How a $500M Ice City is Built in 30 Days | Mega Construction (CEFR A2)

A City Made of Ice

Every year in China, workers build a huge city. They don’t use bricks or wood. They use freezing ice from a river! It is a massive project that costs $500 million.

Getting the Ice

Workers must harvest thousands of tons of ice. The water in the river has a slow current. This helps make the ice very pure and clear. Because ice is buoyant, it is easy to move the heavy block of ice in the water.

Keeping Ice for Summer

The team needs ice in November, but the river is not frozen then. So, they keep ice in a storage yard for 10 months. They use straw and foam for insulation. This stops the ice from getting warm.

Building the Towers

The tall towers need a strong foundation. Engineers build a metal skeleton first. Then, they cover it with ice. Every joint must be strong. They also have to be careful with moisture because it can break the lights.

The End of the City

Artists make a beautiful snow sculpture like the Big Buddha. But the city is only there for 60 days. When spring comes, the ice begins to melt and the city disappears.

Vocabulary Table

Term	Pronunciation	Definition	Used in sentence
Freezing	/ˈfriːzɪŋ/	Extremely cold.	Once a year in the freezing extremes of China, an army of workers builds a mega city…
Massive	/ˈmæsɪv/	Very large and heavy.	The answer is a massive logistical operation where 10,000 people construct a colossal metropolis…
Harvest	/ˈhɑːrvɪst/	To collect or gather something.	To pull this off, they must harvest thousands of tons of ice from a frozen river…
Foundation	/faʊnˈdeɪʃn/	The strong base that supports a building.	This ensures the foundation of the park is ready the moment the water freezes again.
Uniform	/ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/	Being the same in all parts or for all members.	Motorized circular saws carve miles of parallel tracks cutting deep to create a massive uniform matrix.
Pure	/pjʊər/	Clean and not mixed with anything else.	The result is a material that is 99% pure water.
Buoyant	/ˈbɔɪənt/	Able to float in water or air.	Because ice is naturally buoyant, workers can glide these halfton weights toward the shore…
Storage	/ˈstɔːrɪdʒ/	The act of keeping things in a special place until they are needed.	The trucks head to a storage yard on the edge of the park grounds.
Insulation	/ˌɪnsjəˈleɪʃn/	Material used to stop heat, cold, or sound from escaping or entering.	Removing these layers is a race against time and temperature. If the insulation is taken off too quickly…
Skeleton	/ˈskelɪtn/	A frame that supports a structure or body.	To handle the immense weight and height, engineers must first construct a massive metal skeleton.
Fragile	/ˈfrædʒl/	Easily broken or damaged.	It loses its ability to bend and becomes as fragile as a pane of glass.
Joint	/dʒɔɪnt/	A place where two things are joined or connected.	Ensuring every joint remains solid.
Infrastructure	/ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə(r)/	The basic systems and services that are necessary for a country or an organization.	Before any ice is laid down, workers set up the essential infrastructure on the hillside.
Sculpture	/ˈskʌlptʃər/	A piece of art that is made by carving or molding stone, wood, metal, or ice.	In 1963, the city turned this folk into the first formal ice lantern show. Using only hand saws and picks, artists carved river ice blocks into animals, flowers, and miniature buildings. (Referencing the sculpture process).
Melt	/melt/	To turn from a solid into a liquid because of heat.	This mega project costs over $500 million only to stand for 60 days before completely melting away.

Vocabulary Flashcards

Lexical Focus: Collocations & Chunks

Don’t just learn isolated words—learn chunks of language. These patterns will help you speak more naturally.

built out of nothing
Phrase
An army of workers builds a mega city built out of nothing but solid ice.
larger than Vatican City
Comparison
10,000 people construct a colossal metropolis larger than Vatican City in just 30 days.
a race against time
Idiom
Building the biggest ice park in the world is a race against time.
one wrong move
Collocation
It’s a process of timing where one wrong move could shatter the block.
the equivalent of
Phrase
That’s the equivalent of filling 80 Olympic sized swimming pools.
unique natural conditions
Collocation
A project of this magnitude requires unique natural conditions.
locked in place
Phrasal Verb/Idiom
Ensuring they stay locked in place as they leave the river.
survive the summer heat
Collocation
These blocks have to survive the summer heat before they are finally used.
lift them into place
Verb Phrase
They assemble sections on the ground and then lift them into place carefully.
rebuilt from scratch
Idiom
The park is rebuilt from scratch each winter with new themes.

De-Chunking: Complete the Expressions

Select the correct phrase from the box below to complete the sentences.

built out of nothing
larger than Vatican City
a race against time
one wrong move
rebuilt from scratch

1. An army of workers builds a mega city but solid ice.

2. 10,000 people construct a colossal metropolis in just 30 days.

3. Building the biggest ice park in the world is .

4. It’s a process of timing where could shatter the block.

5. The park is each winter with new themes.

While-viewing Tasks

Complete these tasks while watching the video:

Guided Notes

Fill in the key information as you watch:

Location of the city:
Number of workers:
Time to build:

Questions

Where do they get the ice?
How tall is the central tower?
Why do they use steel?

Embedded Video:

Fill in the Blanks Exercise

1. Once a year in the extremes of China, an army of workers builds a mega city.

2. The answer is a logistical operation where 10,000 people construct a metropolis.

3. To pull this off, they must thousands of tons of ice from a frozen river.

4. This ensures the of the park is ready the moment the water freezes again.

5. Motorized circular saws carve deep to create a massive matrix.

6. The result is a material that is 99% water.

7. Because ice is naturally , workers can glide these halfton weights.

8. The trucks head to a yard on the edge of the park grounds.

9. If the is taken off too quickly, the ice can crack.

10. Engineers must first construct a massive metal for the tower.

11. At very low temperatures, regular metal becomes as as a pane of glass.

12. A specialized alloy is designed to ensure every remains solid.

13. Before any ice is laid down, workers set up the essential on the hillside.

14. Artists carved river ice blocks into animals and other types of .

15. The city is beautiful, but it will away when spring arrives.

Extension Activities

Choose from these activities to extend your learning:

Writing Task

Imagine you are visiting the Ice City. Write a short postcard to a friend. Describe what you see and how you feel.

Difficulty:
Easy

Role Play

One student is a worker at the Ice City. The other is a reporter. Ask and answer questions about the work and the cold weather.

Difficulty:
Medium

Design Project

In a group, design your own ice structure. Draw it and explain why you chose that design.

Difficulty:
Hard