Dominica is a beautiful island with rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanoes. It is working on using its natural resources to make clean energy. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica wants to stop using diesel for electricity. They are building a geothermal power plant that uses steam from underground to make electricity, hoping to finish it by the end of the year.

The geothermal project is a team effort between Dominica’s government and a company called Ormat Technologies. The project gets money from different places, but it has faced some problems. Some people are worried about the environment and animals in the area. However, the company says the project will create jobs and provide clean, reliable energy.

If Dominica’s geothermal plant works well, it could help other Caribbean islands use clean energy too. The region wants to use only renewable energy by 2030. This project is important for Dominica and could be a good example for other islands. It shows how to move away from using fossil fuels and protect the environment.

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

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students will act out key terms from the article (e.g., “geothermal,” “volcanoes,” “Hurricane Maria,” “clean energy”) without speaking while the rest of the class guesses the words. This will help them engage with the vocabulary in a fun way.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Students will be divided into small groups and asked to discuss whether they think Dominica’s plan for clean energy is a good idea. After discussing, each group will share their opinions with the class, promoting speaking and listening skills.

– SKETCH IT
Instructions: Students will be given a few words from the article (e.g., “rainforest,” “power plant,” “electricity”). They will then draw a quick sketch of each term on the board while their classmates guess the words. This will help reinforce vocabulary through visual aids.

– TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
Instructions: Each student will come up with three statements about Dominica or the geothermal project. Two statements must be true, and one must be a lie. The rest of the class will guess which statement is the lie, encouraging critical thinking and discussion about the content of the article.

– MIND MAP
Instructions: In pairs, students will create a mind map based on the article. They will write “Dominica” in the center and branch out with ideas such as “geothermal energy,” “environment,” “jobs,” and “Hurricane Maria.” This activity will help them organize their thoughts and see the connections between different concepts in the article.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What natural features can you find on the island of Dominica?
2. Why does Dominica want to stop using diesel for electricity?
3. What type of power plant is Dominica building?
4. Who is working with the government of Dominica on the geothermal project?
5. What are some worries people have about the geothermal project?
6. How could the geothermal plant help other Caribbean islands?
7. What does the region want to achieve by the year 2030?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Dominica is a beautiful island with (1)______, waterfalls, and volcanoes. It is working on using its natural resources to (2)______ clean (3)______. After Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica wants to stop using diesel for electricity. They are building a geothermal power plant that uses steam from underground to make electricity, hoping to finish it by the end of the (4)______.

The geothermal (5)______ is a team effort between Dominica’s government and a company called Ormat Technologies. The project gets (6)______ from different places, but it has faced some problems. Some (7)______ are worried about the environment and animals in the area. However, the company says the project will create jobs and provide clean, (8)______ energy.

If Dominica’s geothermal (9)______ works well, it could help other Caribbean (10)______ use clean energy too. The region wants to use only renewable energy by 2030. This project is important for Dominica and could be a good example for other islands. It (11)______ how to move away from using fossil (12)______ and protect the environment.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite natural place you have visited?

2. How would you feel if you lived on an island like Dominica?

3. Do you think using clean energy is important? Why or why not?

4. What is a volcano? Have you ever seen one?

5. Do you like visiting places with waterfalls? Why?

6. How would you feel if there was a big storm like Hurricane Maria where you live?

7. Do you think it is good to use geothermal energy? Why or why not?

8. What is your favorite way to help the environment?

9. Have you ever seen a project that helps nature? What was it?

10. Do you think it is important for countries to work together on clean energy? Why?

11. How would you feel if your job helped the environment?

12. Do you think other places should follow Dominica’s example? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. resources
2. diesel
3. geothermal
4. steam
5. government
6. technologies
7. reliable
8. renewable
9. region
10. example
11. fossil fuels
12. protect

Meanings:
(A) Hot water vapor that comes from boiling water
(B) Something that shows how to do something right
(C) Using heat from inside the Earth to make energy
(D) A type of fuel made from oil, used in engines
(E) Fuels like coal, oil, and gas that come from ancient plants and animals
(F) Energy that can be used again and again, like from the sun or wind
(G) A specific area or part of the world
(H) New machines or ways of doing things
(I) Things that can be used to help make something, like energy or materials
(J) The group of people who make decisions for a country
(K) Something you can trust to work well
(L) To keep something safe from harm or damage
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What type of natural disaster did Dominica experience in 2017?
(a) Earthquake
(b) Flood
(c) Hurricane Maria
(d) Tornado

