New energy mix for Slovakia

URL: http://www.newsflashenglish.com/170507energy1.html

Ideas and Articles by David Robinson

17^th May 2007

THE ARTICLE

New energy mix for Slovakia

The demand for all types of energy is forever increasing. In Slovakia, the priority is for the completion of the third and fourth nuclear reactors at the Mochovce nuclear power plant (Nitra region). “This will benefit not only Slovak electricity producer Slovenské Elektrárne but also the whole of Slovakia,” said SE general director Paolo Ruzzini at a press conference held on 10^th May. The occasion was to mark 50 years of nuclear energy in Slovakia The Slovak Spectator reported. Work on the reactors will create around 3,500 new jobs. SE currently employs 3,200 people. Italian energy company Enel owns a 66% stake in SE. It is committed to investing 110 billion Slovak crowns in Slovakia, with most of the money going towards the completion of the Mochovce plant. Ruzzini nevertheless wants to maintain an ‘energy mix’. He added, “SE will support other energy sources.” In 2006, SE produced 57% of its energy from nuclear sources, while fossil-fuel and hydro-electric power plants each produced 21%.

Michael Piško from the Sme daily said, “The Slovak government wants to increase the amount of energy coming from renewable resources - mainly through new hydro-electric power plants.” Meanwhile many foreign investors see potential in wind power in Slovakia and want to invest there. Patrick Križanský from the Slovak Wind Power Association says, “Wind power could provide over 3% of Slovakia’s energy needs by 2013.” He warns, “It will always be a supplemental form of energy and cannot replace the more traditional methods of power generation.” Slovakia currently has three wind farms in the Trnava, Trenčín and Žilina regions. The Environment Ministry is considering a further 25 wind power projects, in mainly west Slovakia. Nearby Austria practically encourages wind power - having hundreds of wind turbines near its eastern border.

START

1. ENERGY: What type of energy is created and used in your country? Go round the room swapping stories. Change partners often.

2. DICTATION: The teacher will read some of the article slowly and clearly. Students will write down what they hear. The teacher will repeat the passage slowly again. Self correct your work. Compare your work with your partner(s) and try to recreate the full text. Listen again to check, fill in spaces or correct mistakes. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of your total no of errors. Less than 5 is very good. 10 are acceptable. Any more is room for improvement! More than 20 - we need to do some work!

3. READING: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every paragraph.

4. VOCABULARY: Students look through the article. Underline/highlight any vocabulary you don’t know. Look in dictionaries. Discuss and help each other out. The teacher will go through and explain any words or phrases you are stuck with!

5. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting (circle) and which are most boring (underline).

Energy / nuclear power plant / hydro-electric power / wind power / renewable resources / power generation / power plants / energy companies / jobs / foreign investors

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently. Put them into different categories.

6. ENERGY: Change partners! With your new partner think of six types of energy. List them below and discuss. Then re-list them as to whether they are pollution friendly (1) or not (6). Compare your results.

1 4 2 5 3 6

With your partner discuss the following: Student A questions a) Which is the dirtiest form of energy and why? b) Which is the most dangerous and why? c) Which is the newest form of energy? d) Which do you think is the most expensive to produce? Student B questions a) Do you think governments should do more to promote wind power? b) Is the nuclear energy the way forward? c) Should Slovakia build more nuclear power reactors? d) Your question

7. NUCLEAR ENERGY: With your partner list think of 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of nuclear power. Discuss. Are you for nuclear power or not?

1 3 2 4 3 6

8. WIND POWER: With your partner list think of 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of wind power. Discuss. Are you in favour of wind power?

1 3 2 4 3 6

9. QUICK DEBATE: Students A believe in today’s world wind, solar and hydro-electric power is better to use than nuclear energy. Students B believe nuclear energy is the best solution for creating energy in today’s world. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.

10. ENERGY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with energy. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

11. THREE SENTENCES: Choose six/nine of these words. Write three sentences using two/three words in each. Try to associate them with energy. Discuss with your partner. Spend five minutes on this exercise.

