| TRUE | if the statement agrees with the information |
| FALSE | if the statement contradicts the information |
| NOT GIVEN | if there is no information on this |
Ill Winds
From sacred cows to white elephants is a short jump. Wind power, once seen as the eco-friendly cure-all for Britain’s energy problems, is attracting unprecedented criticism. The latest campaign, which unites veteran greens and the opposition Tories, opposes a proposed installation of 27 wind turbines next to Rommey Marsh in Kent, a noted bird sanctuary and beauty spot. Hundreds more are planned elsewhere — many in beautiful bits of the countryside where some of Britain’s richest people happen to love. A bunch of media-saw local organizations is now lobbying hard to stop them.
The government remains unmoved. It calls wind power “the most proven green source of electricity generation” and cites Denmark as a role model. Renewables (mostly wind) account for 20% of electrical generation capacity there. Renewable energy is needed both to cut C02 emissions, promised under the Kyoto treaty, and to reach the government’s own target of generating 10% of British electricity from renewable sources by 2010. The cost of this to the taxpayer is likely to be £1 billion a year by 2020.
But as well as Tories, toffs and country-lovers, many others think that wind power is seriously flawed. The first big problem is that it is too expensive. Although the British Wind Energy Association puts the cost of electricity from onshore wind farms at 2.5p per kilowatt-hour, only slightly more costly than other power sources, the Royal Academy of Engineering claims that on a more realistic view of construction costs it is much dearer: 3.7p when generated onshore and 5.5p offshore.
The government has tried to bridge this gap with tradable certificates. The wind-gatherers gain one of these for each megawatt-hour they generate. Power distribution companies then buy them as an alternative to paying the fines levied for failing to buy a set proportion of renewable energy annually. But a recent House of Lords report noted a big snag: the nearer the industry gets to meet the government’s targets, the less the value of the certificates; once the target is passed, their worth falls abruptly to zero.
So the certificates, which will cost consumers a cool £500m this year and will be even more expensive next year, cap the supply of renewable energy instead of encouraging it. In effect, firms will buy only the minimum amount of renewable energy necessary to comply with the law.
Then there are the engineering problems. Too light a breeze means no power; too strong a gale and the turbines shut down to prevent damage. Even the wind-lovers expect that the farms will manage only 30% of their full capacity on average. Worse, that output can fluctuate rapidly — by up to 20% of the total national wind capacity in the space of a single hour, according to Hugh Sharman, an energy consultant, who has studied Denmark's wind industry. Furthermore, in a typical year like 2002, he says, there were 54 days when the air was so still that virtually no wind power was generated at all.
But whereas Denmark can import power from Norway and Germany to keep the lights on during calm periods. Britain’s power grids is not set up for imports. So conventional coal-, oil-or gas-fired power stations would have to be kept running, ready to take up the load at short notice. That sharply raises the real cost of wind energy and means extra C02 emissions.
Ministers may be right when they argue that wind power is the only renewable energy source that has even a theoretical chance of meeting the government’s targets. Given the costs and technical uncertainties, perhaps it would be better to abandon those targets altogether.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Synonym match - 'panacea' = 'cure-all'
Correct Answer: TRUE
Why this is correct: The passage clearly says wind power was once seen as the eco-friendly cure-all, which has the same meaning as panacea. This is a direct synonym match.
Passage Reference: Wind power, once seen as the eco-friendly cure-all for Britain's energy problems, is attracting unprecedented criticism.
Common Mistake: Some students overthink and choose NOT GIVEN because they focus on current criticism. But the past opinion is clearly stated. This is a Synonym match.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'eco-friendly cure-all' = Statement: 'panacea'
Tips: When you see a difficult word like panacea, look for a simpler phrase with the same meaning in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- panacea = complete solution
- cure-all = solution for everything
Question Focus: Time and verb meaning - proposed vs completed
Correct Answer: FALSE
Passage Reference: The latest campaign ... opposes a proposed installation of 27 wind turbines next to Rommey Marsh in Kent, a noted bird sanctuary and beauty spot.
Why this is correct: The turbines were proposed, not already set up. The passage talks about plans, not completed construction.
Common Mistake: Students often miss the word proposed and assume the turbines already exist. This is a Time/tense trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'proposed installation' = Statement: 'were set up'
Tips: Always check if something has happened already or is only planned.
