Though a clean source of energy,wind power has its own limits and can't be developed everywhere.（）

vironmental issues: the development of sources of clean energy needs to be【22】line with their interests. Clean energy has been given greater prominence than ever before; it is seen as a new industrial【23】and【24】of economic growth for the new century. The time for clean energy has come.

In China, clean energy is moving ahead at full speed. Take wind power as an example: by the end of last year, China had【25】wind power generating capacity of 12. 21GW, making China the largest wind power generator in Asia and fourth in the world. But according to the research, one-third of wind power capacity is running【26】due to an inability to get the power to the national【27】.

India-like China—relies【28】on coal for its energy needs. This will only change if the funds and technology to develop clean energy, such as wind and nuclear power, are【29】. India will not choose clean energy【30】. Nuclear power is currently the most【31】of clean energy sources.【32】, if it is to be【33】on a large scale by developing nations, technological advances will be needed to make it competitive with coal.

Compared【34】developed countries, developing countries have more【35】choices when it comes to energy structure. Promoting economic growth requires【36】energy—and coal, the cheapest and most【37】source of energy for many countries—is the【38】choice. Cheap coal means cheap electricity and a competitive economy. Rising electricity prices would cause public【39】and impact on standards of【40】.

(21)

A．scarce

B．scare

C．scarcity

D．scary

Text2

While fossil fuels- coal,oil,gas- still generate roughly 85 percent of the world's energy

supply,it'sclearer than ever that the future belongs to renewablesources such as wind and solar.The

move to renewables is picking up momentumaround the world: They now account for more than half ofnew power sourcesgoing on line.

Some growth stems from a commitment bygovernments and farsighted Businssesto

fundcleanerenergy sources.But increasinglythestoryisabout theplummeting prices of

renewables,especially wind and solar.The cost of solarpanels has dropped by 80 percent and the

cost of wind turbines by close taone-third in the past eight years.

In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source.In

Scotland,for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes.

While the rest of the world takes the lead, notably China and Europe, the United States is also

seeing a remarkable shift. In March,for the first time,wind and solar power accounted for more

than 10 percent of the power generated in the US,reported the US Energy Information

Administration.

President Trump has underlined fossil fuels - especially coal - as thepathto economic growth.

In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source, But that

message did not play well with many in Iowa,where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36

percent of the state's electricity generation - and where tech giants likeMicrosoftare being

attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.

The question “what happens when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn'tshine？" has provid

ed a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage

apacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.

The advance is driven in par by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big

bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity

on roads now. this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.

While there's a long way to go,the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of

change in energy sources appears to be speeding up perhaps: just in time to have a

meaningful effect in slowing climate change.What Washington does-or

doesn't do- to promote alternative energy may mean less and less a time of

aglobal shift in thought.

26.The word "plummeting"(Line3,Para.2)is closest in meaning to ______

A.stabilizing

B.changing

C.falling

D.rising

27. According to Paragraph 3,the use of renewable energy in America ______

A. is progressing notably

B. is as extensive as in Europe

C. faces many challenges

D. has proved to be impractical

28. It can be learned that in Iowa,

______.

A. wind is a widely used energy source

B. wind energy has replaced fossil fuels

C. tech giants are investing in clean energy

D. there is a shortage of clean energy supply

29. Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6？A. Its

application has boosted battery storage.B. It is commonly used in car manufacturing.C. Its

continuous supply is becoming a reality.D. Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult. 30. It

can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy _____.

A. will bring the US closer to other countries

B. will accelerate global environmental change

C. is not really encouraged by the US government

D. is not competitive enough with regard to its cost

30. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy _____.

earer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar. The move to renewables is picking up momentum around the world： They now account for more than half of new power sources going on line.

Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the plummeting prices of renewables， especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines by close to one-third in the past eight years.

In many parts of the world renewable energy is already a principal energy source. In Scotland， for example， wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes. While the rest of the world takes the lead， notably China and Europe， the United States is also seeing a remarkable shift. In March， for the first time， wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US， reported the US Energy Information Administration.

President Trump has underlined fossil fuels—especially coal—as the path to economic growth. In a recent speech in Iowa， he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. But that message did not play well with many in Iowa， where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state’s electricity generation—and where tech giants like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.

