UNIT 2: ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES

Giant Geyser (1881-1889)

UNIT 2: ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES

A) WARMING UP:
1)

What do we refer to when we speak of alternative energies? Give

examples.

2) Discuss the pros and cons of using alternative energies giving sensible
arguments.
3) Do you think more alternative energies will be discovered in the near
future?

B) ORAL DISCOURSE: DEFENDING A POINT OF VIEW AND COMPARING ITS

PROS AND CONS
CAN DOs: 1) Understand a large part of a TV interview
2) Follow TV news reports (on the topic of alternative energies)
3) Discuss the pros and cons of alternative energies and defend
your position regarding this topic.

a) Listen to the following extract from a TV show:

CONVERSATION: RENEWABLE ENERGIES

TV host: Hello and welcome to the ALT-ENER series. My name is Frank Shelley.
Think of me as your friendly renewable-energy advocate. Ill be your host for this
show about renewable or alternative energy technologies and opportunities. In this
overview of renewable energy options well look at the strategic role energy
efficiency plays in any approach to alternative sources and will examine some of
the available technologies. In order to make our explanations more
comprehensible, we have invited Michael Williams, Professor of Naval
Architecture and Marine Engineering at Michigan University. Good Morning
Professor, and thanks for being with us today.
Prof. Williams: Good morning Frank. Its MY pleasure.

F: Lets start from the very basic concepts, Professor: What is energy? What is
renewable energy? Where does energy come from?
Prof. W: Well, basically, energy is the capacity to do work. This capacity has been
obtained for a long time from fossil fuels, but fossil fuels are not renewable, so we
now need to obtain energy from inexhaustible sources like, for instance, the Sun,
which is the basis of all life and energy in our planetary system.
F: Yes, this seems obvious and much more reasonable, not only because solar
energy is inexhaustible, but also because of its economic and environmental
benefits. Uhmmm.What would be other types of renewable energy, Professor?
Prof. W: Well, nowadays we can speak of renewable energies coming from, for
instance, geothermal systems, wind electric systems or micro hydro-electric
systems
F: Let us focus on wind electric systems. To make it simpler for the audience to
understand, are you speaking here about windmills?
Prof. W: Yes, exactly. Windmills are now part of the landscape of many modern
countries. You will see entire windmill farms all over Europe, generating power for
human consumption and small industries.
F: Sure enough, Professor. Coincidentally, I have just returned from a trip around
Europe, and when travelling in Spain, I could see that the famous Don Quixote
windmills had been completely replaced by hundreds of super-modern giant mills,
all very well arranged in neat rows along the vast fields of La Mancha. A beautiful
landscape indeed!
Prof. W: In effect, the water mills and windmills of our grandparents, which
produced mechanical energy from renewable sources, have turned into modern
versions that transform wind into electricity, and give the landscape a new
aesthetic dimension
F: I see so renewable energies constitute not only a healthy, safe and economic
alternative, but also a new way of looking at life, even from the aesthetic point of
view
Prof. W: Absolutely. When you see the modern windmills and solar farms in a
country like Spain, for instance, you cant help but thinking that the modern
Spaniards must necessarily have developed a renewed approach to life
renewable energies force you to renew your neurons and even to change your
perception of landscape, of what the countryside or the ocean should look like
F: Thank you for your insightful comments, Prof. Williams. And speaking about the
ocean, well now turn to the process of obtaining renewable energy from deep

ocean waters. Pay attention to the following video about a geothermal system
near the coast of South East Puerto Rico (MUSIC)

b) Now discuss the following with your tutor or classmates in the

forum/virtual class:
1. Why cant we continue using fossil fuel for energy?
2. What are the advantages of solar energy that Professor Williams
mentions? Can you think of any others?
3. What are some of the advantages that Professor Williams mentions with
respect to renewable energies?
4. He also mentions how renewable energies affect landscape from an
aesthetic point of view. Does he think this is something positive or not?
Would you agree with him?
5. Explain what Ill be your host for this show and Thanks for your
insightful comments mean.

