Read the text and answer the following questions.
Countries of the world rely heavily on petroleum, coal and natural gas for their energy sources. There are two major types of energy sources: renewable and non-renewable Hydro-carbon or fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy. Reliance on them poses real big problems. First, fossil fuels such as oil, coal, gas etc, are finite energy resources and the world eventually will run out of them. Secondly, they will become too expensive in the coming decades and too damaging for the environment. Thirdly, fossil fuels have direct polluting impacts on earth’s environment causing global warming. In contrast, renewable energy sources such as, wind and solar energy are constantly and naturally replenished and never rum out
Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight or solar energy can be used for heating and lighting homes, for generating electricity and for other commercial and industrial uses.
The sun’s heat drives the wind and this wind energy can be captured with wind turbines to produce electricity. Then the wind and the sun’s heat cause water to evaporate. When the water vapour turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers or strearns, its energy can be captured as hydroelectric energy
Along with the rain and snow, sunlight causes plants to grow. Plants produce biomass which again can be turned into fuels such as firewood, alcohol, etc. that are called hioenerge
Scientists have identified Flydrogen as another form of renewable energy source. It is the most abundant element in nature. But it does not exist separately as a gas. It is always combined with other elements, such as with oxygen to make water. Hydrogen, separated from another element, can be bumed as a fuel to produce electricity.
Our Earth’s interior contains molten lava which gives off extreme heat. This heat inside the Earth produces steam and hot water which can be used as geuthermal energy to produce electricity for heating homes, etc.
Ocean energy comes from several sources. Ocean’s force of tide and wave can be used to produce energy. The surface of the ocean gets more heat from the sun than the ocean depths. This temperature difference can be used as energy source too.
বিশ্বের দেশগুলো তাদের শক্তি উৎস হিসেবে পেট্রোলিয়াম, কয়লা এবং প্রাকৃতিক গ্যাসের উপর ব্যাপকভাবে নির্ভর করে। শক্তির দুটি প্রধান ধরণ রয়েছে: নবায়নযোগ্য (renewable) এবং অ–নবায়নযোগ্য (non-renewable)। হাইড্রোকার্বন বা জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানী (fossil fuels) হলো অ–নবায়নযোগ্য শক্তির উৎস। এগুলোর উপর নির্ভরতা বড় ধরনের সমস্যার সৃষ্টি করে। প্রথমত, তেল, কয়লা, গ্যাস ইত্যাদি জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানী সীমিত সম্পদ, এবং শেষপর্যন্ত পৃথিবী এগুলো থেকে স্বাভাবিকভাবে বঞ্চিত হবে। দ্বিতীয়ত, আগাম দশকে এগুলো অত্যন্ত ব্যয়বহুল হয়ে উঠবে এবং পরিবেশের জন্য ক্ষতিকর হবে। তৃতীয়ত, জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানী সরাসরি পৃথিবীর পরিবেশকে দূষিত করে, যা গ্লোবাল ওয়ার্মিং বা বৈশ্বিক উষ্ণায়নের কারণ হয়। অন্যদিকে, নবায়নযোগ্য শক্তি উৎস যেমন বায়ু ও সৌর শক্তি ক্রমাগত এবং প্রাকৃতিকভাবে পূর্ণ হয় এবং কখনও শেষ হয় না।
অধিকাংশ নবায়নযোগ্য শক্তি সরাসরি বা পরোক্ষভাবে সূর্য থেকে আসে। সূর্যের আলো বা সৌর শক্তি ঘর গরম করা, আলো সরবরাহ করা, বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন এবং অন্যান্য বাণিজ্যিক ও শিল্পক্ষেত্রের কাজে ব্যবহার করা যায়।
সূর্যের তাপ বাতাসকে চালিত করে এবং এই বায়ু শক্তি উইন্ড টারবাইন দিয়ে বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনের জন্য সংগ্রহ করা যায়। এরপর, বায়ু ও সূর্যের তাপ পানি বাষ্পীভূত করে। যখন জলীয় বাষ্প বৃষ্টি বা তুষার হয়ে নদী বা ঝর্ণায় নেমে যায়, তখন এর শক্তি জলবিদ্যুৎ বা হাইড্রোইলেকট্রিক শক্তি হিসেবে সংগ্রহ করা যায়।