The question “What happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine？” has provided a quick put-down for skeptics. But a boost in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.

The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers， who are placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still a rarity on roads now， this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.

While there’s a long way to go， the trend lines for renewables are spiking. The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up—perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change. What Washington does—or doesn’t do—to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.

The word “plummeting”（Line 3， Para. 2） is closest in meaning to .

A.stabilizing

B.changing

C.falling

D.rising

It can be inferred from the last paragraph that renewable energy____.A.will bring the USA closer to other countries.

B.will accelerate global environmental change.

C.is not really encouraged by the USA government.

D.is not competitive enough with regard to its cost.

According to Paragraph 3， the use of renewable energy in America .A.is progressing notably

B.is as extensive as in Europe

C.faces many challenges

D.has proved to be impractical

Which of the following is true about clean energy according to Paragraphs 5&6？A.Its application has boosted battery storage.

B.It is commonly used in car manufacturing.

C.Its continuous supply is becoming a reality.

D.Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult.

It can be learned that in Iowa， .A.wind is a widely used energy source

B.wind energy has replaced fossil fuels

C.tech giants are investing in clean energy

D.there is a shortage of clean energy supply

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

根据下列文章,请回答 31～35 题。

Renewable Energy Sources

Today petroleum provides around 40% of the world's energy needs, mostly fuelling automobiles. Coal is still used, mostly in power stations, to cover one-quarter of our energy needs, but it is the least efficient, unhealthiest and most environmentally damaging fossil fuel. Natural gas reserves could plug some of the gap from oil, but reserves of that will not last into the 22nd century either. Most experts predict we will exhaust easily accessible reserves within 50 years. We could fast reach an energy crisis. We need to rapidly develop sustainable solutions to fuel our future. Less-polluting renewable energy sources offer a more practical long-term energy solution. They may benefit the world's poor too. "Renewable" refers to the fact that these resources are not used faster than they can be replaced.

The Chinese and Romans used watermills over 2000 years ago. But the first hydroelectric (水电的) dam was built in England in 1870. Hydroelectric power is now the most common form. of renewable energy, supplying around 20% of world electricity. China's Three Gorges Dam, which has just been completed, is the largest ever. At five times the size of the US's Hoover Dam, its 26 turbines (涡轮机) will generate the equivalent energy of 18 coal-fired power stations. It will satisfy 3% of China's entire electricity demand. Surprisingly, some argue that hydroelectric dams significantly contribute greenhouse gases.

In 2003, the first commercial power station to harness tidal currents (潮汐发电) in the open sea opened in Norway. It is designed like windmills, but others take the form. of turbines.

As prices fall, wind power has become the fastest growing type of electricity generation - quadrupling (变成四倍) worldwide between 1999"and 2005. Modern wind farms consist of turbines that generate electricity. Though it will be more expensive, there is more than enough wind to provide the world's entire energy needs. Wind farms come in onshore and offshore forms. They can often end up at spots of natural beauty, and are often unpopular with residents. And turbines are not totally benign (无害的) - they can interfere with radar and leave a significant ecological footprint, altering climate and killing sea birds. Migrating birds may have more luck avoiding them. Scotland is building Europe's largest wind farm, which will power 200,000 homes. The UK's goal is to generate one-fifth of power from renewable sources, mainly wind, by 2020. But this may cause problems, because wind is unreliable.

第 31 题 According to the passage, the most popular form. of renewable energy in the world is_________

A．hydroelectric power.

B．solar energy.

C．wind powers

D．tidal power.

A.source

B.power

C.material

D.energy

A、source

B、material

C、power

D、energy

Remember global warming？ (记得全球变暖吗？) Back in December, the threat of climate change was thundering and the rich countries agreed to cut their carbon-dioxide and other green-house-related emissions. Since then, interest has cooled markedly, and many European countries are already running away from the promises they made so loudly a few months ago. But there has been much talk, and a bit of action, to encourage renewable energies such as wind, hydro, solar and all living organisms. These emit no greenhouse gases, but tend to cost more than coal, oil or gas.

The better, simpler idea is to remember that the easiest way to reduce something is to tax it - in this case, by taxing the carbon content power. The dirtier the power, the more tax it would pay. So dirty coal would be more expensive than clean coal, which would see its price rise in relation to oil, which would be more expensive compared with gas, which would lose some of its price advantage over renewables.

