Session I : Listening Practise

Time Allocation : 45 minutes

Source : BBC Learning English – Words in the News
Tasks : 1. Filling in the blank with the correct words based on the news recording
2. Answering questions based on the complete text

China has passed the United States to become the world’s biggest energy user, according to the
International Energy Agency. However, Chinese officials say the the IEA’s data are unrealible. Economics
correspondent, Andrew Walker reports:

China was bound to overtake the US in terms of total ………. (1) sooner or later, and according to ……….
(2), it happened in ………. (3).

One long-term factor behind this ………. (4) is China’s ………. (5) – more than ………. (6) times that of the
US – with a ………. (7) appetite for ………. (8) that need ………. (9) to use ad to ………. (10).

The other ………. (11) reason is China’s ………. (12), an annual average of ………. (13) over the last ……….
(14), compared with a much slower ………. (15) in the United States. Much of China’s economic growth
has been in ………. (16) and ………. (17), which are big energy users.

The timing of China ………. (18) the US also reflects the ………. (19), which hit the American economy
much harder and so had a ………. (20) on the country’s energy use. China’s new lead in energy ………. (21)
is yet another ………. (22) of its growing ………. (23) in the global economy especially in international
energy markets.

But while China’s total energy consumption has, according to the ………. (24), overtaken the US, it’s still
far behind in terms of energy use per ………. (25), by a factor of more than ………. (26). Chinese officials
have said the IEA’s data are ………. (27), and fail to ………. (28) for what they call their relentless ……….
(29) to cut energy use and ………. (30). The response probably reflects China’s ………. (31) to ………. (32) of
its growing global influence. But the IEA’s ………. (33) is not a criticism. A senior official at the agency
desribed China’s growing energy consumption as ………. (34), considering ………. (35).

Comprehension Tasks (Speaking)

1. What is the text about?
2. What is the IEA?

List of words for completing the text

key energy consumption consumption bigger impact IEA calculations
construction global financial crisis rapid economic growth energy manufacture
development 2.6% 2009 overtaking 10%
two decades growing industry population indicator
consumer goods unreliable four account sensitivity
three influence IEA person efforts
criticism emissions analysis legitimate Its population