C) MULTI-TASKING ACTIVITIES
NEW ENERGIES: WATCH, COMPARE, READ, DISCUSS, LISTEN, STUDY, and
WRITE
Step 1. Log into website a) below, where you will find different and various videonews related to alternative energies. WATCH one or some of them and then log
into website b) (Nuclear Energy Institute website) and, after reading the
information in it, COMPARE both approaches to energy What are the advantages
and disadvantages of each approach? DISCUSS this with your Tutor and
classmates and then WRITE a summary of your conclusions on this comparison.

a) http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/
b) http://www.nei.org/

SUMMARY AND COMPARISON OF OPINIONS:

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Step 2. READ the following text and LISTEN to its spoken version to make sure
you know how to pronounce and give the correct intonation to it.

WATER TO BURN
Beneath our feet lies a surprising substitute for fossil fuels: water. A multilayered
resource that comes at different temperatures, depending on its depth in the
ground, water is easily accessible almost everywhere. Yet the energy it
contains in the form of heat has barely been exploited. This is true even
though the heat in the water can be extracted and put to use by reliable
technology that is already available giving just about every house owner a
potential source of economical energy right in the backyard.
Ordinary groundwater the water that permeates the earth close to
the surface is the most likely source of household heat. Geothermal
water hotter water found at greater depthscan be used to heat bigger
structures such as apartment houses, stores, and factories, and in certain
industrial processes. Geothermal water has long been exploited in the
West, but recent discoveries have been made in many other parts of the
country; 41 states, all but those in the north-central U.S., are known to have
geothermal deposits. And where geothermal energy isnt to be found (or
even where it is), water can be pumped 10,000 feet or more into the earth to
be heated by hot rocks to temperatures sufficient to drive the turbines of an
electricity-generating plant.
Costs of the well-tried technology needed to exploit heat from
groundwater and from geothermal sources are known and so far no
one has formed an Organization of Water Producing Countries. The hotrock system has been proved only experimentally, and the engineering

and the economics are still being worked out. But the outlook is promising.
For the householder, groundwater is the heat source to look to. The earth is
a huge solar-energy collector and insulator that keeps groundwater at a
constant temperature the year round. Wells as shallow as 50 feet will
produce groundwater with temperatures of 77 F in Florida and about 40
F at the Canadian border.
Fortune.

Step 3. DO the following exercises and STUDY the grammar

explanations when necessary
1) Choose the correct answer from the ones given below:
1. The water temperature depends mainly on
a) the kind of soil in which it is found.
b) the influence of nearby mountains.
c) how deep in the soil it is located.
2. The most common source of household heat will be
a) groundwater.
b) deep water.
c) surface water.
3. Geothermal water is specially appropriate for
a) small private houses.
b) big buildings.
c) heated swimming pools.
4. In the U.S., geothermal deposits can be found
a) nearly everywhere.
b) in the North-central area.
c) in the West.
5. Inside the earth, water is heated by
a) turbines.
b) hot rocks.
c) coal.
6. This source of energy can be used
a) only during the summer months.
b) the whole year round.
c) any time except winter.

7. Private houses will use

a) geothermal water.
b) mineral water.
c) both a) and b).
8 . The water temperature varies according to
a) the geographic location.
b) the depth.
c) both a) and b).

2) Re-order the following elements to make meaningful sentences:

a) system / has / rock / been / the / proved / hot / experimentally / only.
b) easily / everywhere / is / almost / water / accessible.
c) worked / economics / and / the / engineering / are / out / being / still / the.
d) formed / producing / no / of / far / water / countries / an / so / has
organization / one.
e) resource / temperatures / multilayered / a / that / different / at / comes.
f) is / source / heat / the / to / householder / for / look / to / groundwater / the

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

3) MAKE A LIST, WRITE AND SUMMARIZE (and share your work in the virtual
forum with your tutor and/or classmates)
a) Make a list describing the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal
energy. Compare your opinions with those of your classmates.

b) Why is it surprising that water can provide energy?

c) How is the water heated and then kept hot?
d) At this point, how advanced are the plans for this new technology?
e) What sort of people will be able to benefit from the hot-rock system?