Unless a carbon tax was so huge as to be economically crippling, it would not remove the price differential between all renewables and fossil fuels. But it would narrow that gap, by fixing the differing environmental costs into the price - a useful principle in itself. It would also give renewable producers a strong incentive to cut costs, and fossil-fuel suppliers the motivation to clean their products.

Precedents suggest strongly that a carbon tax would be effective. But the disadvantage to carbon tax is political. After almost a decade of trying, the European Union gave up an attempt at a European carbon tax last year. Germany’s ruling coalition is fighting against a proposed energy tax. In America, politicians believe that even mentioning the notion is certain death. But many of the political objections could be met if a carbon tax were made up for the loss elsewhere, for example by lowering payroll or sales taxes. There is always suspicion when governments come up with clever new ways to tax, and rightly so. The response to that suspicion should be to win the argument, not to abandon it.

1.According to the passage, the easiest way to remove global warming is ___________.

A.to encourage people to use renewable energies

B.to cut down the cost of wind, hydro, solar and all living organisms

C.to force people to pay more tax for the carbon content of power

D.to talk less but act more

2.The standard of paying tax was _________.

A.that the more carbon content of power it contained, the higher tax one would pay

B.that oil would be more expensive than clean coal

C.that renewables would be most expensive of all

D.in the order that renewables are the most expensive while clean coal the cheapest

3.We can infer from the passage that carbon tax ___________.

A.may not be as effective as people expect

B.has encouraged renewable producers to cut costs

C.has reduced consumption of the carbon content energy successfully

D.couldn’t be that effective if fossil fuels would not be forbidden

4.The word “crippling”(Para. 3) most probably means _________.

A.greatly increasing

B.seriously weakening

C.sharply declining

D.abruptly halting

5.The reason why many countries stopped introducing carbon tax eventually was mainly that ___________.

A.governments had tried to put it into effect for many years but with no obvious result

B.if one country made up the loss by paying the carbon tax, other countries would follow it

C.governments were afraid of being suspected if they adopted the new tax

D.governments had been discussing what to do with carbon tax for a long time, but they hadn’t come to an agreement

What is the professor's opinion about the future of wind power？

A．He thinks that wind power will require more research before it becomes practical.

B．He supports the use of wind power only as a secondary source of energy.

C．He feels that most of the world's energy problems will be solved by wind power.

D．He believes that there are too many problems associated with wind power.

