http://www.bbc.co.

uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2014/06/
140627_witn_solar_power.shtml

Cheap solar energy

A new way of producing solar cells could make energy from the Sun cheaper than coal,
gas and oil. The research by a team at Liverpool University has been published in the
journal Nature. A new dawn for cheap solar energy?

Report

Solar cells convert energy from the Sun into electricity. The researchers have replaced a
toxic compound, used to make one type of solar cell, with a chemical that is much
cheaper, completely safe and works just as well.

The new compound, magnesium chloride, is used to make tofu and is found in bath
salts. It's also found in sea water, and so costs much less than the poisonous chemical
currently used.

Dr Jon Major, who led the research at Liverpool University, believes that the cost
savings have the potential to transform the economics of solar energy.

Dr Jon Major, Liverpool University:

"Potentially you could reduce the cost of making these solar cells overnight. We think
that this process could cause a step change in the cost of solar energy and that could
really make the difference into making it competitive with fossil fuels."

More work will need to be done to see if the cost savings can work on an industrial
scale. But the cost of solar energy has been steadily falling. And many involved in
research in the field believe that it's just a matter of time before it becomes cheaper than
coal, gas and oil, and one day replaces fossil fuels.

1-Answer the questions.

1-Why will the new solar cells be cheaper?

Because the research has replaced the toxic compound used today by a new and
cheaper chemical.

2-Where can magnesium chloride be found?

It can be found in bath salts and sea water.

3-Who is Dr. Major?

He is the person who led the research at Liverpool Uversity

 4- Do you think solar energy will be competitive? Why?

Yes, because it will be cheaper and inexhaustible.

2-Write the sentences in the passive

1- Solar cells convert energy from the Sun into electricity.

2- The researchers have replaced a toxic compound

3- You could reduce the cost of making these solar cells

3-Write in the active

1- The research by a team at Liverpool University has been published in the journal
Nature

2- The new compound, magnesium chloride, is used to make tofu and is found in
bath salts. It's also found in sea water.

3- More work will need to be done

4-Find words with similar meaning

1-_______________ magazine.

2-_______________ poisonous; able to cause illness or death

3-________________ change

4-________________ a chemical that contains two or more elements

3-_______________ (of goods or services) as cheap or cheaper than

5_________________ source of energy formed from plants and animals which died
millions of years ago (such as oil, coal and gas)

6-__________________ in large quantities

7-____________________slowly but continuously

8-____________________ is an electrical device that converts the energy directly

into electricity by the photovoltaic effect.