full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Shannon Odell: Are solar panels worth it?

Unscramble the Blue Letters


In the spring of 1954, the press ecilextdy gathered around Bell Laboratories’ latest invention— a silicon-based solar cell that could ecliitnfefy convert the sun's energy into eacctrilel current. The creation was celebrated as the dawn of a new era, as reporters touted that ciilvitazion would soon run on the sun’s limitless energy. But the dream had a catch, as this first cllemacmiory sold solar cell cost around $300 per watt, mneaing at its current rate, it would cost well over a million to buy a unit large enough to power a single home.

But taody in many cenriouts solar is the cheapest form of energy to produce, surpassing fossil fuel alternatives like coal and natural gas. Millions of hemos are eqpeipud with rooftop solar, with most units paying for themselves in their first 7 to 12 years and then generating further savings.

Open Cloze


In the spring of 1954, the press _________ gathered around Bell Laboratories’ latest invention— a silicon-based solar cell that could ___________ convert the sun's energy into __________ current. The creation was celebrated as the dawn of a new era, as reporters touted that ____________ would soon run on the sun’s limitless energy. But the dream had a catch, as this first ____________ sold solar cell cost around $300 per watt, _______ at its current rate, it would cost well over a million to buy a unit large enough to power a single home.

But _____ in many _________ solar is the cheapest form of energy to produce, surpassing fossil fuel alternatives like coal and natural gas. Millions of _____ are ________ with rooftop solar, with most units paying for themselves in their first 7 to 12 years and then generating further savings.

Solution


  1. excitedly
  2. meaning
  3. efficiently
  4. countries
  5. today
  6. commercially
  7. electrical
  8. homes
  9. equipped
  10. civilization

Original Text


In the spring of 1954, the press excitedly gathered around Bell Laboratories’ latest invention— a silicon-based solar cell that could efficiently convert the sun's energy into electrical current. The creation was celebrated as the dawn of a new era, as reporters touted that civilization would soon run on the sun’s limitless energy. But the dream had a catch, as this first commercially sold solar cell cost around $300 per watt, meaning at its current rate, it would cost well over a million to buy a unit large enough to power a single home.

But today in many countries solar is the cheapest form of energy to produce, surpassing fossil fuel alternatives like coal and natural gas. Millions of homes are equipped with rooftop solar, with most units paying for themselves in their first 7 to 12 years and then generating further savings.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
rooftop solar 4
solar panels 3
solar cell 2
renewable energy 2
energy future 2
solar unit 2

ngrams of length 3

collocation frequency
rooftop solar unit 2

Important Words


  1. alternatives
  2. bell
  3. buy
  4. catch
  5. celebrated
  6. cell
  7. cheapest
  8. civilization
  9. coal
  10. commercially
  11. convert
  12. cost
  13. countries
  14. creation
  15. current
  16. dawn
  17. dream
  18. efficiently
  19. electrical
  20. energy
  21. equipped
  22. era
  23. excitedly
  24. form
  25. fossil
  26. fuel
  27. gas
  28. gathered
  29. generating
  30. home
  31. homes
  32. large
  33. latest
  34. limitless
  35. meaning
  36. million
  37. millions
  38. natural
  39. paying
  40. power
  41. press
  42. produce
  43. rate
  44. reporters
  45. rooftop
  46. run
  47. savings
  48. single
  49. solar
  50. sold
  51. spring
  52. surpassing
  53. today
  54. touted
  55. unit
  56. units
  57. watt
  58. years