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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Energy Policy
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Obama Calls for Cut in Oil Use (1st April, 2011)

U.S. president Barack Obama has said his country will reduce the amount of oil it uses by a third. He said this was essential because of the effect fossil fuels have on global warming, and because of the rising price of oil. He pointed to how Americans are paying more for gasoline because of world events, such as military action in Libya and unrest in the Middle East. He said the cut in oil use would take place within a decade. To do this, America must quickly find alternative energies or drill for oil on its own land.

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The President has not ruled out nuclear energy, despite the crisis happening in Japan. He said: "America gets one-fifth of its electricity from nuclear energy. It has important potential for increasing our electricity without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But I'm determined to ensure that it's safe." Mr Obama also outlined other energy sources, including biofuels, natural gas, electric and more fuel efficient cars, wind and solar power, and programmes that encourage people to cut down on their energy use.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	reduce the amount of oil it uses	a.	global warming
2	the effect fossil fuels have on	b.	energies
3.	unrest	c.	for oil
4.	take place within	d.	by a third
5.	alternative	e.	in the Middle East
6.	drill	f.	a decade

Paragraph 2

1.	The President has not ruled	a.	in Japan
2	the crisis happening	b.	cars
3.	without adding carbon dioxide	c.	energy use
4.	I'm determined to ensure	d.	out nuclear energy
5.	more fuel efficient	e.	that it's safe
6.	cut down on their	f.	to the atmosphere

LISTENING GAP FILL

U.S. president Barack Obama has said his country will _____________________ oil it uses by a third. He said this was essential because of _____________________ have on global warming, and _____________________ price of oil. He pointed to how Americans are paying more for gasoline because of world events, _____________________ in Libya and unrest in the Middle East. He said the cut in oil use would _____________________ decade. To do this, America must quickly find alternative energies or _____________________ own land.

The President _____________________ nuclear energy, despite the crisis happening in Japan. He said: "America gets one-fifth of its electricity from nuclear energy. It _____________________ for increasing our electricity without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But I'm _____________________ that it's safe." Mr Obama _____________________ energy sources, including biofuels, natural gas, electric and _____________________ cars, wind and solar power, and programmes that encourage people to _____________________ energy use.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

U.S. president Barack Obama has said his country will reduce the (1) ____ of oil it uses by a third. He said this was (2) ____ because of the effect fossil fuels have on global warming, and because of the (3) ____ price of oil. He pointed to how Americans are paying more for gasoline because of world events, such as (4) ____ action in Libya and (5) ____ in the Middle East. He said the cut in oil use would take place within a decade. To do this, America must quickly find alternative energies or drill (6) ____ oil on its own land.

The President has not ruled (7) ____ nuclear energy, (8) ____ the crisis happening in Japan. He said: "America gets one-fifth of its electricity from nuclear energy. It has important potential (9) ____ increasing our electricity without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But I'm determined (10) ____ ensure that it's safe." Mr Obama also (11) ____ other energy sources, including biofuels, natural gas, electric and more fuel efficient cars, wind and solar power, and programmes that encourage people to (12) ____ down on their energy use.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	mount	(b)	amount	(c)	mounted
2.	(a)	essential	(b)	needy	(c)	necessarily
3.	(a)	up	(b)	rise up	(c)	rising
4.	(a)	soldiers	(b)	military	(c)	armed forces
5.	(a)	unrest	(b)	restful	(c)	rested
6.	(a)	to	(b)	at	(c)	for
7.	(a)	out	(b)	up	(c)	over
8.	(a)	spite	(b)	spiteful	(c)	despite
9.	(a)	for	(b)	to	(c)	at
10.	(a)	so	(b)	to	(c)	of
11.	(a)	outlining	(b)	outlined	(c)	outlines
12	(a)	slice	(b)	chop	(c)	cut

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	reduce the otmnua of oil
2.	fsosil fuels
3.	global amgrnwi
4.	itilarmy action
5.	rnsute in the Middle East
6.	raaitenvtel energies
Paragraph 2
7.	reldu out nuclear energy
8.	It has important pneaoltti
9.	carbon xideodi
10.	other energy rosuecs
11.	fuel enifcteif cars
12.	aegurcone people to cut down

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( 1 )	U.S. president Barack Obama has said his country will reduce the amount of oil it uses by a
( )	East. He said the cut in oil use would take place within a decade. To do this, America must
( )	ensure that it's safe." Mr Obama also outlined other energy sources, including biofuels, natural
( )	that encourage people to cut down on their energy use.
( )	The President has not ruled out nuclear energy, despite the crisis happening in Japan. He said: "America
( )	quickly find alternative energies or drill for oil on its own land.
( )	of world events, such as military action in Libya and unrest in the Middle
( )	warming, and because of the rising price of oil. He pointed to how Americans are paying more for gasoline because
( )	gas, electric and more fuel efficient cars, wind and solar power, and programmes
( )	third. He said this was essential because of the effect fossil fuels have on global
( )	gets one-fifth of its electricity from nuclear energy. It has important potential for increasing our
( )	electricity without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But I'm determined to

WORD JUMBLE

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	amount of oil it uses by a third Reduce the.
2.	warming fossil global effect on The have fuels.
3.	gasoline because Paying of more world for events.
4.	take would use oil in cut The decade a within place.
5.	on oil for Drill land own its.
6.	energy not ruled The out President nuclear has.
7.	in the happening Japan Despite crisis.
8.	that ensure to determined I'm safe it's.
9.	Mr sources energy other outlined also Obama.
10.	cut their to on use people down energy Encourage.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about oil for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. OIL: Search the Internet and find more information about oil. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about oil. Include imaginary interviews with the CEO of an oil company and the CEO of a wind farm. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to President Obama. Ask him three questions about oil. Give him three of your opinions on how to get by without it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Energy Policy (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)