GRAMMAR CAPSULE: Interesting facts about the position of adverbs

[smbolo ordenador]

- Adverbs of manner usually come after the verb or the object (if there is one):
He danced beautifully. (S + V + Adv.)
Peter drives his lorry carefully. (S + V + Object + Adv)
(Dont put the adverb between the verb and the object here!!)
- If an adverb is placed before a clause or a phrase, it is normally considered to
modify or affect the verb in that clause or phrase. If we move the adverb to the
end of the sentence we change the meaning. Compare:
She secretly decided to run away. (The decision was secret)
She decided to run away secretly. (The departure was to be secret)
- In a Verb + Prep. + Object construction, the adverb can be placed either before
the preposition or after the object:
He spoke to me sincerely

or

He spoke sincerely to me.

But if the object is long we put the adverb before the preposition:
He spoke sincerely to all the members of the jury.
- In a similar way, with Verb + Object sentences the length of the object affects
the position of the adverb. If the object is long the adverb is usually placed
before the verb:
They reluctantly admitted that they had tried to bribe their
customers.

4)

Several time adverbs appear in the text: yet, still, just, already.
Read about their meaning and use in a grammar book and then
complete the following exercises with the appropriate term. The words
in brackets will help you.
a) He hasnt seen them
b) I have

.
finished my homework (right now).

c) Are they

asleep?

d) He has

spoken to them this morning.

e) Have they arrived

f) I had
moment).

?
woken up when the telephone rang (at that

g) We are

studying the same book as last year.

h) Have you

had breakfast?

i)

I havent seen that film

j)

It has

started to rain (right now).

k) I wonder if he is

at home?

5) Notice the position of the adverbs in these expressions that we find in

the first paragraph of the text Water to burn:
E.g. Water is easily accessible.
the hot rock system experimentally.
Rewrite these sentences including the adverb in the appropriate
place:
a) The picture was painted (brilliantly).
b) The test was finished (successfully).
c) Elisabeth is discouraged (easily).
d) The table is made (skillfully).
e) The poem was written (beautifully).
f)

The money has been taken (mysteriously).

10

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

6) Look at the following adjectives: deep, wide, high, long. The

corresponding nouns would be: depth, width, height, length. Rewrite these
sentences using the appropriate form:

a) It is a very high building. (20 meters)

Its
is 20 meters.
Its 20 meters

b) The width of this street is 4 meters.

Its a very
Its 4 meters

street.
.

c) This book is 300 pages long.

The
of this book is 300 pages.
This book is very _________________.
d) The depth of this river is 10 meters.
Its

is 10 meters.

Its 10 meters

11

Notice the following sentence in the first paragraph of the text (Water
to burn)
heat has barely been exploited.
We often use adverbs in between the auxiliary verb and the past participle in
passive sentences. Adverbs expressing point of view are also placed in this
position within passive sentences:
E.g.: Two men have presumably been held in connection with the
robbery.

7) Rewrite these sentences including the adverb in the appropriate place.

a) Half the food has been wasted (unfortunately).
b)

A great deal of alcohol has been consumed during the party

(apparently).
c) My umbrella has been stolen (surprisingly).
d) You have been informed of the result of the operation (obviously).
e) They have been given a cheque (luckily).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

8) The words every, many, much and all are used to refer to quantity and
distribution. Complete this exercise by including one of t h e s e w o r d s
in the blank spaces below:

12

a)

time I tell my daughter to do her homework she somehow seems to disappear.

b)
___ _______the students knew the answer, but none of them raised
their hands.
.
c) How
do you think this painting costs?
d)

as I try, I cant stop smoking.

e)

the animals in this zoo come from Africa.

f) I hope I havent eaten too

g) He gets up at the same time

h) You shouldnt drink so

morning.
coffee. Its bad for your stomach.

i)

Could we get on with the meeting? I havent got

j)

I have so
things to do Im afraid I wont be able to finish
everything this morning.

k) I see the same people

l)

These people

m) Tom hasnt made

will be the winner.
n) We didnt do

time.

morning in the underground.

work at the same office.
mistakes in the competition. I think he

work because we were too tired.

