Tips: Listen for the words the speaker uses for a personal view. Check both parts of each choice against them.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Today's systems are strong, and drought is a challenge, not a warning.: Strong systems is right. But the speaker does not play drought down and calls it a warning sign.
• Today's systems are at risk, and drought is a warning sign.: Warning sign is right. But the speaker says today's systems are robust and claims of failure are too simple.
• Today's systems are at risk, and drought is a challenge, not a warning.: Both parts are wrong. The speaker calls the systems robust and treats drought as a warning sign.

Correct Answer: drought is a serious and immediate risk to power supply.

Why this is correct: Dr. Gagnon says even a small drop in water can cut output a lot at peak demand. This backs the analysts who call drought a serious, immediate risk.

Tips: When an expert is quoted, ask which group of people the speaker is describing at that moment.

Why the other options are wrong:

• the drought risk is being overstated.: Dr. Gagnon is quoted on the worried side. The overstated view comes later, from a different group.
• drought is a serious risk, but mainly for small local dams.: The small local dam comes from the neighbour's story. Dr. Gagnon talks about output in general at peak demand.
• future conditions may test systems that work well today.: The idea of future limits comes from the middle-ground experts. Dr. Gagnon's point supports a risk that is immediate.

Correct Answer: Drought effects can be uneven while the wider system looks stable.

Why this is correct: A small local dam lost output for a time. The speaker says this shows local effects can be uneven while the provincial system looks stable.

Tips: After a short story, the speaker often explains what it means. Listen for that explanation.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Hydropower in the driest areas should be replaced with wind and solar.: The same group wants wind and solar added, not used in place of hydropower. The story itself is about uneven effects.
• Some interior regions had their driest years on record in 2023.: The driest years come from the BC Hydro report, not from the neighbour's story.
• A local drop in output can soon spread to the whole province.: The speaker says the opposite. The local dam lost output, but the provincial system still appeared stable.

Correct Answer: Sceptical, because today's systems are robust.

Why this is correct: The speaker calls today's systems robust. The speaker says claims of imminent failure are too simplistic, so the speaker doubts them.

Tips: Listen for the adjective the speaker uses about other people's claims. It shows the speaker's feeling.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Alarmed, because reservoir levels keep trending lower.: Falling reservoir levels are part of the worried side. The speaker does not sound alarmed about failure.
• Dismissive, because drought is a short-term problem.: The speaker doubts the claims, but does not call drought short-term. The speaker wants to prepare for a drier future.
• Sympathetic, because future conditions may test the limits.: Future limits come from the middle-ground group. The speaker does not agree with claims of failure.

Correct Answer: oppose it, since it means giving up on hydropower.

Why this is correct: The speaker wants to keep investing in hydropower and also broaden the energy mix. A plan that gives up hydropower goes against that.

Tips: Think about what the speaker recommends. Then ask whether the new plan keeps or drops each part of it.

Why the other options are wrong:

• support it, since local dams can lose output.: The local dam story leads to adding wind and solar, not replacing hydropower. The speaker wants hydropower to continue.
• support it, since past results guarantee nothing.: The speaker does say the past guarantees nothing. But the speaker uses this to argue for preparing, not for dropping hydropower.
• oppose it, since wind and solar are not needed.: Opposing the plan is right. But the speaker wants to broaden the energy mix, so wind and solar are needed too.

Correct Answer: can store enough water for several dry seasons in a row.

Why this is correct: Hydro-Québec says its reservoirs can store enough water to offset several dry seasons in a row.

Tips: When an organisation is named, note what that organisation itself says. Other reports may follow it.

Why the other options are wrong:

• can cover one dry season, but not two in a row.: Hydro-Québec says several dry seasons in a row, not just one.
• helped meet generation targets despite drought in Quebec.: Meeting targets comes from a provincial report, not from Hydro-Québec's own statement. That report credits planning and power trading.
• were designed to buffer dry years in both provinces.: Reservoirs in both provinces are mentioned by the second group in general. Hydro-Québec speaks only about its own reservoirs.