12. SENTENCE STARTERS: With your partner(s), finish these sentence starters. Change partner(s) and talk about the sentences you made.

a) The demand ___________________________________________________

b) Nuclear reactors ________________________________________________

c) Wind power ___________________________________________________

d) Hydro-Electric Power _____________________________________________

e) Wind farms ____________________________________________________

f) Wind turbines __________________________________________________

g) Energy _______________________________________________________

h) Electricity is ___________________________________________________

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: After reading the article guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	The demand for all types of energy is increasing	T / F
b.	In Slovakia the priority is to close their nuclear reactors	T / F
c.	The news conference was to mark 60 years of nuclear power	T / F
d.	Slovenská Elekrárne employs 3,400 people	T / F
e.	German energy company Enel owns a 66% stake in SE	T / F
f.	Foreign investors see potential in wind power	T / F
g.	Slovakia currently has five wind farms	T / F
h.	Nearby Hungary has hundreds of wind turbines	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	Always	Extra
b.	Completion	Now
c.	Maintain	Close
d.	Currently	Finish
e.	Project	However
f.	Near	Usually
g.	Supplemental	Look after
h.	Mainly	Possible
i.	Potential	Piece of work
j.	nevertheless	Every time

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	The demand	see potential in wind power
b.	In Slovakia,	110 billion Slovak crowns
c.	The occasion was	the priority is for the completion…
d.	Work on the reactor	provide over 3% of Slovakia’s energy…
e.	It is committed to investing	a supplemental form of energy
f.	Ruzzini nevertheless wants	to maintain an ‘energy mix’…
g.	…many foreign investors	to mark 50 years of nuclear energy
h.	Wind power could	practically encourages wind power…
i.	It will always be	will create around 3.500 new jobs.
j.	Nearby Austria	for all types of energy…

GAP FILL: READING

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

New energy mix for Slovakia The demand for all types of ______ is forever increasing. In Slovakia, the priority is for the completion of the third and fourth _______ reactors at the Mochovce nuclear power plant (Nitra region). “This will benefit not only Slovak ___________ producer Slovenské Elektrárne but also the whole of Slovakia,” said SE general director Paolo Ruzzini at a press conference held on 10^th May. The ________ was to mark 50 years of nuclear energy in Slovakia The Slovak Spectator reported. Work on the ________ will create around 3,500 new jobs. SE currently employs 3,200 people. Italian energy company Enel owns a 66% stake in SE. It is committed to investing 110 billion Slovak crowns in Slovakia, with most of the money going towards the completion of the Mochovce _____. Ruzzini nevertheless wants to maintain an ‘energy mix’. He added, “SE will support other energy sources.” In 2006, SE produced 57% of its energy from nuclear sources, while ___________ and hydro-electric _____ plants each produced 21%.

nuclear occasion plant reactors electricity fossil-fuel power energy

Michael Piško from the Sme daily said, “The Slovak government wants to increase the amount of energy coming from _________ resources - mainly through new _____-_______ power plants.” Meanwhile many foreign investors see potential in wind power in Slovakia and want to invest there. Patrick Križanský from the Slovak Wind Power Association says, “Wind power could provide over 3% of Slovakia’s energy needs by 2013.” He warns, “It will always be a ____________ form of energy and cannot replace the more traditional methods of power __________.” Slovakia currently has three ____ _____ in the Trnava, Trenčín and Žilina regions. The Environment Ministry is considering a further 25 wind power projects, in mainly west Slovakia. Nearby Austria practically encourages wind power - having hundreds of ____ ________ near its eastern border.

Hydro electric wind farms supplemental wind turbines renewable generation

GAP FILL: LISTENING:

Listen and fill in the spaces.

New energy mix for Slovakia

The demand for ___________________ is forever increasing. In Slovakia, the ___________________ completion of the third and fourth nuclear reactors at the Mochovce nuclear power plant (Nitra region). “This will benefit not only Slovak electricity producer Slovenské Elektrárne __________________ of Slovakia,” said SE general director Paolo Ruzzini at a press conference held on 10^th May. The occasion ____________________ of nuclear energy in Slovakia The Slovak Spectator reported. Work on the reactors will create around 3,500 new jobs. SE currently employs 3,200 people. Italian energy company Enel owns a 66% stake in SE. It is committed to investing 110 billion Slovak crowns in Slovakia, with _________________ going towards the completion of the Mochovce plant. Ruzzini nevertheless wants to maintain an ‘energy mix’. He added, “SE will support other energy sources.” In 2006, SE produced _________________ from nuclear sources, while fossil-fuel and hydro-electric power ____________________ 21%.

