Bottled Air

Actually canned, not bottled. A NZ company is selling fresh mountain air from the Southern Alps. It comes in a spray can and costs NZ$28. The company is selling these cans in countries which have polluted air. Some cities in China, India, Brazil and Chile have heavy smog in winter.

Who is buying the cans? People who have respiratory problems, problems with breathing. Each 7.7 litre can gives 130 to 150 breaths of fresh air.

NZ is not the first country to think of selling fresh air. Britain, Canada and Australia have already started selling air – in plastic bottles or bags – and have sold out quickly.

NZ canned air will soon be available in tourist shops here for tourists to take home.

Vocabulary

• Alps (n) – mountains (The adjective is alpine e.g. an alpine village)
• smog (n) – this is a word made from two words – smoke and fog (includes the smell and difficulty to see very far)
• respiratory (adj), respiration (n) – breathing. Pronunciation: stress is on the 1st syllable in the adjective, but on the 3rd syllable in the noun.

Questions

1. What causes smog?
2. Why is it worse in winter?
3. Will a can of clean air help people with respiratory problems?

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