SSC English First Paper - Unit Eleven - Renewable energy
Unit Eleven: Renewable energy
B. Read the text and answer the following questions.
Sohan lives in a village in the south-west part of Bangladesh. Last night he could not sleep. His sister had her SSC exam next morning. She could not read either. There was load-shedding. The summer night being muggy and hot, life became hell without electricity. Most of their area remained dark for hours due to power shortage.
In May-June, temperature shoots up to 40 degree Celsius. With almost 90 percent of humidity in the atmosphere, it becomes all wet, damp and sticky. When you are busy fanning yourself all the time, how can you concentrate on studies? In the night it is impossible to sit down to study with a candle light or table lamp or hurricane lamp or a rural kerosene lamp. People simply come out of houses almost bare-bodied and sit in the open places. Some splash cold water on their faces. Fans remain unmoving, electric bulbs are off and it is dark everywhere. It is simply unbearable.
What is the reason of frequent load-shedding? Press reports say there is a shortage in electricity production. According to the Power development authorities, the demand for electricity a few years ago was more than 6,000 MW* a day while the supply remained around 4,200 MW. In the rural areas, the Rural Electrification Board (REB) could supply barely half of the total demand which was around 2,400 MW per day. In the capital city, the demand stood at around 1,400 MW while the supply amounted to 650 MW. As a result, load-shedding is unavoidable for the time being. But situation is improving very fast.
*MW is Megawatt which is a unit of power used to measure the output of a power station.
Questions
1 What happened to Sohan last night?
2 How was the summer night?
3 How is a summer day?
4 What happens during load-shedding in Sohan's area?
5 What do people use at night during load-shedding?
C. Complete columns B and C in the following table with the information from the above text in section B. Then calculate the shortage of electricity supply and write the results in column D.
D. Complete the dialogue. Base the dialogue on the nationwide demand, supply and deficit of electricity shown in the table in section C.
X : What's the nationwide demand of electricity?
Y : It's…………….Megawatt per day.
X : How much can the Power Authority supply?
Y : They can supply only…………….Megawatt per day.
X : What's the deficit/How much is the deficit?
Y : Well, it's…………….Megawatt per day.
Now complete the following dialogues using the other information in the table.
I
X : What's the rural area's demand of electricity?
Y : It's…………….…………….
X : How much can the REB…………….?
Y : They…………….…………….
X : …………….?
II
Y : Well, …………….…………….
X : What's the capital city's…………….?
Y : It's…………….…………….
X : …………….?
Y : They…………….…………….
X : …………….…………….?
Y : Well, …………….
E. Do you think load-shedding causes the same kind of problems to people both in and outside the city? Discuss with your partner and make two different lists of problems caused by the long-time load-shedding, one in the city, and the other outside the city.
F. Write a letter to an editor of a national daily about the sufferings of the people caused by load-shedding in your locality.
Learning outcomes
After we have studied this unit, we will be able to.
• describe familiar objects.
• participate in conversation, discussion.
• read intensively and extensively.
• write formal letters.
Lesson: 1 | Renewable energy sources
-1After we have studied this unit, we will be able to.
• describe familiar objects.
• participate in conversation, discussion.
• read intensively and extensively.
• write formal letters.
A. Look at the pictures. Dlaeuu with your partner what
these pictures show and when and where people use them. Then write the name of
each Item under the picture.
head
light, gas light, hurricane lamp, electric bulb, tube light, stage light,
candle light, table lamp, charger light, search light, energy saver bulb, oil
lamp
B. Read the text and answer the following questions.
Sohan lives in a village in the south-west part of Bangladesh. Last night he could not sleep. His sister had her SSC exam next morning. She could not read either. There was load-shedding. The summer night being muggy and hot, life became hell without electricity. Most of their area remained dark for hours due to power shortage.
In May-June, temperature shoots up to 40 degree Celsius. With almost 90 percent of humidity in the atmosphere, it becomes all wet, damp and sticky. When you are busy fanning yourself all the time, how can you concentrate on studies? In the night it is impossible to sit down to study with a candle light or table lamp or hurricane lamp or a rural kerosene lamp. People simply come out of houses almost bare-bodied and sit in the open places. Some splash cold water on their faces. Fans remain unmoving, electric bulbs are off and it is dark everywhere. It is simply unbearable.
