Vocab Reading Ex 1 Plantation Power

Which word in this paragraph means “the money that a person earns"

After tourism, the island’s biggest money earner is the export of bananas. However, this income has been severely reduced after Hurricane Tomas hit St Lucia three years ago, causing widespread damage to the island. Owners of small farms such as Leona’s have found it difficult to compete with bigger producers from other countries. The number of St Lucian farmers exporting bananas has fallen by about 80%. “I am one of the few growers left – I have bunches of bananas to sell, but no foreign buyers,” Leona says. “It’s hard to pay my bills.”

What does “desperate” mean?

The farmers are desperate to find new sources of income, because although supermarkets are offering to buy, they are paying lower and lower prices to the farmers. Without enough foreign buyers, most bananas end up as animal feed or just simply rot away, with the result that the fruit is wasted.

• difficult, serious and even dangerous

• want or need something very much indeed.

• people are willing to try anything to change the bad situation

Which phrase can replace "keen to"?

Leona is one of about 20 banana farmers on St Lucia keen to experiment with a more profitable alternative for this waste fruit – turning it into ethanol, a biofuel.

• enthusiastic about

• difficult to

• fight for

which is NOT the synonym of "inhabitant"?

Just like its neighbouring islands, St Lucia has to import almost all of its fuel. That means both transport and electricity production are expensive and add to the cost of living for the inhabitants of the island.

• liver

• resident

• dweller

• owner

What is the suffix(词缀) of "renewable"?

Donald Holder is leading the ‘banana ethanol’ project after completing his studies in renewable energy technology at university.

Which is another name for “alcohol”? Ethanol or methane?

Listen/Read and write the word.

[əˈdæpt]

Listen/Read and write the word.

[səˈplaɪə]

 

Listen/Read and write the word.

[plɑːnˈteɪʃn]

What does "estimate" mean?

Holder estimates that his product will be about 10% cheaper than imported fuel.

• hope

• believe

• guess