9) ORAL PRODUCTION: Comparing opinions. WATCH the following video clip

twice:
http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/3680963/10135519. You can also type THE
ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES OF THE FUTURE on Yahoo Video.

In the virtual forum, in class, or in a video conference, give your opinions

about such an exhibition and try to compare your opinion with that of your
classmates.

13

D) TACKLING VOCABULARY
BUILD UP YOUR OWN GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR UNIT 2: Look up the
following words in a monolingual (English-English) dictionary, as well as any
others you find difficult to understand in the text:
a) beneath (adv)

e) suffice (v)

b) reliable (adj)

f) huge (adj)

c) wealth (n)

g) impairment (n)

d) ordinary (adj)

i) shallow (adj)

1) Complete these sentences with the verbs listed below, in the appropriate
tense:
contain
exploit

keep
drive

prove
discover

a) They cant put him in prison until they

guilty.
b) This drink

that he is

sugar; I really dont like the taste.

c) A car needs gasoline to

the engine.

d) In order to farm productively, you have to

land that you have.
e) This blanket will

you warm.

f)

America?

Do you know who

every piece of

2) Many of the words in the text have more than one meaning in
English. Try and match the appropriate word with its alternative
meaning (This may mean changing a noun to a verb and vice-versa).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

form
feet
ground
store
contain
certain

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

hold or keep in
be absolutely sure
put something away for future use
broken down into very fine pieces
official document requiring information
part of the body we walk with

14

3) Complete the following sentences, using the appropriate verb from

those listed (You may need to change verbs into the correct tenses):

be promising
be reliable
be available
look to

depend on
just about
work out
put to use

a) He is no good at mathematics; he cant

answers without a calculator.
b) How much work I do

the
how much time I have.

c) In the future she may be a famous artist; her work

.
d) She
romantic novels.

her spare time

very

by

writing

e) Scientists tell us to
the holographic principle as the
key to the technology of the future.
f)

There
no tickets for the theatre
went to the cinema instead.

g) She really
to do anything.

a most

so we
girl; I would trust her

4) Complete the following sentences with the words listed below:

depth
energy
owner
source

a) The economic
reducing taxes.
b) Spain has been the

store
ground
outlook
border

is so good that the government is

of inspiration for many English writers.

15

c) The ___________ of the water was 6 feet.

d) He manages to rent this
____________ is a friend of his.

villa

cheaply,

e) In the future, the most important type of

power.
f)

because

may well be solar

We are lucky to live in this street because there is a

the corner that sells everything.

g) The police stopped them at the

their car.
h) She dropped her camera on the
broke down.

the

on

and began searching

by accident, and it

5) Rewrite the following sentences using synonyms from the text for the
words or phrases in brackets.
a) It is interesting that water could be a source of energy, as previously it
(has been used very little).
b) One advantage is that water can be found (very close to home).
c) Household heat will (probably) come from ordinary groundwater.
d) The heat of the water should be enough (to operate) the generatingplants turbines.
e) However, no-one (has collaborated officially) to unite the countries that
would be involved in the scheme.
f)

The costs and engineering requirements of the hot rock system are still
(being planned and considered).

g) Householders who are interested in cheap energy should (pay attention

to) this new source.
h) It is cheap because the earth itself is the (element which keeps in the
heat of the groundwater).
i)

The water is kept at a constant temperature (in every season).

j)

Groundwater can be found in wells (no deeper than) 50 ft.

