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Scientists Make Petrol From Air (20th October, 2012)

A small British company has developed a way to create petrol from air and water. Their technology could help in the battle against climate change. It could also be an answer to the world's energy problems. The company is in the north of England and is called Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS). Engineers said they have made five litres of petrol so far. It takes 24 hours to make one litre. The company needs more time to be able to produce their petrol at a cheaper cost. They say they could be ready to sell it in 15 years.

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The technique to make the petrol involves mixing carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen from water. It turns the two chemicals into methanol. This is then converted into petrol. Peter Harrison, boss of AFS, said his petrol was cleaner than that made from oil. "It's actually cleaner because it's synthetic," he said. He added: "When oil becomes a problem we will be able to [help] to keep cars moving or to keep aeroplanes moving." Industry expert Tim Fox said: "It sounds too good to be true, but it is true."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	a way to create petrol	a.	change
2	the battle against climate	b.	make one litre
3.	an answer to the world's	c.	from air and water
4.	they have made five litres of petrol	d.	in 15 years
5.	It takes 24 hours to	e.	energy problems
6.	they could be ready to sell it	f.	so far

Paragraph 2

1.	The technique to	a.	into methanol
2	carbon	b.	becomes a problem
3.	It turns the two chemicals	c.	good to be true
4.	It's actually cleaner because	d.	dioxide
5.	When oil	e.	make the petrol
6.	It sounds too	f.	it's synthetic

LISTENING GAP FILL

A small British company has developed (1) __________________ petrol from air and water. Their technology could help in the battle (2) ___________________. It could also be an answer to the world's energy problems. The company (3) ______________ England and is called Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS). Engineers said they have made five litres (4) ___________________. It takes 24 hours to make one litre. The company needs more time to be able to produce their petrol (5) ___________________. They say they could be (6) ___________________ 15 years.

The (7) ___________________ the petrol involves mixing carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen from water. It turns the two chemicals into methanol. This is (8) ___________________ petrol. Peter Harrison, boss of AFS, said his petrol was cleaner (9) ___________________ oil. "It's actually cleaner because it's synthetic," he said. He added: "(10) ___________________ problem we will be able (11) ___________________ cars moving or to keep aeroplanes moving." Industry expert Tim Fox said: "It sounds (12) ___________________ true, but it is true."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A small British company has developed a (1) ____ to create petrol from air and water. Their technology could help in the battle (2) ____ climate change. It could also be an (3) ____ to the world's energy problems. The company is (4) ____ the north of England and is called Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS). Engineers said they have made five litres of petrol (5) ____ far. It takes 24 hours to make one litre. The company needs more time to be able to produce their petrol at a cheaper cost. They say they could be (6) ____ to sell it in 15 years.

The technique to make the petrol involves (7) ____ carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen from water. It turns the two chemicals (8) ____ methanol. This is (9) ____ converted into petrol. Peter Harrison, boss of AFS, said his petrol was cleaner than that made from oil. "It's actually cleaner because it's synthetic," he said. He added: "When oil becomes a (10) ____ we will be (11) ____ to [help] to keep cars moving or to keep aeroplanes moving." Industry expert Tim Fox said: "It sounds (12) ____ good to be true, but it is true."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	weigh	(b)	ways	(c)	way
2.	(a)	against	(b)	for	(c)	win
3.	(a)	reply	(b)	respond	(c)	answer
4.	(a)	up	(b)	in	(c)	at
5.	(a)	as	(b)	of	(c)	so
6.	(a)	already	(b)	ready	(c)	ready steady go
7.	(a)	mixing	(b)	maxing	(c)	mining
8.	(a)	into	(b)	up to	(c)	onto
9.	(a)	that	(b)	then	(c)	therefore
10.	(a)	answer	(b)	solution	(c)	problem
11.	(a)	can	(b)	able	(c)	could
12	(a)	too	(b)	to	(c)	two

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	evldeoepd a way to create petrol
2.	the battle stngaai climate change
3.	an answer to the world's ereygn problems
4.	in the rtnho of England
5.	petrol at a ecaerhp cost
6.	yedra to sell it
Paragraph 2
7.	The ienhtcuqe to make the petrol
8.	enrgdohy from water
9.	nvetoredc into petrol
10.	cleaner because it's hsticntey
11.	keep cars vgomni
12.	Industry xpteer

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	The technique to make the petrol involves mixing carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen
( )	a problem we will be able to [help] to keep cars moving or to keep aeroplanes
( )	into petrol. Peter Harrison, boss of AFS, said his petrol was cleaner than that made from oil. "It's actually
( )	of England and is called Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS). Engineers said they have made five litres of petrol so
( )	answer to the world's energy problems. The company is in the north
( 1 )	A small British company has developed a way to create petrol from air
( )	and water. Their technology could help in the battle against climate change. It could also be an
( )	far. It takes 24 hours to make one litre. The company needs more time to be able to
( )	from water. It turns the two chemicals into methanol. This is then converted
( )	produce their petrol at a cheaper cost. They say they could be ready to sell it in 15 years.
( )	cleaner because it's synthetic," he said. He added: "When oil becomes
( )	moving." Industry expert Tim Fox said: "It sounds too good to be true, but it is true."

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

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

1.	create Developed petrol a from way air to.
2.	against battle the in Help change climate.
3.	to the Be world's an energy answer problems.
4.	litres so They five petrol made of far have.
5.	sell it in 15 years They could be ready to.
6.	chemicals two the turns It methanol into.
7.	is converted petrol This then into.
8.	actually because synthetic It's cleaner it's.
9.	to help to keep cars moving We will be able.
10.	it true good It is , to sounds true but be too.

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 climate change 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. PETROL FROM AIR: Search the Internet and find more information about petrol from air. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about climate change. Include an imaginary interview with the boss of the petrol-from-air company. 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 a climate change expert. Ask him/her three questions about climate change and the petrol from air. Give him/her three of your opinions on the new way to make petrol. 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 - Petrol from Air (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)