h that is converted to heat buildings and generate electricity. The idea of harnessing Earths internal heat is not new. As early as 1904, geothermal power was used in Italy. Today, Earths natural internal heat is being used to generate electricity in 21 countries, including Russia, Japan, New Zealand, Iceland, Mexico, Ethiopia, Guatemala, El Salvador, the Philippines, and the United States. Total worldwide production is appr0aching 9,000 MW (equivalent to nine large modern coalburning or nuclear power plants)—double the amount in 1980. Some 40 million people today receive their electricity from geothermal energy at a cost competitive with that of other energy sources. In El Salvador, geothermal energy is supplying 30% of the total electric energy used. However, at the global level, geothermal energy supplies less than 0.15% of the total energy supply. → Geothermal energy may be considered a nonrenewable energy source when rates of extraction are greater than rates of natural replenishment. However, geothermal energy has its origin in the natural heat production within Earth, and only a small fraction of the vast total resource base is being utilized today. Although most ge0thermal energy production involves the tapping of high heat sources; people are also using the low-temperature geothermal energy of groundwater in some applications. Geothermal Systems →A The average heat flow from the interior of the Earth is very low, about 0.06 W/m2.B This amount is trivial compared with the 177 W/m2 from solar heat at the surface in the United States. However, in some areas, heat flow is sufficiently high to be useful for producing energy. For the most part, areas of high heat flow are associated with plate tectonic boundaries. Oceanic ridge systems (divergent plate boundaries) and areas where mountains are being uplifted and volcanic island arcs are forming (convergent plate boundaries) are areas where this natural heat flow is anomalously high. C On the basis of geological criteria, several types of hot geothermal systems (with temperatures greater than about 80℃, or 176°F) have been defined, and the resource base is larger than that of fossil fuels and nuclear energy combined. A common system for energy development is hydrothermal convection, characterized by the circulation of steam and/or hot water that transfers heat from depths to the surface. D Geothermal Energy and the Environment → The environmental impact of geothermal energy may not be as extensive as that of other sources of energy, but it can be considerable. When geothermal energy is developed at a particular site, environmental problems include on-site noise, emissions of gas, and disturbance of the land at drilling sites, disposal sites, roads and pipelines, and power plants. Development of geothermal energy does not require large-scale transportation of raw materials or refining of chemicals, as development of fossil fuels does. Furthermore, geothermal energy does not produce the atmospheric pollutants associated with burning fossil fuels or the radioactive waste associated with nuclear energy. However, geothermal development often does produce considerable thermal pollution from hot waste-waters, which may be saline or highly corrosive, producing disposal and treatment problems. → Geothermal power is not very popular in some locations among some people. For instance, geothermal energy has been produced for years on the island of Hawaii, where active volcanic processes provide abundant near-surface heat. There is controversy, however, over further exploration and development. Native Hawaiians and others have argued that the exploration and development of geothermal energy degrade the tropical forest as developers construct roads, build facilities, and drill wells. In addition, religious and cultural issues in Hawaii relate to the use of geothermal energy. For example, some people are offended by using the "breath and water of Pele" (the volcano goddess) to make electricity. This issue points out the importance of being sensitive to the values and cultures of people where development is planned. Future of Geothermal Energy At present, geothermal energy supplies only a small fraction of the electrical energy produced in the United States. However, if developed, known geothermal resources in the United States could produce about 20,000 MW which is about 10% of the electricity needed for the western states. Geohydrothermal resources not yet discovered could conservatively provide four times that amount (approximately 10% of total U.S. electric capacity), about equivalent to the electricity produced from water power today.

In paragraph 1, the author introduces the concept of geothermal energy by

A．explaining the history of this energy source worldwide

B．arguing that this energy source has been tried unsuccessfully

C．comparing the production with that of other energy sources

D．describing the alternatives for generating electric power

Electromagnetic Energy

White light seems to be a combination of all colors. The energy that comes from a source of light is not limited to the kind of energy you can see. Heat is given off by a flame or an electric light. On a cloudy day it is possible to get a sunburn even though you feel cool. Visible light and the kind of energy that produce warmth and sunburn are examples of electromagnetic energy.

The sun is 93 million miles from the earth. Yet we can use energy from the sun because electromagnetic energy travels through space.

Many other kinds of energy are also types of electromagnetic energy. Radio, television, and radar signals travel from transmitters to receivers as low-energy electromagnetic waves. Infrared (红外线的) radiation is an electromagnetic wave. When it is absorbed by matter, heat is produced. Waves of infrared and visible light have more energy than waves of radio, television, or radar. Ultraviolet rays (紫外线) and X-rays are electromagnetic waves with even greater amounts of energy. Infrared radiation is used in cooking food and heating buildings. Sunlight and electric lights are part of our requirements for normal living. Ultraviolet radiation is useful in killing certain disease organisms. X-rays and gamma rays have so mush energy that they travel right through solid objects. They can be used to detect and treat cancer. X-rays are used in industry to find hidden cracks in metal, and in medicine to reveal broken bones.

Usually we use electricity to generate electromagnetic energy. The source of most of our energy is the sun. Heat from the sun causes water to evaporate. When the water falls to the earth as rain, some of it is trapped behind dams and then used to operate electric generators. Other generators are powered by coal, but the energy stored in coal came from the sun, too.

Until recently, the source of the tremendous amount of energy given off by the sun was a puzzle. If the sun depended on chemical reactions, it would have used up all its energy long ago. Experiments with electromagnetic radiation led to the theory that mass can be converted into energy. About forty years after the theory was proposed, nuclear energy was harnessed (利用) by man. Chemical energy comes from electron (电子) rearrangement. Nuclear energy comes from a change in the nucleus of an atom. Compared with chemical reactions, nuclear reactions release millions of times more energy per pound of fuel. We now believe that the sun's energy comes from the nuclear reactions in which hydrogen is changed into helium(氦).

