ENGLISH LANGUAGE 3 Vocabulary Revision

1 Match the energy sources with the corresponding explanations. Biomass recently-formed material derived from living things, e.g. chicken droppings Hydroelectric generated when river water is trapped behind a dam and used to turn turbines Wave and tidal harnesses the power of small movements on the surface of the sea Geothermal uses heat within the Earth to generate electricity Solar the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity Wind converts air movements into electricity Fossil fuels non-renewable resources like petroleum, coal, and natural gas used for electricity generation Nuclear uses low-enriched uranium fuel to produce electricity through a process called fission 2 Sort out advantages and disadvantages of coal mining based on the extraction of coal at Druridge Bay, the UK. Advantages It will create more than 150 jobs up to and beyond 2032. It could become a visitor attraction when restored. Coal from Druridge Bay could be used in UK power stations (keeps money within the country and reduces the pollution). Disadvantages Fine particles caused by opencast mining affect air quality (health problems with the eyes, nose and throat, breathing difficulties) Noise from blasting and vibration could occur, even outside of normal working hours (may lead to hearing loss and sleep disturbance) Congestion on local roads is likely to increase (vehicles such as lorries will regularly use the site). Producing energy from coal increases the UK’s carbon emissions, which are linked to global warming. 3 Complete the gaps with the most suitable word given below. Pay attention to the proper form of these words footprint, commission, commodity, energy efficient, energy-saving measure, national grid, planning permission, reprocessing facility, retrofit, state-of-the-art equipment, vitrification, waste 1 Any surplus energy generated is sold to a national grid, which helps to reduce costs at the site.2 All our power plants are fitted with state-of-the-art equipment.3 New homes built in the UK have lots of energy-saving measures, like loft and wall insulation, radiator thermostats and smart energy meters that monitor energy use.4 Businesses and organisations like to be energy efficient because it saves money.5 Carbon footprint includes direct emissions, such as those that result from fossil-fuel combustion in manufacturing, heating, and transportation, as well as emissions required to produce the electricity associated with goods and services consumed.6 Waste is classified by source and composition.7 This power plant was commissioned in 1989 and it has been retrofitted several times since then.8 If you want to build something new or make a major change to your building, you’ll probably need planning permission.9 Vitrification is the transformation of a substance into glass.10 One big commodity that Canada exports is oil.11 The freighter (= a large ship or aircraft for carrying goods) was loaded with nuclear waste bound for reprocessing facilities in Europe. 4 Based upon the explanations given in brackets, insert suitable words used in the English Language 3 classes. Pay attention to the proper form of these words. 1 The first hydroelectric power station (= a plant in which electricity is produced) was installed in Cragside, the UK.2 The biggest culprit (= a fact or situation that is the reason for something bad happening) behind climate change may surprise you.3 With energy consumption rising, many public utilities (= a supplier of gas and electricity to customers) are struggling to meet peak-time demand.4 The fuels used for district heating (= a system of distributing heat from one centralised location, often linked to a power plant) in Croatia are natural gas, oil and petroleum products (light heating oil and fuel oil), renewables and heat pumps which are used both in cogeneration plants and local boiler plants.5 Emissions trading (= a system of buying and selling credits or allowances regarding CO2 quotas in order to reduce the overall amount of pollution) was introduced in the US in 1990 to combat acid rain, but more recently it has grown in prominence as a way of tackling greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change.6 The parent holds a controlling interest in the subsidiary (= a company that is owned by a larger company) company, meaning it has or controls more than half of its stock.7 A report from the official energy watchdog (= an organisation working in the interests of customers which monitors the activities of energy companies, particularly regarding price) Ofgem revealed that while electricity costs had dropped by 25% in three years, consumer bills had not fallen.8 Pylons (= a transmission tower) funnel electricity lines between power stations and the places where people live.9 House prices have soared (= to rise very quickly to a high level) a further 20 percent.10 The trade agreement is being reviewed by each of the signatories (= a person, organisation, or country that has signed an agreement) for approval. 5 Finish the following definitions Pay attention to the number of blank spaces. 1 A regulator in the energy sector is an authority that monitors, and if necessary, sanctions energy companies.2 Waste disposal refers to the transporting, processing and recycling of unwanted substances.3 Supply is the provision of gas or electricity to the final customer.4 A transformer is a piece of equipment which changes voltage levels of electricity.5 An industrial customer is a company that buys and uses electricity or gas for manufacturing.6 Renewable energy sources are primary energy sources such as wind, sun and water.7 A residential customer is a consumer who procures gas or electricity for home use. Another word used in this context is retail.8 Transmission is the transport of electricity over long distances at high voltage.9 Base load refers to the minimum amount of electricity delivered and required over a specific period.10 A pellet is a small, hard, ball-shaped or tube-shaped piece of any substance (wood X).11 Business customers are companies that buy and use electricity or gas to sell services to their clients (e.g. educational institutions, shops, offices, etc.).12 The rock or mineral that holds the metal is called an ore.13 A treaty is a contract, an agreement or a protocol between two or more countries, formally approved and signed by their leaders.14 To cap means to put an upper limit on the amount of money that can be spent or charged in connection with a particular activity; to prevent from growing or spreading (e.g. to X oil prices).15 Spent fuel is uranium that has been used up in a commercial nuclear reactor. 6 Finish the following definitions The first letters might help you recall the required word(s). 1 C ooling t ower is a large circular structure at a power plant through which water is circulated to reduce its temperature.2 G lobal w arming is a gradual increase in world temperatures caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are collecting in the air around the earth and stopping heat escaping into space.3 F orce m ajeure is an unexpected event such as a war, crime, an earthquake, bad weather conditions or a strike, which prevents someone from doing something that is written in a legal agreement. = viša sila (Note: check up the pronunciation in any dictionary)4 I nterim s torage is a temporary solution that plays a central role in the management of the most highly radioactive materials: spent reactor fuel and, in France, vitrified waste resulting from reprocessing such fuel.5 The g reenhouse e ffect is the process by which radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s surface to a temperature above what it would be without its atmosphere.6 N uclear f usion is the process of joining two nuclei to produce energy.7 D eforestation is the cutting down of trees in a large area, or the destruction of forests by people.8 To h arness means to control something, usually in order to use its power.9 C arbon c apture involves trapping the carbon dioxide at its emission source, transporting it to a storage location (usually deep underground) and isolating it. This means we could potentially grab excess CO2 right from the power plant, creating greener energy.10 A s ubsidy is money given as part of the cost of something, to help or encourage it to happen.