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FACULTAD DE INGENIERIA
NAME:
DATE:
PROGRAM:
A Reading Comprehension Exam
Cool Cities: Renewable Energy Solutions
1. Predicting (5)
What do you think the text will be
about?
a. Description of Cool Cities
b. Recycling energy
c. Importance of renewable energy
d. Saving energy use
By harnessing natural sources of energy like the sun and the wind, renewable energy sources can
replace our reliance on outdated, polluting power plants that rely on fossil fuels. Today’s solar
panels efficiently transform sunlight into electricity while blending into the design of homes and
office buildings. Modern wind turbines rise high above the ground, capturing the strongest winds to
produce reliable electricity. Meeting our energy needs with clean, renewable energy can move
countries towards a brighter, cleaner, and cheaper energy future. The solutions presented below
account for Cool City strategies pursuing to reduce energy waste and pollution.
The first effective solution is enforcing renewable energy standards. A renewable energy standard
requires an increase in the percentage of electricity from clean, renewable energy sources (such as
wind and solar power) in a city or utility area by a specific target date. These standards are phased
in over time so that renewable energy capacity can be built and incorporated into the necessary
energy management and reliability plans. For instance, a 20 percent Renewable Energy Standard
could be phased in over ten years, requiring an additional 2 percent of electricity generation to come
from renewable sources each year. Cities that operate municipal utilities have been able to set
renewable energy standards for their community-owned utilities.
The second cost-effective solution is putting up solar and wind installations. Some cities are moving
forward by financing the construction of renewable energy projects themselves. In some cases,
cities are working with local municipal utilities to construct wind turbines. In other cases, cities are
working with privately owned utilities and renewable energy developers to construct solar arrays on
city buildings, schools, and homes.
The third efficient solution is providing city utility contracts. Some cities are incorporating
renewable energy requirements into their contract renewals with privately owned local utilities. For
example, the city of Denver, Colorado in the United States is working with its local utility, Xcel
Energy, to establish modest renewable energy goals as part of the city’s contract.
Cities around the world are discovering that investing in innovative renewable energy sources
reduces global warming pollution and creates a reliable source of clean, homegrown electricity. As
the news of these successful city solutions spreads, more cities are joining in the Cool Cities
movement. These cities are protecting our environment, and are protecting the world’s resources
and preserving them for future generations to come.
Adapted from: sierraclub.org/coolcities
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2. Skimming (30)
The main idea in paragraph 1 is
a. Wind turbines rise high above the ground.
b. Power plants rely on fossil fuels.
c. Solar panels transform sunlight into electricity.
d. Renewable energy sources reduce pollution.
The main idea in paragraph 2 is
a. Renewable energy standards could be phased in over a period of time.
b. Renewable energy standards increase electricity use from clean sources by specific
time.
c. Renewable energy standards are set by cities that operate local municipal utilities.
d. Renewable energy standards can be incorporated into the energy management and
reliability plans.
The main idea in paragraph 3 is
a. Solar and wind installations is a cost-effective renewable energy solution.
b. Some cities are making progress by financing the construction of renewable energy
projects.
c. Cities are working with local municipal utilities to construct wind turbines.
d. Renewable energy developers construct solar arrays on city buildings, schools, and
homes.
The main idea in paragraph 4 is
a. City utility contracts should incorporate renewable energy requirements.
b. Denver is working with its local utility, Xcel Energy.
c. Renewable energy requirements are incorporated into contract renewals.
d. Xcel Energy establishes modest renewable energy goals.
The main idea in paragraph 5 is
a. More cities are joining in the Cool City movement.
b. Many cities are investing in renewable energy sources.
c. Cool Cities are cutting global warming pollution.
d. The news of these successful city solutions spread.
3. Scanning (10)
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable energy sources can replace:
solar panels
wind turbines
electricity
power plants
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable energy will provide:
brighter energy future
cheaper energy future
cleaner energy future
all of the above
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3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable energy source could be obtained from:
energy standards
fossil fuels
solar panels
energy pollution
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable energy standards should :
demand a raise in clean energy source by a certain time
require local municipal utility operations
incorporate necessary management and reliability plans
be phased in over a ten years’ period
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable standards are incorporated into utility managements:
automatically and instantly
over a period of time
almost never
none of the above
6.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Solar panels can be constructed on:
houses
schools
shops
all of the above
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Renewable energy requirements can be included in:
energy projects
investments
utility contracts
financing
8.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Xcel energy is:
the United Sates´ local utility
Colorado’s local utility
Denver’s local utility
none of the above
9.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Clean electricity:
decreases global warming pollution
reduces investments in renewable energy sources
replaces homegrown electricity
requires 20 percent of electricity generation
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Cool Cities do not:
care for the environment
protect the world’s resources
use renewable energy sources
raise global warming pollution
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4. Inferencing (25)
1.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What could natural resources of energy be?