বৃষ্টি ও তুষারের পাশাপাশি, সূর্যের আলো উদ্ভিদকে বৃদ্ধি করতে সাহায্য করে। উদ্ভিদ জীবাশ্ম (biomass) উৎপন্ন করে যা আবার জ্বালানি যেমন কাঠ, অ্যালকোহল ইত্যাদিতে রূপান্তরিত করা যায়। এগুলোকে বায়োএনার্জি বলা হয়।
বিজ্ঞানীরা হাইড্রোজেনকে আরেকটি নবায়নযোগ্য শক্তি উৎস হিসেবে চিহ্নিত করেছেন। এটি প্রকৃতিতে সবচেয়ে প্রচুর উপাদান। তবে এটি আলাদাভাবে গ্যাস হিসেবে বিদ্যমান নয়। এটি সবসময় অন্য উপাদানের সঙ্গে যুক্ত থাকে, যেমন অক্সিজেনের সঙ্গে যুক্ত হয়ে জল গঠন করে। হাইড্রোজেনকে অন্য উপাদান থেকে আলাদা করে জ্বালানো হলে এটি বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনের জন্য ব্যবহার করা যায়।
পৃথিবীর অভ্যন্তরে থাকা দাহ্য লাভা (molten lava) চরম তাপ প্রদান করে। এই তাপ, ভূত্বকের ভিতরে, বাষ্প ও গরম পানি উৎপন্ন করে যা বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদন বা ঘর গরম করার কাজে ব্যবহার করা যায়।
সমুদ্রের শক্তি বিভিন্ন উৎস থেকে আসে। সমুদ্রের জোয়ার ও তরঙ্গ শক্তি বিদ্যুৎ উৎপাদনের জন্য ব্যবহার করা যায়। সমুদ্রের পৃষ্ঠ থেকে সূর্য অধিক তাপ গ্রহণ করে, যা গভীরতার তুলনায় বেশি। এই তাপমাত্রার পার্থক্যকেও শক্তি উৎস হিসেবে ব্যবহার করা যায়।
Vocabulary Box: Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy
Words/Phrases | Meaning | Synonyms | Antonyms |
Rely heavily (verb phrase) | ব্যাপকভাবে নির্ভরশীল | depend greatly, count on | be independent of, avoid |
Petroleum (noun) | পেট্রোলিয়াম | crude oil, fossil fuel | |
Major (adjective) | প্রধান | main, primary | minor, insignificant |
Renewable (adjective) | নবায়নযোগ্য | replenishable, sustainable | non-renewable, finite |
Non-renewable (adjective) | অ–নবায়নযোগ্য | finite, exhaustible | renewable, infinite |
Hydro-carbon (noun) | হাইড্রোকার্বন | fossil fuel, organic compound | |
Fossil fuels (noun) | জীবাশ্ম জ্বালানি | coal, oil, natural gas | renewable resources |
Poses (verb) | সৃষ্টি করে | presents, creates | solves, prevents |
Reliance (noun) | নির্ভরতা | dependence | independence, self-sufficiency |
Finite (adjective) | সসীম | limited, exhaustible | infinite, unlimited |
Eventually (adverb) | শেষ পর্যন্ত | finally, ultimately | immediately, instantly |
Run out (phrasal verb) | ফুরিয়ে যাওয়া | be depleted, be exhausted | last, endure |
Decades (noun) | দশকসমূহ | periods of ten years | |
Damaging (adjective) | ক্ষতিকর | harmful, destructive | beneficial, harmless |
Environment (noun) | পরিবেশ | ecosystem, nature | |
Global warming (noun) | বৈশ্বিক উষ্ণায়ন | climate change, heating | global cooling, ice age |
In contrast (phrase) | বিপরীতভাবে | on the other hand, conversely | similarly, likewise |
Constantly (adverb) | নিরবচ্ছিন্নভাবে | continuously, perpetually | occasionally, intermittently |
Replenished (verb) | পুনঃপূরণ করা | refilled, restored | depleted, used up |
Solar energy (noun) | সৌরশক্তি | sunlight, solar power | |
Generating (verb) | উৎপাদন করা | producing, creating | consuming, using |
Electricity (noun) | বিদ্যুৎ | power, energy | |
Commercial (adjective) | বাণিজ্যিক | business, trade | domestic, residential |
Industrial (adjective) | শিল্প | manufacturing, factory | agricultural, domestic |
Drives (verb) | চালিত করে | powers, propels | stops, halts |
Captured (verb) | ধারণ করা | harnessed, trapped | released, lost |
Wind turbines (noun) | বায়ু টারবাইন | windmills, generators | |
Evaporate (verb) | বাষ্পীভূত হওয়া | vaporize, turn to gas | condense, liquefy |
Water vapour (noun) | জলীয় বাষ্প | steam, moisture | |
Hydroelectric energy (noun) | জলবিদ্যুৎ শক্তি | hydropower, water power | |
Biomass (noun) | বায়োমাস | organic matter, plant material | |
Bioenergy (noun) | বায়োএনার্জি | biofuel, organic energy | fossil fuel energy |
Identified (verb) | চিহ্নিত করা | recognized, classified | overlooked, ignored |
Hydrogen (noun) | হাইড্রোজেন | a chemical element (H) | |
Abundant (adjective) | প্রাচুর্য | plentiful, copious | scarce, rare |