Michael Piško from the Sme daily said, “The Slovak government wants to increase the amount of energy coming from renewable resources - mainly through new ____________________ plants.” Meanwhile many foreign investors see potential ________________ Slovakia and want to invest there. Patrick Križanský from the Slovak Wind Power Association says, “Wind power could provide over 3% of Slovakia’s energy needs by 2013.” He warns, “___________________ supplemental form of energy and cannot replace the more traditional methods of power generation.” Slovakia currently ____________________ in the Trnava, Trenčín and Žilina regions. The Environment Ministry is considering a further 25 wind power projects, in mainly west Slovakia. Nearby Austria practically encourages wind power - having hundreds of wind ____________________ border.

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a) Did the headline make you want to read the article?

b) Did anything in the article surprise you?

c) What type of energy is best?

d) What is the most dangerous?

e) Is energy an important issue today?

f) What business opportunities does wind power offer?

g) Do you think an energy mix is a good idea?

h) What energy sources would you like to see developed?

i) Should wind power be expanded?

j) Why is Slovakia so slow in developing wind power?

$---------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a) Did you like reading this article?

b) What do you think about what you read?

c) Should Slovakia close its nuclear reactors?

d) Should Slovakia be self sufficient in energy?

e) Should H.E.P. be developed further?

f) What business opportunities does nuclear power offer?

g) Would you live near a wind farm? Explain

h) Would you live near a nuclear reactor? Explain

i) Should more fossil fuels be used to create energy?

j) Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

PRESS: ROLE PLAY: ENERGY/ELECTRICITY/POWER:

With your partner or in groups of three / four discuss the following types of energy/power:

	Findings
Gas / Oil
Electricity from fossil fuel
Electricity from wind
Electricity from H.E.P.
Electricity from nuclear power
Solar power
Your choice of creating electricity/energy

The teacher will select some students to discuss their situations in front of the class.

LANGUAGE: CORRECT WORD: Choose the correct words from a–d below and write them in the article.

The (1) ____ for all types of energy is forever (2) ____. In Slovakia, the priority is for the (3) ____ of the third and fourth nuclear (4) ____ at the Mochovce nuclear power plant (Nitra region). “This will benefit not only Slovak (5) ____ producer Slovenské Elektrárne but also the whole of Slovakia,” said SE general director Paolo Ruzzini at a press (6) ____ held on 10^th May. The occasion was to mark 50 years of nuclear energy in Slovakia The Slovak Spectator reported. Work on the reactors will (7) ____ around 3,500 new jobs. SE currently employs 3,200 people. Italian energy company Enel owns a 66% stake in SE. It is committed to investing 110 billion Slovak crowns in Slovakia, with most of the money going towards the completion of the Mochovce plant. Ruzzini nevertheless wants to maintain an ‘energy mix’. He added, “SE will support other energy sources.” In 2006, SE produced 57% of its energy from nuclear sources, while fossil-fuel and hydro-electric power (8) ____ each produced 21%.

Michael Piško from the Sme daily said, “The Slovak government wants to increase the amount of energy coming from renewable resources - mainly (9) ____ new hydro-electric power plants.” Meanwhile (10) ____ foreign investors see potential in wind power in Slovakia and want to invest there. Patrick Križanský from the Slovak Wind Power Association says, “Wind power could provide over 3% of Slovakia’s energy needs by 2013.” He warns, “It will always be a supplemental form of energy and cannot replace the more traditional methods of power generation.” Slovakia currently has three wind farms in the Trnava, Trenčín and Žilina regions. The Environment Ministry is considering a further 25 wind power projects, in mainly west Slovakia. Nearby Austria practically (11) ____ wind power - having hundreds of wind turbines near its (12) ____ border.

1.	(a)	supply	(b)	supplying	(c)	demanding	(d)	demand
2.	(a)	decreasing	(b)	increased	(c)	increasing	(d)	decreased
3.	(a)	competition	(b)	completion	(c)	completed	(d)	complete
4.	(a)	actors	(b)	react	(c)	reactors	(d)	bunkers
5.	(a)	gas	(b)	oil	(c)	water	(d)	electricity
6.	(a)	conference	(b)	tea break	(c)	gathering	(d)	outing
7.	(a)	create	(b)	created	(c)	creating	(d)	lose
8.	(a)	plants	(b)	dams	(c)	shrubs	(d)	flowers
9.	(a)	though	(b)	thoroughly	(c)	thought	(d)	through
10.	(a)	any	(b)	many	(c)	a lot of	(d)	few
11.	(a)	encouraged	(b)	encourages	(c)	discourages	(d)	promotes
12.	(a)	western	(b)	northern