1. Work in pairs and take it in turns to ask and answer these questions

• What are the advantages of nuclear energy?

• Why are nuclear power plants considered among the safest and most secure facilities in the world?

• What additional safeguards protect nuclear power plants from extraordinary events?

• How will the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan affect the nuclear industry?

• How long can nuclear power plants operate?

• What is the white cloud seen coming from some nuclear plants?

• Why are new nuclear power plants necessary? Can't we just use wind or solar power?

2. Using the scheme describe how the reactor works

Write a report with the detailed description and a scheme of one of the following reactors and how they work

• Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

• Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR or CANDU)

• Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR)

• Light water graphite-moderated reactor (RBMK)

PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

2. Match the words with their definitions:

1)atomic number		a)a measure of a physical quantity per unit of length, area, or volume
2) valence (n.)		b)to go or cause to go into solution
3) density (n.)		c)to become or cause to become liquid
4) half-life (n.)		d)(in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods as a result of a defect in the cooling system, with the possible escape of radiation into the environment
5) dissolve (v.)		e)an action taken to avoid a dangerous or undesirable event
6) fissile (adj.)		f)a disaster or misfortune, esp one causing extreme havoc, distress, or misery
7) liquefy (v.)		g)the time taken for half of the atoms in a radioactive material to undergo decay
8) calamity (n.)		h)the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of an element
9) meltdown (n.)		i)the phenomenon of forming chemical bonds
precaution (n.)		capable of undergoing nuclear fission as a result of the impact of slow neutrons

1. You will listen to a math and science teacher how nuclear energy is used nowadays.

2. Before you watch and listen, can you briefly describe the process of how nuclear energy works? Are the byproducts harmful? Is it expensive to produce nuclear energy?

3. Now watch and listen and discover from this video how many advantages of nuclear energy were mentioned by the lecturer?

4. Listen to the lecturer again and find answers to the following questions

1. Is nuclear energy expensive to produce?

2. What is the main use of nuclear energy?

3. Why is nuclear energy a good alternative to other sources of energy?

4. Is it expensive to maintain nuclear bombs? Why?

5. What is another military use of nuclear energy except bombs?

6. What is one of the beneficial uses of nuclear reactor material?

2. You are going to read an article about advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. Discuss with your partner the following questions.

• Can you describe the processing at nuclear power plant?

• What are possible risks of nuclear reactor accidents?