14. Read what people say about different fuels and energy sources. Which paragraph is

mainly about the following?

a public perception of energy and the energy industry

b the effects on the environment of different sources of energy

c the availability of renewable sources

d the reliability and efficiency of fossil fuels

1 Coal and lignite are the most reliable fuels. We'll depend on them more as gas and oil

disappear. There may be a few problems with emissions, but these can easily be solved.

They're also very versatile and can be used to produce electricity and heat our homes

efficiently.

2 Fossil fuels are harmful; think how they affect our atmosphere and countryside. We can't

Build our future energy planning on them. We have to think differently. The sun is a clean

energy source, and the potential for providing us with power is enormous! What's more we can

install solar cells on buildings, which will reduce the requirement for large power stations.

3 Solar power is good as far as it goes, but what do you do when the sun isn't shining? In

some countries there are often cloudy skies, and in some countries there are only four hours of

sunlight per day in winter. Wind on the other hand is always at our disposal - more than the

sun anyway. We can use this source to cover our needs.

4 The most important thing is to educate people about energy. It may be true that fossil fuels

and other sources have some drawbacks, but there are many positive aspects. We should focus

on informing people; how they see energy is important.

15. Say which of the above statements you agree with. Use phrases below.

Expressing opinions and agreement or disagreement
Giving your opinion I think/feel that… In my opinion… In my view…	Agreeing Quite right That’s true. I quite agree.	Asking for opinions What do you think? How do you see it?
Clarifying So you’re saying… You mean… What do you mean exactly by…?	Disagreeing Yes, but… Actually, I think… To be honest… I don’t quite agree.

16. Work with a partner. How do you rate these different types of power plant on a scale

from 1 (good) to 6 (very poor/bad)? Use the phrases from exercise 13.

Power plant type	Rating
	Public perception	Effects on environment	Availability of primary fuel/source	Reliability	Efficiency
Hydro power plant
Solar power plant
Nuclear power plant
Wind power plant
Gas-fired power plant
Lignite-fired power plant
Biomass-fired power plant

17. Research a national or international project which plans to develop alternative energy sources to counteract current and future problems with both energy supply and climate change. Indicate the causes of the current and future problems and a schedule for the future plans. Then present your information to the group.

Writing

18. You are an engineer at ELEC. The marketing manager has asked you to provide some technical answers for the frequently asked questions section of the company’s website. Write the answers for the website. Use your own knowledge or find the necessary information.

Translation