The sun and the wind.
Panels and turbines.
Power plants and fossil fuels.
Xcel Energy and Cool Cities.
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Why do today’s solar panels blend into the designs of homes and offices?
Because they form part of the architecture.
Because they mix with modern wind turbines.
Because they transform sunlight into electricity.
Because they are financed by municipal utilities.
3.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What information is necessary in renewable energy standards?
Municipal utility operations and renewable energy source.
The city´s energy management and reliability plans.
Percentage of clean energy use and target date.
Projects of renewable energy and construction designs.
4. How much additional percentage per year of clean electricity generation is
needed if a 40 per cent Renewable Energy Standard could be phased in over 20
years?
a. 2.
b. 4.
c. 8.
d. 10
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
How is the construction of wind turbines financed in some cities?
By energy projects.
By the Cool Cities movement.
By energy developers.
By local municipal utilities.
6.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Who constructs solar panels in some cities?
Xcel Energy.
Financing companies.
Renewable energy developers.
Cool Cities movement.
7.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Where are non-conventional energy sources requirements included?
In Municipal building codes of cities in the USA.
In contract renewals with privately owned local utilities.
In the city of Denver, Colorado in the United States.
In cities around the world that invest in renewable energy sources.
8.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What should the city utility contracts contain?
A specific target date.
Municipal utility operations.
Cool City strategies.
Renewable energy aims.
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9.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What is homegrown electricity?
Domestic electricity waste.
Household electricity purchase.
Home-used electricity.
Home-based energy generation.
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
What does the Cool Cities movement involve?
Working on renewable energy sources.
Supervising privately owned utilities.
Constructing city buildings, schools, and homes.
Spreading the news of successful cities.
5. Vocabulary (10)
a.
b.
c.
d.
1. The word “harnessing” in line 1 could be replaced by:
controlling
connecting
fastening
combining
a.
b.
c.
d.
The phrase “renewable energy” in line 1 means:
never-ending energy
temporary energy
expensive energy
undependable energy
a.
b.
c.
d.
3. The word “reliable” mentioned in line 5 could be:
inaccurate and temporary
permanent and defective
consistent and dependable
doubtful and eternal
a.
b.
c.
d.
4. The word “strategies” in line 7 is similar in meaning to:
plans
answers
problems
results
2.
5. The word “target” in line 10 has a similar meaning to:
a. point
b. result
c. objective
d. start
6. The word “phased in” in line 10 can best be described as:
a. achieved by constructing
b. carried out in stages
c. done over and over again
d. evaluated continuously
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a.
b.
c.
d.
7. The word “generation” in line 13 can best be understood as:
production
use
construction
sale
a.
b.
c.
d.
8. The word “arrays” in line 19 means:
gadgets
turbines
garments
modules
a.
b.
c.
d.
9. The word “modest” in line24 can be replaced by:
ambitious
reasonable
short-term
important
a.
b.
c.
d.
10. The word “innovative” in line 25 means:
conventional
common
alternative
simple
6. Reference (20)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Provide a synonym for the phrase “non-conventional energy” in line 1
What word in line 6 has the opposite meaning of “problems”?
What does the phrase “these standards” in line 10 refer to?
What word in line 13 means “extra”?
What word in line 18 means “services”?
Provide a synonym for the verb “to put up” in line 19.
What does “their” in line 22 refer to?
What does “its” in line 23 refer to?
What does “these cities” in line 28 refer to?
What does “them” in line 29 refer to?
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Answers
Predicting
c
Skimming
1.
D
2.
B
3.
A
4.
A
5.
C
Scanning
1.
D
2.
D
3.
C
4.
A
5.
B
6.
D
7.
C
8.
C
9.
A
10.
D
Inferencing
1.
A
2.
A
3.
C
4.
B
5.
D
6.
C
7.
B
8.
D
9.
D
10.
A
Vocabulary
1.
A
2.
A
3.
C
4.
A
5.
C
6.
B
7.
A
8.
D
9.
B
10.
C
Reference
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Renewable energy
Solutions
Renewable energy standards
Additional
Utilities
Construct
Cities
Denver
Cool cities
World´s resources