Chernòbil avui: el sarcòfag en runes i el debat sobre l'energia nuclear

PART A

I.

a. What is the main problem in Chernobyl nowadays? The main problem in Chernobyl nowadays is that, twenty-five years on from the accident, the sarcophagus, hastily put in place to prevent further poisons seeping into the atmosphere, is now crumbling, and this poses a great danger to the people of the region.

b. What happened just after the explosion in 1986? What has happened since 1986 until now is that they had to be used to cover the stricken reactor with a massive steel and concrete structure to seal in the lethal mix of radioactive fuel and materials, like concrete and sand, that fused together in the 1986 blast. That structure has come to the end of its lifespan and must be replaced but, to date, nothing has been done.

II.

a) The sarcophagus is now in perfect condition. F. Twenty-five years on from the accident, the sarcophagus, hastily put in place to prevent further poisons seeping into the atmosphere, is now crumbling.

b) In 1968 workers used steel and concrete to build a brand-new reactor. F. In the aftermath of the explosion in 1986, emergency teams covered the stricken reactor with a massive steel and concrete structure.

c) Ms Roxe agrees with experts who said that the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters were similar. T.

III.

a. Consequence = heartbroken.

b. Very sad = aftermath.

c. Disintegrating = crumbling.

d. Working time = lifespan.

IV.

1. Twenty-five % of the Chernobyl region is... a. ready for people to live safely. No es b. dangerous for people to live safely. Sí que es c. ready for up to 200,000 people to live safely. No es

2. In the 1986 blast, ... a. sand and concrete just disappeared. No es b. sand and concrete rumbled away. No es c. sand and concrete melted and intermixed. Sí que es

3. In Chernobyl, ... a. more than 90% of the radioactive material is still active and dangerous. Sí que es b. less than 90% of the radioactive material is still active and dangerous. No es c. only 3% of the radioactive material is still active and dangerous.

PART B

Write about whether you are in favour of or against nuclear power plants.

I will write the things for and against nuclear power plants, even though I am against them all, because of what they cause on Earth.

On the one hand, the pollution caused by the emission of certain gases has a lot to do with global warming. This produces the greenhouse effect, of which the main gas is carbon dioxide.

On the other hand, socio-economic development and technological progress are not possible without a guaranteed supply of energy. Nuclear energy is not subject to changes in weather, and nuclear power plants operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, producing energy continuously.

In conclusion, nuclear power plants are very difficult to make suddenly disappear, because there is a world energy demand, even though they risk causing economic, ecological and social harm.