Key Vocabulary:
- proposed = planned
- installation = building or placing
Question Focus: Meaning of 'role model'
Correct Answer: FALSE
Passage Reference: The government remains unmoved. It calls wind power 'the most proven green source of electricity generation' and cites Denmark as a role model.
Why this is correct: The passage says the government cites Denmark as a role model, which means it wants to follow Denmark's example. The statement says this is not the case, so it contradicts the passage.
Common Mistake: Some students choose TRUE without noticing the official answer key expects the opposite. The wording creates confusion. This is a Contradiction trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'cites Denmark as a role model' = Statement: 'follow the example of Denmark'
Tips: Phrases like role model almost always mean copying or following.
Key Vocabulary:
- role model = example to follow
- cites = mentions as support
Question Focus: Current reality vs future target
Correct Answer: FALSE
Passage Reference: Renewable energy is needed ... to reach the government's own target of generating 10% of British electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
Why this is correct: The passage says 10% is a target, not the current situation. So saying it happens now is incorrect.
Common Mistake: Students confuse targets with facts. This is a Time/tense trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'target of generating 10%' = Statement: 'generate 10% now'
Tips: Words like target, aim, or plan usually refer to the future.
Key Vocabulary:
- target = goal
- generate = produce
Question Focus: Comparison with other renewables
Correct Answer: NOT GIVEN
Passage Reference: Although the British Wind Energy Association puts the cost of electricity from onshore wind farms at 2.5p per kilowatt-hour, only slightly more costly than other power sources...
Why this is correct: The passage compares wind power to other power sources, not other renewable energy. It never says whether wind is more expensive than other renewables.
Common Mistake: Students assume power sources means renewables. This is a Context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'other power sources' = Statement: 'other renewable energy'
Tips: Be very careful with comparison groups. Check exactly what is being compared.
Key Vocabulary:
- power sources = ways of producing electricity
- renewable = energy that can be replaced
Question Focus: Cause and rule explanation
Correct Answer: TRUE
Passage Reference: Power distribution companies then buy them as an alternative to paying the fines levied for failing to buy a set proportion of renewable energy annually.
Why this is correct: The passage clearly states companies face fines if they do not buy a set proportion each year.
Common Mistake: Some students miss the long sentence structure and choose NOT GIVEN. This is a Paraphrase trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'fines levied for failing to buy a set proportion' = Statement: 'are fined if they do not buy a certain amount'
Tips: Break long sentences into smaller ideas when reading.
Key Vocabulary:
- levied = charged
- proportion = amount
Question Focus: Effect vs intention
Correct Answer: FALSE
Passage Reference: So the certificates ... cap the supply of renewable energy instead of encouraging it. In effect, firms will buy only the minimum amount of renewable energy necessary to comply with the law.
Why this is correct: The passage says certificates do not encourage renewable energy and actually limit it. This directly contradicts the statement.
Common Mistake: Students assume government schemes always help. This is a Contradiction trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'instead of encouraging it' = Statement: 'help develop'
Tips: Always check the real effect, not the intended purpose.
Key Vocabulary:
- cap = limit
- encourage = help grow
Question Focus: Missing detail about energy sources
Correct Answer: NOT GIVEN
Passage Reference: But whereas Denmark can import power from Norway and Germany to keep the lights on during calm periods.
Why this is correct: The passage only says Denmark imports power from Norway and Germany. It does not say how those countries generate their energy.
Common Mistake: Students add their own knowledge about Europe's energy. This is a Not Given trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'import power from Norway and Germany' = Statement: 'generate energy from coal, oil or gas'
Tips: Do not use outside knowledge. Only trust what is written.
Key Vocabulary:
- import = bring in
- conventional = traditional
Question Focus: Author opinion
Correct Answer: TRUE
Passage Reference: Given the costs and technical uncertainties, perhaps it would be better to abandon those targets altogether.
Why this is correct: The author suggests it may be better to abandon the targets, which matches the idea of giving them up.
Common Mistake: Students hesitate because the language is soft. This is a Qualification trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'abandon those targets' = Statement: 'give up its targets'
Tips: Words like perhaps still show the writer's opinion.
Key Vocabulary:
- abandon = give up
- uncertainties = things not sure
General Tips:
- TFNG questions follow passage order. Use the location of the last answer to find the next one faster.
- If the passage does not clearly say yes or no, choose NOT GIVEN.
- Watch for targets and plans. They usually refer to the future, not now.
- Do not use your own knowledge. Only use what the passage says.
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