Listen&Learn: The Chernobyl disaster

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

A tragic event in history that contributed to the controversy surrounding nuclear power.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• nuclear reactor: a device that generates heat and power by splitting atoms
• maintenance: the work done on a machine to keep it in good condition
• radiation: a dangerous type of energy released from a nuclear reaction
• evacuate: to leave an unsafe place
• exclusion zone: a restricted area where certain activities are not allowed
• contaminated: polluted with something hazardous
• habitable: safe to live in

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

On April 26, 1986, the nuclear reactor of the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine . The explosion occurred early in the morning, while plant were performing a maintenance check. They had turned off a control system that was keeping the reactor stable. The initial explosion killed two of the workers, and 28 other workers died of radiation sickness in the months after the . The explosion also caused residents of a nearby town called Pripyat to be exposed to radiation. Because of this, the residents were forced to evacuate and find new places to live. In order to more deaths from radiation exposure, the of what was then the Soviet Union created an exclusion zone around the Chernobyl plant. Although the zone is now safe for tourists to visit, scientists believe that the most contaminated areas will not be habitable for over 20,000 years.

Comprehension questions

1. When the explosion occurred, the plant workers were

performing maintenance checks

cleaning up nuclear waste

evacuating Pripyat

Correct! Wrong!

When the explosion occurred, the plant workers were performing maintenance checks.

2. Most of the deaths from the Chernobyl disaster were caused by

the initial explosion

radiation sickness

smoke inhalation

Correct! Wrong!

Most of the deaths from the Chernobyl disaster were caused by radiation sickness.

3. The exclusion zone is now

safe for people to live in

safe for people to work in

safe for people to visit

Correct! Wrong!

The exclusion zone is now safe for people to visit.

Discussion/essay questions

1. Nuclear power is a controversial topic. Many people are afraid of the potential dangers that nuclear power plants could cause. Chernobyl is a good example of this. However, nuclear power is a useful source of energy that doesn’t release carbon dioxide. How do you feel about nuclear power? Is it too dangerous, or are the benefits are more important than the risks?

Transcript

On April 26, 1986, the nuclear reactor of the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine exploded. The explosion occurred early in the morning, while plant workers were performing a maintenance check. They had turned off a control system that was keeping the reactor stable. The initial explosion killed two of the workers, and 28 other workers died of radiation sickness in the months after the disaster. The explosion also caused residents of a nearby town called Pripyat to be exposed to radiation. Because of this, the residents were forced to evacuate and find new places to live. In order to prevent more deaths from radiation exposure, the government of what was then the Soviet Union created an exclusion zone around the Chernobyl plant. Although the zone is now safe for tourists to visit, scientists believe that the most contaminated areas will not be habitable for over 20,000 years.

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Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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24 comments

• TiraTiara says:
  

  There is a grammar error here. Please check the coma before ‘and 28 other workers’.

  The initial explosion killed two of the workers, and 28 other workers died of radiation sickness in the months after the disaster.

• Marc carrier says:
  

  Current nuclear plants use Uranium as radioactive minerals. This mineral is very unstable but on the other hand it is very easy to pull energy from it. Moreover, radioactive wastes Unstable also. That’s why we have to dispose it in a safety manner. Today new kind of reactors exist. They use 80% less nuclear mineral than the previous one. These new reactors are safer and smaller than the previous one. The level of risk for the environment is almost 0 . This New nuclear innovation open the door to a New safety green energy . Because they are smaller than the previous one they are easier cheaper and faster to implement

• Vincenzo says:
  

  the chernobyl explosion is a scary fact of history that struck me a lot … unfortunately many people died for this reason and I am sorry

• Florence Poncet says:
  

  j’adorts ce site comme ca je fais pas de cours, donc parfait

• Robin Girard says:
  

  ça manque de protéines votre texte, je suis déçu je m’attendais à plus de patate de votre part. La bise.

• Victor Guerin says:
  

  lol j’avoue, je préfère le latin perso meme si j’avoue que je suis plus interesser par la papouazie de nouvelle ginée car c’est un peuple autonome et j’essaye de me rapprocher de ca au toquin mais c’est compliquer je me fais voler wsh

• Biajoux Gaetan says:
  

  c’est quand même mieux que ma prof d’anglais

• Biajoux Gaétan says:
  

  nul wola j’ai rien appris

• Guerin Victor says:
  

  C’est nul votre truc !!!!

• BALDE, boubacar siddy says:
  

  I like this exercise … you have the best teaching method ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅

• Virginia says:
  

  Wonderful! Thanks for sharing

• Aden says:
  

  This is gonna make me a great student speaker like a native

• Marlon Plaza says:
  

  I liked this exercise.

• Sayid Abdi says:
  

  Hello everyone in here,this very useful and beneficial for all begginers and really I’m deeply saying thank you Englishclub groups and also the participants.

• Maria says:
  

  this excersice is useful and practical to study English.

• Solibella says:
  

  Excellent for practicing listening. It is a interesting topic.

• Andy says:
  

  It’s really useful and easy to for the beginner level. Thank you so much.

• Vanessa says:
  

  I think there are other news sources of clean energy that would be better and safer for all of us. Nuclear power should be replaced with green energies.

• Elizabeth Nuñez says:
  

  Excellent listening exercise for beginners. Clear pronuntiation and enough space between words to be completed.

• Hana says:
  

  Nuclear energy is very difficult and dangerous to use, if it can be used, it has its own beauty. The nuclear plant option should be a backup plan for the supply of electricity, instead building clean plants on new ground.

• Luis says:
  

  Nuclear plants should be wiped out and substituted by renewable energy suppliers. There is deniable ongoing improvement and development in green resources, which are capable to provide as much energy as necessary if the appropriate measures are put in practice.
  That catastrophe is just a small sample of how risky and ultimately dangerous these sort of energy generator plants are for humanity and the wellbeing of our planet.

• David Martín says:
  

  Nuclear energy is extremely dangerous and there are green energies that can replace it.

  We have to reward companies that use renowable energy and support investigations to improve these kinds of energy.

• Asoka Wimalasena says:
  

  Countries should focus more on other power generating sources as Sun panels, Wind turbines, Hydro turbines and sea waves. Nuclear plant should be operate as the last option and under high global and security controls.

• Syeda Aniqa Gul says:
  

  Nuclear power plant option should be treated as secondary option for power generation.The most reliable option is to establish long term sustainable hydro power projects which is safe and secure for people.