Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

23. It can be inferred from the passage that what power companies need to do is to …
A) explore realistic alternatives to windmills and solar farms.
B) control climate variables such as the wind for cheaper energy.
C) generate power from traditional power sources using new technology.
D) find better ways to store power in order to make it available when needed
24. According to the text sun and wind are …
A) new technologies for energy. B) are sources of energy which can be renewed.
C) new sorts of energy. D) the energy demands are always high.


At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began. Forest tires are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends, which people carelessly throw away. The firemen carefully examined the ground, but were not able to find any broken glass. They were also quite sure a cigarette end didn`t start the fire. However, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16.000 Volt power like. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up a snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.
25. Firemen examined the ground carefully because they...
A) were looking tor cigarette ends and broken glass B) were looking for men who had thrown cigarette ends
C) were looking for a snake D) wanted to find out what had caused the fire
26. The fire had been caused by ...
A) a bird which was eating a snake B) a snake which climbed on to the wires
C) a bird which flew on to the wires D) a snake which had been dropped on to the wires by a bird
27. The word THESE in the last line refers to ...
A) snakes B) wires C) birds D) sparks