What is the reason of frequent load-shedding? Press reports say there is a shortage in electricity production. According to the Power development authorities, the demand for electricity a few years ago was more than 6,000 MW* a day while the supply remained around 4,200 MW. In the rural areas, the Rural Electrification Board (REB) could supply barely half of the total demand which was around 2,400 MW per day. In the capital city, the demand stood at around 1,400 MW while the supply amounted to 650 MW. As a result, load-shedding is unavoidable for the time being. But situation is improving very fast.
*MW is Megawatt which is a unit of power used to measure the output of a power station.
Questions
1 What happened to Sohan last night?
2 How was the summer night?
3 How is a summer day?
4 What happens during load-shedding in Sohan's area?
5 What do people use at night during load-shedding?
C. Complete columns B and C in the following table with the information from the above text in section B. Then calculate the shortage of electricity supply and write the results in column D.
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
Electricity
|
Demand
|
Supply
|
Deficit
|
Nationwide
|
|||
Rural
area
|
|||
Capital
city
|
D. Complete the dialogue. Base the dialogue on the nationwide demand, supply and deficit of electricity shown in the table in section C.
X : What's the nationwide demand of electricity?
Y : It's…………….Megawatt per day.
X : How much can the Power Authority supply?
Y : They can supply only…………….Megawatt per day.
X : What's the deficit/How much is the deficit?
Y : Well, it's…………….Megawatt per day.
Now complete the following dialogues using the other information in the table.
I
X : What's the rural area's demand of electricity?
Y : It's…………….…………….
X : How much can the REB…………….?
Y : They…………….…………….
X : …………….?
II
Y : Well, …………….…………….
X : What's the capital city's…………….?
Y : It's…………….…………….
X : …………….?
Y : They…………….…………….
X : …………….…………….?
Y : Well, …………….
E. Do you think load-shedding causes the same kind of problems to people both in and outside the city? Discuss with your partner and make two different lists of problems caused by the long-time load-shedding, one in the city, and the other outside the city.
List
of problems caused by load-shedding
|
|
In the city
|
Outside the city
|
F. Write a letter to an editor of a national daily about the sufferings of the people caused by load-shedding in your locality.
Lesson: 2 | Renewable energy sources
-2
A. Pair work. Read the words in the box. Which of
the words are related to energy?
1. fuel
|
2. desert
|
3. fossil
|
4. sun
|
oil
|
forest
|
relic
|
wind
|
gas
|
valley
|
remnant
|
water
|
soil
|
waterfall
|
sign
|
coal
|
Now underline the odd word in each column that
doesn't belong to the group. Then compare with your partner. Check the meanings
of the new words in a dictionary.
B. Read the text and answer the following
questions.
In a speech at the 90* Science Congress,
internationally acknowledged scientist and former Indian president Mr APJ Abdul
Kalam mentioned a very important aspect of mankind's future energy crisis. He
pointed out that the era of wood and bio mass has almost come to an end.
The age of oil and natural gas would soon be over within
the next few decades. Massive burning of world's coal reserves may lead to a
worldwide ecological disaster because coal burning emits the highest amount of
carbon in the atmosphere Ukraine's (former Soviet Union) Chernobyl disaster in
1986 has exposed that nuclear energy can be potentially dangerous too. So
according to Kalam, the only solution feat mankind can look to is the massive
use of solar energy in future because it has some advantages over other forms
of renewable energies.
Now, why has Kalam put so much importance to the
issue of energy? The energy sources have always been a major factor of change
throughout history. The world's petroleum consumption has increased from 3
billion barrels annually in 1930 to 50 billion barrels annually today. In the
next quarter century, the world's population is expected to be about 8 billion
which is 30 percent higher than today. Developing countries will grow their
economies about two times faster than industrialised countries. Global economic
growth is expected to continue at 3 percent per year.
Consequently, the global demand for energy will
grow at about 1.7 percent per year on an average. It indicates a 50-percent
rise of energy consumption by 2030. If fee world's daily petroleum consumption
is 220 million barrels now, it will rise to 335 million barrels by that time.
The presort reserve of hydro carbon energy resources is limited and it will not
be sufficient to meet the future energy challenges of fee world. And hence,
leading industrial countries have taken initiatives to tap alternative energy
sources mainly known as green or renewable energy sources. The bottom line of
Kalam's speech indicates the concern of mankind in the 21st century.
Questions
1 What is the scientist Kalam concerned about?
2 Why do you think the massive burning of coal may
lead to an ecological disaster?