Element (noun) | মৌল | basic substance, component | compound, mixture |
Exists (verb) | বিদ্যমান | is present, occurs | is absent, vanishes |
Separated (verb) | পৃথকীকৃত | divided, split | combined, merged |
Burned (verb) | পোড়ানো | combusted, ignited | extinguished, quenched |
Interior (noun) | অভ্যন্তরভাগ | inside, core | exterior, surface |
Molten lava (noun) | গলিত লাভা | magma, hot fluid rock | solid rock |
Extreme heat (noun) | চরম তাপ | intense heat, high temperature | extreme cold, freezing |
Geothermal energy (noun) | ভূ–তাপীয় শক্তি | earth heat, thermal energy | |
Ocean energy (noun) | সমুদ্রশক্তি | marine energy, tidal power | |
Tide (noun) | জোয়ার | rise and fall of the sea | |
Wave (noun) | তরঙ্গ | surge, breaker | calm, stillness |
Temperature difference (noun) | তাপমাত্রার পার্থক্য | heat contrast, thermal gap | uniform temperature |
Depths (noun) | গভীরতা | deep parts, bottom | shallows, surface |
Sources (noun) | উৎস | origins, means | endpoints, results |
Impacts (noun) | প্রভাব | effects, consequences | causes, origins |
Here are 50 multiple choice questions (MCQs) based on the passage about renewable and non-renewable energy sources:
- Which energy sources do countries rely heavily on?
A) Wind and solar
B) Petroleum, coal, and natural gas
C) Hydroelectric and biomass
D) Geothermal and ocean energy - What are the two major types of energy sources?
A) Nuclear and solar
B) Renewable and non-renewable
C) Fossil fuels and hydrogen
D) Wind and tidal - What type of energy are hydrocarbons or fossil fuels?
A) Renewable
B) Non-renewable
C) Infinite
D) Solar - What is a problem with relying on fossil fuels?
A) They are unlimited
B) They are finite
C) They are cheap
D) They never pollute - What will happen to fossil fuels in the future?
A) They will increase
B) They will run out
C) They will be free
D) They will be renewable - Why will fossil fuels become a problem economically?
A) They will be too cheap
B) They will become too expensive
C) They will be available everywhere
D) They will last forever - How do fossil fuels impact the environment?
A) They purify air
B) They cause global warming
C) They create rainfall
D) They reduce pollution - What are examples of renewable energy sources?
A) Oil and coal
B) Wind and solar energy
C) Natural gas and petroleum
D) Fossil fuels - How is renewable energy replenished?
A) Naturally and constantly
B) Manually
C) Rarely
D) Slowly - Which energy source is mostly derived from the sun?
A) Nuclear
B) Renewable energy
C) Coal
D) Petroleum - How can solar energy be used?
A) Only for cooking
B) Heating, lighting, electricity, and industrial uses
C) Only for transportation
D) Only for fossil fuel production - What drives the wind according to the passage?
A) Ocean waves
B) Sun’s heat
C) Geothermal heat
D) Fossil fuels - How can wind energy be captured?
A) With hydro plants
B) With wind turbines
C) With coal plants
D) With solar panels - What causes water to evaporate and form rivers for hydroelectric energy?
A) Fossil fuels
B) Wind and sun’s heat
C) Geothermal energy
D) Ocean tides - How is biomass produced?
A) From fossil fuels
B) From plants grown with sunlight, rain, and snow
C) From ocean energy
D) From wind turbines - Which fuels can biomass be turned into?
A) Coal and petroleum
B) Firewood and alcohol
C) Hydrogen and natural gas
D) Geothermal steam - What is the most abundant element in nature mentioned in the passage?
A) Oxygen
B) Hydrogen
C) Carbon
D) Nitrogen - How does hydrogen exist in nature?
A) As a free gas
B) Always combined with other elements
C) As solid blocks
D) As liquid fuel - With which element is hydrogen usually combined?
A) Carbon to form coal
B) Oxygen to make water
C) Nitrogen to make air
D) Sulfur to make acids - How can hydrogen produce electricity?