Nuclear energy is beginning to compete with coal as an economical source of power to generate electricity. It is also being used to operate engines in large ships. Scientists continue to seek new and better methods of obtaining and using energy.

A. Nuclear Reactions as the Lasting Source of the Sun's Energy

B. The Most Important Source of Energy

C. Types of Electromagnetic Energy

D. X-rays Are Used to Detect and Treat Cancer.

E. Seeking New Sources of Energy

F. Nuclear Energy is Beginning to Compete with Coal

Paragraph 3 ______

Section A – This ONE question is compulsory and MUST be attempted

Hesket Nuclear (HN) is a nuclear power station in Ayland, a large European country. The HN plant is operated by Hesket Power Company (HPC), which in turn is wholly owned by the government of Ayland. Initially opened in the late 1950s, the power station grew in subsequent decades by the addition of several other facilities on the same site. HN now has the ability to generate 5% of Ayland’s entire electricity demand and is one of the largest nuclear stations in Europe. At each stage of its development from the 1950s to the present day, development on the site was welcomed by the relevant local government authorities, by the businesses that have supported it, by the trade union that represents the majority of employees (called Forward Together or FT for short) and also by the national Ayland government. A nuclear reprocessing facility was added in the 1980s. This is a valuable source of overseas income as nuclear power producers in many other parts of the world send material by sea to HN to be reprocessed. This includes nuclear producers in several developing countries that rely on the cheaper reprocessed fuel (compared to ‘virgin’ fuel) that HN produces.

HPC is loss-making and receives a substantial subsidy each year from the government of Ayland. HPC has proven itself uneconomic but is deemed politically and environmentally necessary as far as the government is concerned. The government of Ayland has reluctantly accepted that large subsidies to HPC will be necessary for many years but considers nuclear power to be a vital component of its energy portfolio (along with other energy sources such as oil, gas, coal, renewables and hydroelectric) and also as a key part of its ‘clean’ energy strategy. Unlike energy from fossil fuels (such as coal, gas and oil), nuclear power generates a negligible amount of polluting greenhouse gas. HN also provides much needed employment in an otherwise deprived part of the country. The HN power station underpins and dominates the economy of its local area and local government authorities say that the HN plant is vital to the regional economy.

Since it opened, however, the HN power station has been controversial. Whilst being welcomed by those who benefi t from it in terms of jobs, trade, reprocessing capacity and energy, a coalition has gradually built up against it comprising those sceptical about the safety and environmental impact of nuclear power. Some neighbouring countries believe themselves to be vulnerable to radioactive contamination from the HN plant. In particular, two countries, both of whom say their concerns about HN arise because of their geographical positions, are vocal opponents. They say that their geographical proximity forced them to be concerned as they are affected by the location of the HN plant which was not of their choosing.

The government of Beeland, whose capital city is 70 km across the sea from HN (which is situated on the coast), has consistently opposed HN and has frequently asked the government of Ayland to close HN down. The Beeland government claims that not only does ‘low-level’ emission from the site already contaminate the waters separating the two countries but it also claims that any future major nuclear ‘incident’ would have serious implications for the citizens of Beeland. There is some scientifi c support for this view although opinion is divided over whether Beeland is being irrational in its general opposition to HN.

The government of Ceeland is also a vocal opponent of HN. Ceeland is located to the north of Beeland and approximately 500 km away from Ayland. Some nuclear scientists have said that with such a large stretch of water between the HN plant and Ceeland, even a much-feared incident would be unlikely to seriously impact on Ceeland. Some commentators have gone further and said that Ceeland’s concerns are unfounded and ‘borne of ignorance’. FT, the trade union for HN employees, issued a statement saying that Ceeland had no reason to fear HN and that its fears were ‘entirely groundless’.

HN’s other vocal and persistent opponent is No Nuclear Now (NNN), a well-organised and well-funded campaigning group. Describing itself on its website as ‘passionate about the environment’, it describes HN’s social and environmental footprint as ‘very negative’. NNN has often pointed to an environmentally important colony of rare seals living near the HN plant. It says that the seals are dependent on a local natural ecosystem around the plant and are unable to move, arguing that the animals are at signifi cant risk from low-level contamination and would have ‘no chance’ of survival if a more serious radioactive leak ever occurred. NNN points to such a leak that occurred in the 1970s, saying that such a leak proves that HN has a poor safety record and that a leak could easily recur.

