呢 to build a greenhouse in here？有几个好处 There are several benefits：

1. 我们可以在温室里种菜 we may grow vegetables in the greenhouses，养鱼 and build a small fish farm。温室和外面的世界很多时候是隔绝的 The greenhouse is seperated from the outside world most of time，虫子会少很多 there will be much less pests，所以不需要打农药 so no need to use pesticides，
2. 自己养的鱼没有喂养饲料 The fish in our fish tank are not fed with commercial fish foods，基本上很少生病 they don’t get sick often，所以不需要喂抗生素等药品 so no need to feed them with antibiotics，吃起来更健康 they will be healthy food；
3. 冬天的时候 in winter，温室里很暖和 the greenhouse is warm，大家可以在这里面观察自然的生长 we can observe the development of nature from in here，在这里做手工 DIY，讨论有趣的话题 discuss interesting topics；
4. 我们的温室 our greenhouse 是紧靠着南面的墙壁的 is attached to this sounthern wall，天气寒冷的日子里 in cold winter days，温室里的温暖空气 the warm air in this greenhouse 可以让一楼的几个房间 will make the rooms on the ground floor，包括厨房和餐厅 including the kitchen and dining room 都更暖和 warmer，节省能源 thus save energy；
5. 地球环境的问题 the environmental problems of our earth，很多时候 in many time，是因为 is because，食物需要被运输到很远的地方去 foods need to be transported to somewhere far away，如果我们直接在厨房外面种菜 if we grow foods directly outside，也是在减少碳足迹 the carbon footprint is reduced，保护环境；
6. 建造这个温室 To build this greenhouse，我们需要用到一个被动式太阳能的概念 we will need to learn a concept of passive solar energy，就是让免费的太阳来给温室升温 which is to use a free sun to warm the greenhouse，降低成本 to cut down costs。有些寒冷地区的温室 In some cold areas the greenhouses 需要使用更复杂的技术 need more complicated technologies，包括电或者天然气 including electricity or natural gas，来提升温室里的温度 to raise the room temperature。这样的设计项目 This kind of design project 有助于我们 helps us 学习关于环保型建筑设计的一些基本概念 to learn some basic concepts about environmentally friendly architecture。
7. 建造这个温室By building this greenhouse，我们需要认识到 we need to be familiar with 一些基本的建筑元素 some basic building elements，包括 including 门 door、采光 glazing、通风透气 ventilation、排水 drainage、隔热 insulation、安全safety、温控 temperature control、密封 sealing、成本 costs等 etc。以后 In the future 可以在这个村子里建造更多类似的房子 we may build more houses alike in the village。

这就是我们选择建造这个温室的地点 This is the location we choose to build the greenhouse，它有几个特点 it has several features：

1. 冬天这里有阳光照耀 In winter the sunshine gets here。请注意 Note that，是冬天 it is winter，夏天到处有阳光 in summer the sunshine is everywhere，那不重要 and it is not important。
2. 我们可以紧挨着这堵墙来建造 we may build it closely against this wall，这样就不需要自己花钱建北边的挡风墙了 this way we won’t need to spend money to build the northern wall blocking the north wind。对任何一个处于北半球的好温室来说 For any good greenhouse in the northern hemisphere，北面因为永远没有阳光进来 because there is no sunshine coming in from the northern side，所以只需要建造一堵墙 we will only need to build a wall，挡住寒冷的北风 to block cold north wind，不需要开窗 no need to install windows on this side。
3. 这里离厨房近 It is close to the kitchen，做饭的时候 when we cook 可以临时到温室里来采摘 we may just walk to this greenhouse and pick up vegetables or herbs ，这个小温室 this greenhouse 相当于是一个冰箱 is like a refrigerator。

好吧 OK，我们今天先准备地基 today we are working on the foundation，动手吧 let’s get started。