A) By being separated and burned as fuel
B) By freezing
C) By combining with coal
D) By making wind - Where does the Earth’s interior heat come from?
A) Fossil fuels
B) Molten lava
C) Sunlight
D) Ocean waves - What can geothermal energy be used for?
A) Cooking only
B) Electricity generation and heating homes
C) Wind turbines
D) Ocean energy - Which energy comes from ocean tides and waves?
A) Fossil fuel energy
B) Ocean energy
C) Geothermal energy
D) Solar energy - Why does the ocean surface get more heat than depths?
A) Sunlight heats the surface more
B) Fossil fuels heat the surface
C) Geothermal heat reaches the surface
D) Wind turbines heat the ocean - How can the temperature difference in the ocean be used?
A) To make fossil fuels
B) As an energy source
C) To evaporate coal
D) To heat coal plants - Which type of energy never runs out?
A) Fossil fuel energy
B) Renewable energy
C) Coal energy
D) Petroleum energy - What is a direct impact of fossil fuels on Earth?
A) They reduce global warming
B) They pollute the environment
C) They increase rainfall
D) They create biomass - Which energy is finite according to the passage?
A) Solar energy
B) Wind energy
C) Fossil fuels
D) Ocean energy - What energy source is driven by sunlight?
A) Biomass, wind, and hydroelectric energy
B) Fossil fuels only
C) Geothermal energy only
D) Ocean energy only - What can solar energy be used for in industry?
A) Only heating
B) Generating electricity and other commercial uses
C) Only wind generation
D) Only biofuel production - How do rivers and streams help in energy production?
A) By generating wind
B) By providing hydroelectric energy
C) By producing fossil fuels
D) By creating biomass - What turns water vapor into usable hydroelectric energy?
A) Evaporation and downhill flow
B) Fossil fuel burning
C) Ocean tides
D) Geothermal steam - What is the main role of sunlight in producing biomass?
A) To generate electricity
B) To help plants grow
C) To evaporate coal
D) To heat oceans - What is another name for fuels produced from plants?
A) Geothermal energy
B) Bioenergy
C) Fossil fuel
D) Ocean energy - Why is hydrogen considered renewable?
A) Because it is abundant in nature
B) Because it is unlimited as a free gas
C) Because it burns slowly
D) Because it forms from coal - What must be done to hydrogen to use it as fuel?
A) Freeze it
B) Separate it from other elements
C) Combine it with coal
D) Mix with water - What kind of energy comes from molten lava?
A) Solar energy
B) Geothermal energy
C) Ocean energy
D) Fossil fuel energy - What can ocean waves produce?
A) Hydrocarbon fuel
B) Electricity
C) Biomass
D) Hydrogen - How does sunlight influence wind?
A) By heating the air, causing wind
B) By evaporating water only
C) By creating oceans
D) By producing lava - What is the end product of using wind turbines?
A) Biofuel
B) Electricity
C) Geothermal heat
D) Hydrogen - What energy is produced when rain or snow flows downhill?
A) Wind energy
B) Hydroelectric energy
C) Solar energy
D) Fossil fuel energy - How does sunlight contribute to hydroelectric energy?
A) By causing water to evaporate
B) By heating fossil fuels
C) By creating lava
D) By generating hydrogen - What is firewood considered as?
A) Fossil fuel
B) Biomass fuel
C) Geothermal fuel
D) Ocean fuel - Which energy source can be used for heating homes?
A) Only fossil fuels
B) Solar, geothermal, and biomass energy
C) Only ocean energy
D) Only hydrogen - What element is hydrogen usually combined with in nature?
A) Carbon
B) Oxygen
C) Nitrogen
D) Sulfur - What produces steam and hot water inside the Earth?
A) Solar energy
B) Molten lava
C) Ocean tides
D) Biomass - How can the sun’s heat indirectly produce electricity?
A) Through fossil fuels
B) By driving wind and causing water flow
C) By creating molten lava
D) By producing hydrogen directly - Which energy is derived from tides and waves?
A) Geothermal energy
B) Ocean energy
C) Biomass energy
D) Solar energy - Why will fossil fuels become too damaging in the future?
A) Because they are finite and polluting
B) Because they are renewable
C) Because they are cheap
D) Because they produce wind - What is the main advantage of renewable energy?
