ESL Podcast 866 - Using Renewable Energy
invention - something that one has created, that nobody else has made before, usually to fill some need or with some special purpose, especially with hopes that it can be sold
Somebody needs to come up with an invention that will fold and put away the laundry automatically!
energy source - a way of obtaining or getting the energy needed to power or operate machines
Someday we will run out of oil, so we need to find alternative energy sources.
renewable energy - energy that comes from natural resources that cannot be depleted (cannot run out), like sun, wind, and water
Many people say they care about the environment, but how many of them are willing to pay more for renewable energy?
to recycle - to take a used item and break it into its components (parts or pieces) so that they can be used to make a new item again
In most cities, people can recycle plastic containers, but not the lids.
fuel - something that is burned to produce energy to power machines
Do those trains run on diesel or some other kind of fuel?
the wave of the future - something that will become very popular and commonplace or normal in the future
Working from home and connecting to the office online is the wave of the future.
efficient - doing something well with a small amount of time, money, or other resources
We could make our factory more efficient if we found a way to use the heat that the machines generate to keep the buildings warm in the wintertime.
wind power - a way to create energy by using the natural wind to move large pieces of metal in a circle to produce energy
Wind power is great for the environment, but many people complain about the way an area looks once it is covered in wind turbines.
solar energy - a way to create energy by using large, flat panels to collect energy from sunlight
The Lopez family put special panels on their roof so that they can use solar energy to heat their water.
geothermal - related to a way of getting energy by accessing the very hot area inside the planet, underground
Geothermal heat is a good energy source, because it does not create any pollution.
hydroelectric power plant - a construction that produces energy by having a large wall (dam) that holds back a lot of water, and that lets a small amount of water flow through at specific times when it is used to turn turbines that produce electricity
How do hydroelectric power plants make sure that salmon and other types of fish are able to swim on the rivers without being killed by the dams?
to waste - to not use something fully; to throw away or destroy something that could have been used by others for a particular purpose
If you turn off the water while brushing your teeth, you can avoid wasting so much water.
I hate to break it to you - a phrase used when delivering bad news, used to show that one does not want to disappoint someone or hurt his or her feelings
I know you've been working really hard on these math problems, so I hate to break it to you, but the assignment was actually to do the problems on the next page.
to convert - to transform; to change something from one thing into another
How can I convert a weight from pounds to kilos?
biofuel - a fuel (something that can be burned to produce energy) that is made from organic (plants and animals) substances
How much of corn grown in the United States is used for biofuel versus food?
to beat (someone) to the punch - to do something before another person has an opportunity to do it
Henrietta wanted to suggest a change to the company's policy on paid vacations, but one of her co-workers beat her to the punch.
stench - a very bad smell; a very unpleasant smell
There's always a stench around that pig farm.