3 What do you mean by the potential danger of
nuclear energy?
4 What according to Mr Kalam is the solution of
future energy crisis?
5 Why does Mr Kalam put so much importance on the
issue of energy?
6 Why does Mr Kalam put much importance on solar
energy?
C. Make sentences using the substitution
table.
Chernobyl
disaster
|
the
use of renewable energy
|
||
The
energy industries
The
global petroleum consumption
|
have has
|
taken been
emphasized
increased
|
sources.
the potential danger of nuclear energy.
a
major factor for change
|
Major
industrial economies
|
exposed
|
throughout
history.
to
three billion barrels per year.
initiatives
to tap alternative
|
|
Scientists
|
energy
sources.
|
D. Complete the following passage with words from
the box. There are more words than necessary.
suggested radiates would effective conducted either
energy affected crisis tap were
To answer the energy......... in the world, scientist,
professor, and former Indian president Mr APJ Abdul Kalam has......... that
solar energy can be harnessed by establishing space stations in outer space in
order to......... solar power round the clock. Mr Kalam said that the
sun......... about 10 trillion times the energy which humans consume across the
world today. If we......... able to extract even a small portion of this energy
from the sun, it......... be sufficient to secure the energy demands of our
future. Pointing out that space based solar power plants do not get......... by
weather, the scientist said that it would thus be far more.........
in efficiency and power generation than the surface based systems. Professor
Kalam suggested that the energy should be transmitted from space back to
earth......... through microwave or any other technology like laser.
Careful research of the impact and safety concerns would have to be......... in
this regard.
E. 'Massive burning of world's coal reserves may
lead to a worldwide ecological disaster ...'-— Do you support this view? Explain
why/why not.
F. In Sohan's village, some people headed by Mr
Asadul Islam came from an organisation to hold a meeting at the local Union
Parishad (UP) Office. Their objective was to introduce alternative power supply
systems in rural households. Read the dialogue between the UP Chairman and Mr
Islam.
Chairman : What's your alternative power
supply system?
Mr Islam : Well, it's solar power and we are going
to use solar power units in rural areas.
Chairman : What is it? Is it something new?
Mr Islam : Not exactly. It's already familiar in
many parts of the world. We've introduced it in our country too. But yes, in
this locality it's something new.
Chairman : I see. Why do you call it
'alternative power supply system'?
Mr Islam : Because solar power is a
substitute for conventional electricity. It's actually a renewable energy
source. Our solar units can be installed on open roof tops or at any open place
where sunlight is available.
Chairman : Sounds good. How much
electricity can they give? Can they run my irrigation pump?
Mr Islam : I'm afraid Mr Chairman, they can't. Our
solar panels are small and are designed for domestic purposes only. They can
produce enough electricity to run say, two or three tube lights, two fans, a TV
set and the like. But larger units can run...
Chairman : Sorry to interrupt Mr Asad. I've to go
to the bus stand now to receive a sick friend. Anyway, several villages in our
Union are still without electricity. I hope people will welcome your
'alternative power supply system'.
Mr Islam : Thank you, Mr Chairman. Goodbye.
Chairman : Goodbye, Mr Islam. See you again.
G. True or false? If false, write the correct
answer.
1 Alternative power supply system is a completely
new system in our country.
2 A renewable energy source can be a substitute for
conventional electricity.
3 Solar power units of Mr Islam are for commercial
use only.
H. What questions would you like to ask Mr Islam
about solar panel, solar unit, energy sources, 'alternative power supply
system', its capacity, its advantages and disadvantages, etc? Make a list of
your probable questions.
I. Role play. Work in pairs.
You take the role of the Chairman and your partner the role of Mr Islam.
Rewrite the dialogue and act it out.
Lesson: 3 | Renewable energy sources
-3
A. Look at the following pictures and discuss with your
partner what you see in them. How are the two pictures related to each other?
B. Read the text and answer the following
questions.
Countries of the world rely heavily on petroleum,
coal and natural gas for their energy sources. There are two major types of
energy sources: renewable and non-renewable. Hydro-carbon or fossil fuels are
non-renewable sources of energy. Reliance on them poses real big problems.
First, fossil fuels such as oil, coal, gas etc, are finite energy resources and
the world eventually will run out of them. Secondly, they will become too
expensive in the coming decades and too damaging for the environment. Thirdly,
fossil fuels have direct polluting impacts on earth's environment causing
global wanning. In contrast, renewable energy sources such as, wind and solar
energy are constantly and naturally replenished and never run out.
