Dominica is a beautiful island with lots of trees, waterfalls, and volcanoes. It is trying to use its natural power to make clean energy. They are building a new power plant that uses steam from hot rocks underground. This plant will help them stop using diesel, which is not good for the environment. By 2030, they want to use only clean energy and make electricity cheaper for everyone.

The power plant is a team effort between Dominica and a company called Ormat Technologies. They got money from different places to build it, but some people are worried it might hurt the plants and animals nearby. The company says it will make jobs and give clean energy all the time. Other islands might want to do the same thing if it works well. Dominica wants to show everyone how to use clean energy and stop using fuels that pollute.

Original news source: Letting off steam: How Dominica’s volcanoes will boost its green energy (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students will take turns acting out words or phrases related to the article (e.g., island, waterfall, volcano, clean energy, power plant). The rest of the class will guess what they are acting out.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will choose a word from the article (e.g., trees, diesel, jobs) and draw it on the board. The other groups will try to guess the word based on the drawing.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Ask students if they think clean energy is important. They will raise their hands to show their opinion (yes or no) and then discuss in pairs why they feel that way.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Give students a prompt related to the article, such as “What do you think about using clean energy?” They will think about their answer, discuss it with a partner, and then share their thoughts with the class.

– SYNONYM CHALLENGE
Instructions: Write key words from the article (e.g., beautiful, stop, build) on the board. Students will work in pairs to find synonyms for each word and share them with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Dominica known for?

2. What kind of energy is Dominica trying to use?

3. What is the new power plant using to make energy?

4. Why do they want to stop using diesel?

5. Who is helping Dominica build the power plant?

6. What do some people worry about with the new power plant?

7. What do they hope to show other islands?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Dominica is a beautiful island with lots of trees, waterfalls, and volcanoes. It is (1)______ to use its natural power to make (2)______ energy. They are building a new power plant that uses steam from hot rocks underground. This plant will help them stop using diesel, which is not good for the environment. By 2030, they want to use only clean energy and (3)______ electricity cheaper for everyone.

The (4)______ plant is a team effort between Dominica and a (5)______ called Ormat Technologies. They got money from different places to build it, but some people are (6)______ it might hurt the plants and animals nearby. The company says it will make jobs and give clean energy all the time. Other (7)______ might want to do the same thing if it works well. Dominica wants to (8)______ everyone how to use clean energy and stop using fuels that pollute.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite place in nature?
2. Do you like trees? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you saw a big waterfall?
4. Do you think clean energy is important? Why?
5. What is a volcano? Have you ever seen one?
6. Do you like to learn about how to help the Earth?
7. How would you feel if your home used clean energy?
8. Do you think it is good to have jobs that help the environment? Why?
9. What is your favorite animal? Do you think it is safe from pollution?
10. Have you ever visited an island? What was it like?
11. How would you feel if you could help make clean energy?
12. Do you think all countries should use clean energy? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. island
2. waterfalls
3. volcanoes
4. steam
5. diesel
6. environment
7. company
8. worried
9. jobs
10. fuels

Meanings:
(A) Water that falls from a high place
(B) Hot mist that comes from boiling water
(C) The world around us, like air, water, and land
(D) Work that people do to earn money
(E) A group of people working together to make things
(F) A type of fuel used in engines
(G) Things that are burned to make energy
(H) Feeling scared or nervous about something
(I) A mountain that can explode with hot rocks
(J) A piece of land surrounded by water
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🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is Dominica?
(a) A city
(b) A country
(c) A mountain
(d) An island

2. What does Dominica want to make?
(a) Clean energy
(b) Dirty energy
(c) More cars
(d) More buildings

3. What is the new power plant using?
(a) Water from the ocean
(b) Wind from the sky
(c) Steam from hot rocks
(d) Sunlight from the sun

4. What does Dominica want to stop using?
(a) Diesel
(b) Water
(c) Food
(d) Trees

5. Who is helping Dominica build the power plant?
(a) Other islands
(b) The government
(c) The people
(d) Ormat Technologies

6. What do some people worry about?
(a) The weather
(b) Plants and animals
(c) The ocean
(d) The roads

7. What will the power plant give?
(a) Dirty water
(b) More cars
(c) Clean energy
(d) More trash

8. What do other islands want to do?
(a) Make more pollution
(b) Use clean energy
(c) Build more roads
(d) Grow more trees

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🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The power plant uses steam from cold rocks.
2. A company called Ormat Technologies is helping.
3. Dominica wants to make clean energy.
4. They are demolishing a new power plant.
5. Some people are not concerned the plant might hurt plants and animals.
6. The plant will help stop using diesel.
7. By 2030, Dominica wants only clean energy.
8. Dominica is an ugly island with no trees and waterfalls.
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📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What is Dominica trying to make with its natural power?
2. What do they want to stop using because it is not good for the environment?
3. Who is helping Dominica build the new power plant?
4. Why are some people worried about the new power plant?
5. What does Dominica want to show everyone about clean energy?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is Dominica known for?
Dominica is known for its trees, waterfalls, and volcanoes.

2. What kind of energy is Dominica trying to use?
Dominica is trying to use clean energy.

3. What is the new power plant using to make energy?
The new power plant is using steam from hot rocks underground to make energy.

4. Why do they want to stop using diesel?
They want to stop using diesel because it is not good for the environment.

5. Who is helping Dominica build the power plant?
A company called Ormat Technologies is helping Dominica build the power plant.

6. What do some people worry about with the new power plant?
Some people worry that the power plant might hurt the plants and animals nearby.

7. What do they hope to show other islands?
They hope to show other islands how to use clean energy and stop using fuels that pollute.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) trying
(2) clean
(3) make
(4) power
(5) company
(6) worried
(7) islands
(8) show
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📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. island
Answer: (J) A piece of land surrounded by water

2. waterfalls
Answer: (A) Water that falls from a high place

3. volcanoes
Answer: (I) A mountain that can explode with hot rocks

4. steam
Answer: (B) Hot mist that comes from boiling water

5. diesel
Answer: (F) A type of fuel used in engines

6. environment
Answer: (C) The world around us, like air, water, and land

7. company
Answer: (E) A group of people working together to make things

8. worried
Answer: (H) Feeling scared or nervous about something

9. jobs
Answer: (D) Work that people do to earn money

10. fuels
Answer: (G) Things that are burned to make energy
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is Dominica?
Answer: (d) An island

2. What does Dominica want to make?
Answer: (a) Clean energy

3. What is the new power plant using?
Answer: (c) Steam from hot rocks

4. What does Dominica want to stop using?
Answer: (a) Diesel

5. Who is helping Dominica build the power plant?
Answer: (d) Ormat Technologies

6. What do some people worry about?
Answer: (b) Plants and animals

7. What will the power plant give?
Answer: (c) Clean energy

8. What do other islands want to do?
Answer: (b) Use clean energy
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🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The power plant uses steam from cold rocks. (Answer: False)
2. A company called Ormat Technologies is helping. (Answer: True)
3. Dominica wants to make clean energy. (Answer: True)
4. They are demolishing a new power plant. (Answer: False)
5. Some people are not concerned the plant might hurt plants and animals. (Answer: False)
6. The plant will help stop using diesel. (Answer: True)
7. By 2030, Dominica wants only clean energy. (Answer: True)
8. Dominica is an ugly island with no trees and waterfalls. (Answer: False)
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