1 Reading
a Read the essay and underline the correct phrases to complete the text.
Electric cars are the future
If you are thinking of buying a new car soon, perhaps you should consider getting an electric car. In the last few years electric cars have become more efficient and they’re now much cheaper to buy. So why should we switch to electric cars?
(1) In conclusion / First of all / Finally, air pollution in our cities has become a serious problem over the past 50 years or so. Electric cars do not produce any CO2 emissions and as a result they don’t pollute the atmosphere. If we drive electric cars, this will significantly improve the quality of the air we breathe.
(2) Firstly / Finally / Secondly, electric cars are quieter than cars which use petrol or diesel. Today’s cars and lorries cause a lot of noise pollution and this can make people feel very stressed.
(3) Secondly / Finally / First of all, they are cheaper to operate than conventional cars. The price of petrol is extremely high and the cost per kilometre of an electric car is much lower than a petrol or diesel car. In addition, it is more convenient to recharge your electric car at home than to drive to a petrol station to re-fuel.
(4) In conclusion / First of all / In addition, I would say that if we really care about the environment we should all consider buying electric cars. They have improved a great deal in recent years and they will definitely be the vehicle of the future.
b Read the essay again and tick (✓) the correct answer.
In the writer’s opinion …
a petrol cars are more efficient than electric cars.
b diesel cars are more environmentally friendly than electric cars.
c electric cars are better now than a few years ago.
d people should buy petrol cars in the future.
c Are the sentences true or false?
1 Electric cars are more expensive now than they were a few years ago.
2 Electric cars do not cause problems for the environment.
3 Some people become stressed due to the noise caused by traffic.
4 It costs the same to operate electric cars and petrol cars.
5 You can easily recharge your electric car at home.
Answer
a 1 First of all 2 Secondly 3 Finally 4 In conclusion
b c
c True: 2, 3, 5; False: 1, 4
2 Writing
Read the notes. Write an essay about the advantages of solar panels.
Notes for essay about solar panels
Spend too much on electricity? Solar panels may be the solution.
1) Efficient and good for environment. No pollution, e.g. no carbon dioxide or other gases. If plenty of sunshine, can generate all electricity for the home.
2) Not cheap to buy, but will save money on electricity bills in long term & energy companies buy extra electricity produced. Result: may actually make money.
3) Can increase value of house. People pay higher price to save money on electricity.
4) Conclusion. A good idea. Environmentally friendly & cheap electricity.
Answer
Suggested answer
Getting our energy from the sun
If you think that you spend too much money on electricity, you might consider buying solar panels for your house. So, what are the advantages of solar panels?
Firstly, solar panels are a very efficient way of producing energy and they are very good for the environment. They don’t pollute the atmosphere with carbon dioxide or other harmful gases. If you live somewhere with plenty of sunshine, they will generate all the electricity you need for a family home.
Secondly, although they aren’t cheap to buy or install, they will eventually save you a lot of money on your electricity bills. Also, if you produce more electricity than you need, your energy company will pay you for the extra electricity. As a result, you will earn extra money if you have solar panels.
Finally, solar panels can increase the value of your home. If your house has solar panels on the roof, people will usually pay a higher price because they know that they will save money on their electricity bills.
In conclusion, I would say that it is a very good idea to buy solar panels for your house. It is environmentally friendly and it will give you cheaper electricity for many years.
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