Most renewable energy comes either directly or
indirectly from the sun. Sunlight or solar energy can be used for heating and
lighting homes, for generating electricity and for other commercial and
industrial uses.
The sun's heat drives the wind and this wind energy
can be captured with wind turbines to produce electricity. Then the wind and
the sun's heat cause water to evaporate. When the water vapour turns into rain
or snow and flows downhill into rivers or streams, its energy can be captured
as hydroelectric energy.
Along with the rain and snow, sunlight causes
plants to grow. Plants produce biomass which again can be turned into fuels
such as fire wood, alcohol, etc identified as bioenergy.
Scientists have identified Hydrogen as another form
of renewable energy source. It is the most abundant element in nature. But it
does not exist separately as a gas. It is always combined with other elements,
such as with oxygen to make water. Hydrogen, separated from another element,
can be burned as a fuel to produce electricity.
Our Earth's interior contains molten lava which
gives off extreme heat. This heat inside the Earth produces steam and hot water
which can be tapped as geothermal energy to produce electricity for heating
homes, etc.
Ocean energy comes from several sources. Ocean's
force of tide and wave can be used to produce energy. The surface of the ocean
gets more heat from the sun than the ocean depths. This temperature difference
can be used as energy source too. (Source: the Internet)
Questions
1 What do you mean by renewable energy sources?
2 What are the problems with non-renewable energy sources?
3 What are the major differences between renewable
and non-renewable energy sources?
C. Which of the renewable energy sources mentioned
in the text have you heard of before? One of those resources is used in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to produce electricity. Can you say what it is?
Browse the net in groups to find out the answers to the following issues and
present them to the class.
1 What is the name of the project?
2 Where in the CHT is the project located?
3 When did it start operation?
4 How much electricity is being produced from here
for the national grid?
5 How many units are working there?
6 What is the positive impact of the project on our
national development?
D. Read the dialogue between Raju, a student of
class ten and his uncle, Mr Barua who works at Sangu Gas Field and answer the
following questions.
Mr Barua : What are you reading, Raju?
Raju : English, Uncle. A chapter on renewable
energy sources.
Mr Barua : I see. Do you know renewable energy is
also called green energy?
Raju : Green energy?... No Uncle, I don't know.
Nothing is there about green energy in the text either.
Mr Barua : Are you sure? Anyway, renewable energy
sources provide us with energy which doesn't harm environment during its
production or consumption. Say, solar energy. You see, there's no burning, no
smoke, no emission of gases. It's a sort of clean technology and clean energy
source.
Raju : Oh exactly. That's what our teacher said, I
remember.
Mr Barua : On the other hand, burning fossil fuels,
say oil or coal, emits greenhouse gases that harm the environment.
Raju : O... I see. Yes,I've got the clue, Uncle.
Thanks a lot. I now understand the relation between the two pictures in section
A. Green energy sources make a green globe. Excellent!
Questions
1 Why is renewable energy called green energy?
2 'Nothing is there about green energy in the text
either'. — Do you think this statement of Raju is correct? Explain why yes/no.
3 I now understand the relation between the two
pictures in section A'. What does Raju mean here? What does he really
understand? Do you agree with Raju's view here? Why?
E. Read the dialogue and act it out in pairs.
A : What's solar energy?
B : It's one of the renewable energy sources.
A : Why is it called green energy?
B : Well, it's green energy because it helps us
keep the Earth green. I mean it doesn't emit any pollutants in the atmosphere
when we produce and use it.
A : I see. Then it must be a clean source of
energy.
B : Exactly. And that's why it's also called clean
energy.
Now complete the following dialogue taking cues
from the above model.
A : What's wind energy?
B : It's one of the……………
A : Why's it called……………?
B : Well, it's green energy because…………… the Earth
green. I mean it doesn't…………… when we produce and use it.
A : I see. Then it…………… source of energy.
B : Exactly. And that's why…………… clean energy.
F. Now write dialogues on hydroelectricity, ocean
energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen energy, using the model in E above.
G. Both South and North Dhaka City Corporation are
installing solar panels in place of conventional electricity connections to
illuminate roads in many areas. Write a letter to the editor of a daily
newspaper appreciating this initiative and saying why this should be followed
by other city authorities too.
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