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Four Unusual Houses around the World

The Keret House (Poland)

You may know this structure as the world's skinniest house since it measures only 122centimeters at its widest point. The project started with an idea that architect Jakub Szczesny first presented at the World Architecture Festival in 2009. The house has no windows but issemi-transparent and has a white interior which allows it to feel a lot less tiny than you'd think.

The Tree Hotel (Sweden)

The structure is a cube-shaped building which wrapped around the trunk of a tall tree. Its exterior is coated with mirrored glass which allows it to perfectly blend in with its surroundingsand to reflect the sky and the trees. The interior is made of plywood and offers 360 degrees of the landscape. To reach the entrance, one has to go across a rope bridge connected to the nexttree.

Resident Church XL (The Netherlands)

The Saint Jakobus Church dating back to 1870 ceased to function as a church in 1991 and was later used as a showroom for events and furniture displays. Then, in 2007, ZeccArchitects came with an idea. They wanted to transform the church into a residence and to bring this beautiful historical monument back to life. The idea was materialized two years later.

The Steel House (The US)

Robert Bruno worked on this amazing project until his death in 2008, handcrafting everything with no outside assistance. The house has a very unusual form which could beinterpreted in a lot of different ways. Some think it resembles a UFO, others think it looks more like a massive insect and there are also those that compare it to a Star Wars AT-AT Walker.

21. Which of the four is the narrowest building?

A. The Keret House.     B. The Tree Hotel. C. Resident Church XL. D. The Steel House.

22. What did the Saint Jakobus Church function as in 2007?

A. A church.    B. A residence.     C. A showroom.      D. A shopping complex.

23. What can we learn about the house built by Robert Bruno?

A. It was completed in 2008.        B. It was built by machines.

C. It has a distinctive shape.      D. It has appeared in Star Wars.