16

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

6) Solve the crossword using the clues below

Down
1. specific, particular.
2. all of them.
4. dependable, to be trusted.
7. able to be obtained, got.
8. expectations.
12. frontier.
14. indication of future excellence or achievement.
Across
3. operate, set and keep in motion.
5. took advantage.
6. hold, include.
9. permanent.
10. profundity.
11. without depth, superficial.
13. warehouse, shop.
15. the person who possesses
something.

17

E) NOW, HOWS YOUR SPELLING?

1) Words finishing in -le and -al often sound the same.
E.g.: available, industrial.
Add either one of these endings to the following list:
feeb__; fat___; bubb____; practic____; strang___; speci___; princip____;
voc___; leg___; bund___; plur___; ridd____; accident___; catt____;
crad___; sadd___; topic___; loc____; jung___; sensib___; believab____

18

F) AND HOWS YOUR FORMATION OF WORDS?

NOTE the following:

The word outlook means foreseeable future.
E.g.: The weather outlook for Easter is so good that we are going to the beach.

On the other hand, to be on the lookout means to be alert.

E.g.: Be on the lookout for unidentified flying objects.

1) a. Make compound nouns from the words listed below by adding them
either in front or behind the words in bold letters (Notice that they will all be
written as one word):
out

work

land

side

look
side
law
lay

book
house
home
day

farm
waste
slide
locked

walk
bed
river
step

set
out
up
on
in

b. Which compound nouns can you find in the last paragraph of Water to
burn?

19

2) Put words from these two lists together to form compound nouns and
include them under the appropriate heading.

sleeping
red
week
book
mixing
drinking
shop
gentle
walking
ice
black
bath
bus

noun + noun

skin
end
stick
window
shop
towel
bowl
cream
stop
man
bag
straw
bird

adjective + noun

verb + noun

20

G) USING ENGLISH APPROPRIATELY AND PUTTING IT INTO MOTION

[smbolo ordenador]
GRAMMAR CAPSULE: Passive voice in scientific/academic texts:

The most basic passive pattern is the short dynamic be-passive in finite
clauses. The main purpose of this passive is to leave the agent unexpressed,
because it is unknown, redundant or irrelevant. Academic prose shows the most
frequent use of the short dynamic passive, because it is concerned with
generalizations, rather than the specific individuals who carry out an action.
a) Consider the following examples from the text:
Geothermal water hotter water found at greater depths- can be used to heat
bigger structures such as apartment houses, stores, and factories, and in
certain industrial processes.
The hot-rock system has been proved only experimentally, and the
engineering and the economics are still being worked out.
The choice of a long passive (i.e. with an agent) is influenced by different
discourse factors. This passive construction preserves the information of the
corresponding active clause, but presents it in a different order. In most cases, the
agent phrases bring in new information.
E.g.:

That topic was explained at the meeting by Dr. Robinson.

The battle was led by General Atkins.

Passive and active constructions are not equivalent; their use varies widely
depending upon the type of text. For example, scientific and formal texts frequently
use the passive voice; that is why this construction appears so often in Water to
Burn:
E.g.: Geothermal water can be used to heat bigger structures.
Costs of the well-tried technology are known.
In these examples it is not important to know who does the action.

21

1) After reviewing the passive voice in your grammar book, rewrite the
following sentences in the correct tense in the passive:
a) They send newspapers to every household.
b) We are examining the students at the moment.
c) They met me at the station.
d) They were talking about it all morning.
e) We have used up all the milk.
f) They had taken all the seats before we arrived.
g) We will clean your suit tomorrow.
h) He doesnt want them to read his books.
i)

You should invite more people to the party.

j) Someone interviewed him for the job yesterday.

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

22

Notice the way in which prepositional and phrasal verbs are used in the passive:
E.g.: They shouldnt speak to him.
He shouldnt be spoken to.
Somebody switched off the lights.
The lights were switched off.
They shouldnt speak to him.
He shouldnt be spoken to.

2) Turn these sentences into the passive as in the examples above:

a) They took down every word he said.
b) Someone has broken into their house.
c) Somebody is asking for you at the office.
d) Nobody will look after their children if they die.
e) We must work out a plan.
f) They didnt tie up the parcel properly.
g) If the book has got lost, somebody should look for it.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

23

You can check the answers to all the exercises and tasks in the KEY
TO EXERCISES AND TASKS at the end of the book.