A) It is infinite and less polluting
B) It is expensive
C) It produces fossil fuels
D) It always requires coal
Answers: 1. B, 2. B, 3. B, 4. B, 5. B, 6. B, 7. B, 8. B, 9. A, 10. B, 11. B, 12. B, 13. B, 14. B, 15. B, 16. B, 17. B, 18. B, 19. B, 20. A, 21. B, 22. B, 23. B, 24. A, 25. B, 26. B, 27. B, 28. C, 29. A, 30. B, 31. B, 32. A, 33. B, 34. B, 35. A, 36. B, 37. B, 38. B, 39. A, 40. B, 41. B, 42. A, 43. B, 44. B, 45. B, 46. B, 47. B, 48. B, 49. A, 50. A.
Here are 30 WH questions based on the passage about renewable and non-renewable energy sources:
- Which energy sources do countries rely heavily on?
- What are the two major types of energy sources?
- What type of energy are hydrocarbons or fossil fuels?
- Why is reliance on fossil fuels a problem?
- What will happen to fossil fuels in the future?
- How will fossil fuels become economically challenging?
- How do fossil fuels affect the environment?
- What are examples of renewable energy sources?
- How is renewable energy replenished?
- From where does most renewable energy come?
- How can solar energy be used in homes?
- How can solar energy be used commercially?
- How does the sun’s heat create wind energy?
- How can wind energy be captured?
- What causes water to evaporate for hydroelectric energy?
- How is hydroelectric energy produced from rivers and streams?
- How does sunlight help plants produce biomass?
- What fuels can biomass be converted into?
- Why is hydrogen considered a renewable energy source?
- How does hydrogen exist in nature?
- With which element is hydrogen usually combined?
- How can hydrogen produce electricity?
- What produces geothermal energy inside the Earth?
- How is geothermal energy used?
- How can ocean tides and waves produce energy?
- Why does the ocean surface get more heat than the depths?
- How can the temperature difference in the ocean be used?
- What is the main advantage of renewable energy?
- How does sunlight indirectly help produce electricity?
- What are the environmental benefits of using renewable energy?
Answers:
- Countries rely heavily on petroleum, coal, and natural gas for energy. These are the main non-renewable energy sources.
- The two major types of energy sources are renewable and non-renewable. Renewable sources are naturally replenished, while non-renewable sources are finite.
- Hydrocarbons or fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources. Examples include oil, coal, and natural gas.
- Reliance on fossil fuels is a problem because they are limited and pollute the environment. They also contribute to global warming.
- Fossil fuels will eventually run out. The world cannot rely on them forever.
- Fossil fuels will become economically challenging because their scarcity will make them expensive. Rising costs will affect global markets.
- Fossil fuels negatively affect the environment. They release pollutants that cause global warming and climate change.
- Examples of renewable energy sources include wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, and ocean energy. These sources are naturally replenished.
- Renewable energy is replenished naturally and constantly. It does not run out over time.
- Most renewable energy comes directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight drives wind, water cycles, and plant growth.
- Solar energy can be used to heat homes and provide lighting. It can also generate electricity for household use.
- Solar energy can be used for commercial and industrial purposes. Factories and businesses can use it to power operations.
- The sun’s heat causes air movement, which generates wind energy. This wind can then be harnessed using turbines.
- Wind energy can be captured with wind turbines. These turbines convert wind movement into electricity.
- Sunlight and wind cause water to evaporate, forming rain and snow. When this water flows downhill, it can be used for hydroelectric energy.
- Hydroelectric energy is produced when rivers and streams flow downhill and spin turbines. This process converts water energy into electricity.
- Sunlight helps plants grow, producing biomass. Biomass can be used as fuel or converted into energy.
- Biomass can be converted into fuels like firewood, alcohol, and other biofuels. These fuels can be burned to produce energy.
- Hydrogen is considered renewable because it is abundant in nature. It can be separated and used as a clean fuel.
- Hydrogen does not exist as a free gas in nature. It is always combined with other elements, such as oxygen in water.
- Hydrogen is usually combined with oxygen to form water. This combination is common in nature.
- Hydrogen can produce electricity when separated from other elements and burned as fuel. It is a clean and renewable energy source.
- Geothermal energy is produced by heat from molten lava inside the Earth. This heat generates steam and hot water.
- Geothermal energy can be used to produce electricity and heat homes. It is a sustainable source of energy.
- Ocean tides and waves can produce energy when captured with turbines. This energy is called ocean or tidal energy.
- The ocean surface receives more heat from the sun than the depths. This temperature difference can be used to generate energy.
- The temperature difference in the ocean can be used as an energy source. It can drive turbines and generate electricity.
- The main advantage of renewable energy is that it is infinite and less polluting. It helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- Sunlight indirectly helps produce electricity by driving wind and water cycles. Wind and hydro energy are powered by solar heat.
- Renewable energy benefits the environment by reducing pollution. It also mitigates global warming and conserves natural resources.