2. What is Dominica trying to stop using for electricity?
(a) Solar power
(b) Wind power
(c) Coal
(d) Diesel

3. What kind of power plant is Dominica building?
(a) Solar
(b) Geothermal
(c) Wind
(d) Hydro

4. Who is working with Dominica’s government on the geothermal project?
(a) Tesla
(b) BP
(c) Ormat Technologies
(d) ExxonMobil

5. What do some people worry about regarding the geothermal project?
(a) The cost of electricity
(b) The environment and animals
(c) The number of jobs
(d) The amount of water

6. What does the company say the project will create?
(a) Jobs
(b) Pollution
(c) Traffic
(d) Problems

7. By what year does the Caribbean region want to use only renewable energy?
(a) 2030
(b) 2025
(c) 2040
(d) 2022

8. What does the geothermal project show for other islands?
(a) How to use more fossil fuels
(b) How to waste energy
(c) How to build more roads
(d) How to protect the environment

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Some people are worried about how the project will affect the environment and animals.
2. The island is trying to make clean energy from its natural resources.
3. Dominica is an island with dull nature, including deserts and canyons.
4. The geothermal plant could help other Caribbean islands use clean energy too.
5. The geothermal project is a partnership between the government of Dominica and Ormat Technologies.
6. They are constructing a solar power plant to generate electricity from sunlight underground.
7. Dominica wants to use only nonrenewable energy by the year 2030.
8. After Hurricane Sandy in 2017, Dominica wants to continue using diesel for electricity.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

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 do to make clean energy?
2. What kind of power plant is Dominica building?
3. Who is working with the government on the geothermal project?
4. Why are some people worried about the geothermal project?
5. How could Dominica’s project help other Caribbean islands?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What natural features can you find on the island of Dominica?
You can find rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanoes on the island of Dominica.

2. Why does Dominica want to stop using diesel for electricity?
Dominica wants to stop using diesel for electricity because they want to use clean energy instead.

3. What type of power plant is Dominica building?
Dominica is building a geothermal power plant.

4. Who is working with the government of Dominica on the geothermal project?
A company called Ormat Technologies is working with the government of Dominica on the geothermal project.

5. What are some worries people have about the geothermal project?
Some people are worried about the environment and animals in the area because of the geothermal project.

6. How could the geothermal plant help other Caribbean islands?
If the geothermal plant works well, it could show other Caribbean islands how to use clean energy too.

7. What does the region want to achieve by the year 2030?
The region wants to use only renewable energy by the year 2030.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) rainforests
(2) make
(3) energy
(4) year
(5) project
(6) money
(7) people
(8) reliable
(9) plant
(10) islands
(11) shows
(12) fuels
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. resources
Answer: (I) Things that can be used to help make something, like energy or materials

2. diesel
Answer: (D) A type of fuel made from oil, used in engines

3. geothermal
Answer: (C) Using heat from inside the Earth to make energy

4. steam
Answer: (A) Hot water vapor that comes from boiling water

5. government
Answer: (J) The group of people who make decisions for a country

6. technologies
Answer: (H) New machines or ways of doing things

7. reliable
Answer: (K) Something you can trust to work well

8. renewable
Answer: (F) Energy that can be used again and again, like from the sun or wind

9. region
Answer: (G) A specific area or part of the world

10. example
Answer: (B) Something that shows how to do something right

11. fossil fuels
Answer: (E) Fuels like coal, oil, and gas that come from ancient plants and animals

12. protect
Answer: (L) To keep something safe from harm or damage
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What type of natural disaster did Dominica experience in 2017?
Answer: (c) Hurricane Maria

2. What is Dominica trying to stop using for electricity?
Answer: (d) Diesel

3. What kind of power plant is Dominica building?
Answer: (b) Geothermal

4. Who is working with Dominica’s government on the geothermal project?
Answer: (c) Ormat Technologies

5. What do some people worry about regarding the geothermal project?
Answer: (b) The environment and animals

6. What does the company say the project will create?
Answer: (a) Jobs

7. By what year does the Caribbean region want to use only renewable energy?
Answer: (a) 2030

8. What does the geothermal project show for other islands?
Answer: (d) How to protect the environment
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Some people are worried about how the project will affect the environment and animals. (Answer: True)
2. The island is trying to make clean energy from its natural resources. (Answer: True)
3. Dominica is an island with dull nature, including deserts and canyons. (Answer: False)
4. The geothermal plant could help other Caribbean islands use clean energy too. (Answer: True)
5. The geothermal project is a partnership between the government of Dominica and Ormat Technologies. (Answer: True)
6. They are constructing a solar power plant to generate electricity from sunlight underground. (Answer: False)
7. Dominica wants to use only nonrenewable energy by the year 2030. (Answer: False)
8. After Hurricane Sandy in 2017, Dominica wants to continue using diesel for electricity. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