TIME TO RELAX: Now, lets relax, sit down, and watch some
interesting videos in connection with the topics of this unit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=fZtrhTNXnyU&feature=PlayList&p=D3B2EDB52CB5772B&playnext=1&pla
ynext_from=PL&index=24. If the link does not work, search the video in
YouTube by typing Rep. Frank Lucas Discusses Wind Energy on FOX News

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=747990771. If you have problems with

the link, go to CNBC to look for a video on a similar topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIHJ-0KP3ws or type Australian Centre for
Renewable Energy video by Atticus for Shanghai Expo (English) on
YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc01HalhoNc or type Renewable Energy and

the Economy on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0dsGzBOfmw or type Global Energy Strategy

in the UK pt 1 on YouTube.

24

Self Evaluation Unit 2

1) From the following groups of sentences, choose the one with
the correct word order, considering that there is no special
emphasis involved in them.
1.
a) The trembling trees embraced tenderly the breeze.
b) The trembling trees tenderly embraced the breeze.
c) Tenderly the trembling trees embraced the breeze
d) The trembling trees embraced the breeze tenderly.
2.
a) Have you yet bought your sisters present?
b) Have you bought your sisters present yet?
c) Have you bought yet your sisters present?
d) Yet have you bought your sisters present?
3.
a) She has bought already her wedding dress.
b) She has bought her wedding dress already.
c) She has already bought her wedding dress.
d) Already she has bought her wedding dress.
4.
a) I have just read it on the news and I cant believe it.
b) I have read it just on the news and I cant believe it.
c) Just I have read it on the news and I cant believe it.
d) I have read it on the news just and I cant believe it.
5.
a) That family has been apparently breaking international laws.
b) That family apparently has been breaking international laws.
a) That family has apparently been breaking international laws
a) That family has been breaking international laws apparently.

25

2) Chose the opposite or near opposite of the words in the left

column from those in the right column:
1) deep

a) fail

2) untrustworthy

b) waste

3) work out

c) reliable

4) store

d) fit

5) harness

e) shallow
f) release
g) gather

3) Choose the correct option to form compounds written as one

word.
1. looka) side

b) -out

c) -up

d) -set

2. -set
a) side-

b) up-

c) of-

d) at-

3. housea) -work

b) -land

c) -in

d) -side

4. -land
a) work-

b) side-

c) in-

d) waste-

5. blacka) -eye

b) -land

c) -bird

d) -dog

26

4) Choose the correct passive option for the following active

sentences.
1. They brought him papers to sign.
a) He brought papers to sign.
b) Papers were brought for him to sign.
c) He were brought papers to sign.
d) Papers brought him to sign.
2. We appointed Mr. Morris senior lecturer.
a) Mr. Morris was appointed senior lecturer.
b) Senior lecturer was appointed Mr. Morris.
c) Mr. Morris was to be appointed senior lecturer.
d) Senior lecturer has appointed Mr. Morris.
3. Dr. Follet will summarize the results of the investigation.
a) The results of the investigation are to be summarized by Dr. Follet.
b) The results of the investigation will have been summarized by Dr. Follet.
c) The results of the investigation will need to be summarized by Dr. Follet.
d) The results of the investigation will be summarized by Dr. Follet.
4. They wouldnt have fulfilled these requirements without their dedicated work.
a) These requirements wouldnt have fulfilled without their dedicated work.
b) These requirements wouldnt be fulfilled without their dedicated work.
c) These requirements wouldnt have been fulfilled without their dedicated work.
d) These requirements wouldnt have been fulfilling without their dedicated work
5. The company is going to hire two more male dancers.
a) Two more male dancers are going to be hired.
b) Two more male dancers are going hired.
c) Two more male dancers are being hired.
d) Two more male dancers are going be hired.

27