Each time an objection to the HN power station is raised, FT, the trade union, robustly defends the HN site in the media, and argues for further investment, based on the need to protect the jobs at the site. Furthermore, the radiation leak in the 1970s led to FT uniting with the HPC board to argue against those stakeholders that wanted to use the leak as a reason to close the HN site. The combination of union and HPC management was able to counter the arguments of those asking for closure.

HN places a great deal of emphasis on its risk management and often publicises the fact that it conducts continual risk assessments and is in full compliance with all relevant regulatory frameworks. Similarly, FT recently pointed out that HN has had an ‘impeccable’ safety record since the incident in the 1970s and says on its website that it is ‘proud’ that its members are involved in ensuring that the company is continually in full compliance with all of the regulatory requirements placed upon it.

The board of HPC, led by chairman Paul Gog, is under continual pressure from the government of Ayland to minimise the amount of government subsidy. Each year, the government places challenging targets on the HPC board requiring stringent cost controls at the HN power station. In seeking to reduce maintenance costs on the expiry of a prior maintenance contract last year, the board awarded the new contract to an overseas company that brought its own workers in from abroad rather than employing local people. The previous contract company was outraged to have lost the contract and the move also triggered an angry response from the local workforce and from FT, the representative trade union.

FT said that it was deplorable that HPC had awarded the contract to an overseas company when a domestic company in Ayland could have been awarded the work. The union convenor, Kate Allujah, said that especially in the nuclear industry where safety was so important, domestic workers were ‘more reliable’ than foreign workers who were brought in purely on the basis of cost and in whose countries safety standards in similar industries might not be so stringent. HPC said that it had done nothing illegal as the foreign workers were allowed to work in Ayland under international legal treaties. Furthermore, it argued that pressure by FT to raise wages over recent years had created, with the government’s subsidy targets, the cost pressure to re-tender the maintenance contract.

On HN’s 50th anniversary last year, NNN published what it called a ‘risk assessment’ for the HN power station. It said it had calculated the probabilities (P) and impacts (I) of three prominent risks.

Risk of major radioactive leak over the next 10 years: P = 10%, I = 20

Risk of nuclear explosion over the next 50 years: P = 20%, I = 100

Risk of major terrorist attack over next 10 years: P = 10%, I = 80

Impacts were on an arbitrary scale of 1–100 where 100 was defi ned by NNN as ‘total nuclear annihilation of the area and thousands of deaths’.

The governments of Beeland and Ceeland seized upon the report, saying that it proved that HN is a genuine threat to their security and should be immediately closed and decommissioned. HN’s risk manager, Keith Wan, vigorously disagreed with this assessment saying that the probabilities and the impacts were ‘ridiculous’, massively overstated and intended to unnecessarily alarm people. HN’s public relations offi ce was also angry about it and said it would issue a rebuttal statement.

Required:

(a) Distinguish between voluntary and involuntary stakeholders, identifying both types of stakeholders in Hesket Nuclear. Assess the claims of THREE of the involuntary ‘affected’ stakeholders identifi ed. (12 marks)

(b) The trade union, Forward Together, has had a long relationship with HN and represents not only the main workforce but also the employees of the maintenance company replaced by the foreign workers.

Required:

Explain the roles of employee representatives such as trade unions in corporate governance and critically evaluate, from the perspective of HPC’s board, the contribution of Forward Together in the governance of HPC. (10 marks)

(c) Explain what an agency relationship is and examine the board of HPC’s current agency relationship and objectives. Briefl y explain how these would differ if HPC was a company with private shareholders. (10 marks)

(d) As a part of HPC’s public relations effort, it has been proposed that a response statement should be prepared for the company’s website to help address two major challenges to their reputation.

Required:

Draft this statement to include the following:

(i) Referring to the NNN report, explain why accurate risk assessment is necessary at Hesket Nuclear. (8 marks)

(ii) Explain what a social and environmental ‘footprint’ is and construct the argument that HN’s overall social and environmental footprint is positive. (6 marks)

Professional marks will additionally be awarded in part (d) for drafting a statement that is clear, has a logical fl ow, is persuasive and is appropriately structured. (4 marks)