Instructions

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

In the past four decades, people around the world have become increasingly aware of the problem of energy. Traditional energy sources such as oil and natural gas are dwindling rapidly. In many countries, this has meant extracting natural resources at the expense of the environment. In order to solve this problem, scientists are looking for new ways to satisfy the world’s energy needs.

One possible solution to the energy problem is a “solar paint” called “Sun-believable”. Scientists at the University of Notre Dame have invented a paint that can produce energy. The paint has energy-producing particles called “quantum dots” that convert sunlight into electricity. Despite the promise of solar paint, there are still some problems. While the paint only converts about one per cent of light to energy, it is cheap to make and can be used anywhere. Scientists are trying to make the paint more efficient in converting sunlight to energy.

Garbage and waste can also be changed to energy but there are some issues with this method. This method, called ‘Waste to Energy’ or WtE, has become popular in the last decade. In this, solid waste is burned at very high temperatures to create energy. However, the burning process causes pollution and creates more problems. Some new energy plants use a cleaner method of converting waste to energy. However, these types of energy plants still emit carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to other environmental problems. Waste to Energy plants remain somewhat controversial among scientists and environmental activists. Finally, the use of wind as a source of energy is becoming more popular recently. Floating wind farms are large groups of big wind turbines (fans) that many countries are beginning to build. Building the turbines on the ocean is more effective than building them on land because there tends to be a steadier and stronger wind on the ocean. Building the farms on the ocean also helps save valuable space in crowded countries.

Question 1

According to the passage, the disadvantage of ‘solar paint’ is that the:


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