Use of English

Alternative Energy

As concerns about climate change have grown, governments and scientists have stepped (0) UP their efforts to develop alternative energy sources. In the past, many countries relied heavily (1) .......... coal, oil and gas, but these fuels are limited and produce harmful emissions. As a result, increasing attention is now being (2) .......... to cleaner forms of energy such as wind, solar and tidal power. One reason for this shift is that the cost of renewable technology has (3) .......... dramatically in recent years. Solar panels, for example, are far more affordable than they used to be, which has made them available to a much wider (4) .......... of people. At the same time, engineers are working to improve battery storage, since renewable energy cannot always be (5) .......... on when the weather changes. Although progress has been impressive, there are still challenges to deal with. Large-scale projects often (6) .......... up significant investment, and some people object to wind farms because of their appearance. Even so, most experts agree that the world must (7) .......... on developing cleaner energy if it wants to reduce pollution and avoid future shortages. In the long (8) .........., alternative energy is likely to play an essential role in everyday life.