SCENARIO
SPARROW HILL WIND FARM
22
2.4
SITUATION
A British power company has identified a
good site for a wind farm in the north of
England. The proposal is for a wind farm
of eighty turbines over a large area. Each
tower will be 60 metres tall and have a
turbine which is 35 metres in diameter.
The wind farm will cover an area of several
kilometres and take five years to complete.
2
2.4
Listen to a government official talking to a
power company representative. They are discussing the
proposed wind farm. Answer the questions.
1
What is the attitude of each speaker to a public meeting?
2
What is John Reynolds worried about?
3
What do they decide in the end?
KEY LANGUAGE
AGREEING AND DISAGREEING POLITELY, POLITE
QUESTIONS
3
a
Put words from the conversation in the correct
order. Use contractions where necessary.
1
looking / one / it / way / is / but / at / that / of
2
are / because / right / you / absolutely
3
like / I / know / to / would
4
point / you / have / but / a / think / do / not / you
5
interested / I / knowing / am / in
6
very / is / true / that / because
7
go / there / I / because / you / along / would / with
3
b
Listen again and check your answers.
4
Practise saying the expressions. Pay careful attention
to pronunciation and use contractions.
1
Read the situation and background information
above and answer the questions.
1
What sources of energy are mentioned? What
advantages and disadvantages are given for the
energy sources?
2
Which facts and figures indicate that the wind farm
will be large?
As fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil are
being used up, governments are keen to find
alternaƟve sources of energy, especially those
that do not emit carbon dioxide. Nuclear power
is one possible source, but many people have
doubts about its safety. Renewable energy
sources include solar, wave and wind power.
The UK Government is keen to use these
sources of power, and hopes to generate 15
percent of its energy needs from renewable
sources by 2020. However, some people feel
that onshore wind farms spoil the landscape,
parƟcularly in countryside areas where they
are usually sited. Many people argue that they
are unpleasant eyesores which damage the
enjoyment of areas of outstanding natural
beauty. Other people argue that wind power is
simply not reliable as an energy source, as wind
is variable and unpredictable.
