ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
4 / B2
Published
Title
China’s Wind Power Bet Pays Off
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-05-18-china-wind-power-bet-pays-off/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice

Language: Words That Go Together

Use It: Discussion Builder, Sentence Unscramble, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) What do you use electricity for in your daily life?

(2) How does your country make electricity?

Wide illustrated landscape of green agricultural fields, canals, power lines, and multiple wind turbines fading into a hazy blue-gray sky.
Wind turbines in China.

Vocab List

shortage (n.) — A situation in which there is not enough of something.
exposed (adj.) — Open to harm or risk.
turbine (n.) — A tall machine with large blades that uses wind to make power.
foundation (n.) — The strong base that supports a structure.
capacity (n.) — The total amount something can produce or hold.
coastal (adj.) — Near the sea or on the coast.
renewable (adj.) — Able to be replaced naturally, such as energy from wind or sun.
priority (n.) — Something that is considered more important than other things.
security (n.) — Safety or protection from risk or danger.
crisis (n.) — A serious time of difficulty or danger.
Reading

The war in Iran is putting pressure on oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf. Many Asian countries buy much of their fuel from that region, so they are worried about higher prices and possible shortages. China imports huge amounts of oil and gas, but it has one advantage: it has spent years building wind power.

Across China, wind turbines now stand on hills, in deserts, and near the coast. Long power lines carry electricity from windy western regions to busy factories and cities in the east. Last year, China installed more wind power capacity than the rest of the world combined. Chinese companies are also selling more turbines and parts overseas.

This investment now looks smart. For China, renewable energy is not only about climate change. It is also about energy security. If more electricity comes from wind and solar power, the country is less exposed when oil and gas prices rise.

Wind power, however, cannot be built overnight. Unlike solar panels, which can be installed quickly, wind farms take time. Each turbine needs a large foundation, a windy location, calm weather during construction, and power lines that can carry the electricity to cities and factories. Wind farms at sea are even harder to build, but they can produce steady power close to coastal cities.

China’s wind boom also brings problems. Some people living near turbines complain about noise, especially at night. One resident near Yancheng said the turbines run for many hours and affect people’s sleep.

This moment shows why renewable energy has become a national priority. Wind power is no longer just about cleaner electricity. It is also about fuel prices, national security, and whether countries can keep the lights on during an energy crisis.

China’s Wind Power Bet Pays Off

Level 4 Article Source: nytimes.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

Wide illustrated landscape of green agricultural fields, canals, power lines, and multiple wind turbines fading into a hazy blue-gray sky.
Wind turbines in China.

The war in Iran is putting pressure on oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf. Many Asian countries buy much of their fuel from that region, so they are worried about higher prices and possible shortages. China imports huge amounts of oil and gas, but it has one advantage: it has spent years building wind power.

Across China, wind turbines now stand on hills, in deserts, and near the coast. Long power lines carry electricity from windy western regions to busy factories and cities in the east. Last year, China installed more wind power capacity than the rest of the world combined. Chinese companies are also selling more turbines and parts overseas.

This investment now looks smart. For China, renewable energy is not only about climate change. It is also about energy security. If more electricity comes from wind and solar power, the country is less exposed when oil and gas prices rise.

Wind power, however, cannot be built overnight. Unlike solar panels, which can be installed quickly, wind farms take time. Each turbine needs a large foundation, a windy location, calm weather during construction, and power lines that can carry the electricity to cities and factories. Wind farms at sea are even harder to build, but they can produce steady power close to coastal cities.

China’s wind boom also brings problems. Some people living near turbines complain about noise, especially at night. One resident near Yancheng said the turbines run for many hours and affect people’s sleep.

This moment shows why renewable energy has become a national priority. Wind power is no longer just about cleaner electricity. It is also about fuel prices, national security, and whether countries can keep the lights on during an energy crisis.

Speaker: British Male  Duration: 2:09  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

The war in Iran is putting (1) on oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf. Many Asian countries buy much of their fuel from that region, so they are worried about higher prices and possible shortages. China imports huge amounts of oil and gas, but it has one advantage: it has spent years building wind power.

Across China, wind turbines now stand on hills, in deserts, and near the coast. Long power lines carry electricity from windy western regions to busy factories and cities in the east. Last year, China installed more wind power (2) than the rest of the world combined. Chinese companies are also selling more turbines and parts overseas.

This investment now looks smart. For China, renewable energy is not only about climate change. It is also about energy (3) . If more electricity comes from wind and solar power, the country is less exposed when oil and gas prices rise.

Wind power, however, cannot be built (4) . Unlike solar panels, which can be installed quickly, wind farms take time. Each turbine needs a large (5) , a windy location, calm weather during construction, and power lines that can carry the electricity to cities and factories. Wind farms at sea are even harder to build, but they can produce steady power close to coastal cities.

China’s wind boom also brings problems. Some people living near turbines complain about (6) , especially at night. One resident near Yancheng said the turbines run for many hours and affect people’s sleep.

This moment shows why renewable energy has become a national priority. Wind power is no longer just about cleaner electricity. It is also about fuel prices, national security, and whether countries can keep the lights on during an energy (7) .

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Do you think China was smart to invest in wind power? Why or why not?

    A:

  2. Q: Would you want to live near wind turbines? Why or why not?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Do you think China was smart to invest in wind power? Why or why not?

    A: China was smart to invest in wind power early because it gives the country more energy security.

    To me, / But, / For example, / Because of that,

    To me, China was smart to invest in wind power early because it gives the country more energy security.

  2. Q: Would you want to live near wind turbines? Why or why not?

    A: I wouldn't want to live near wind turbines the noise could affect my sleep at night.

    and / because / but / so

    I wouldn't want to live near wind turbines because the noise could affect my sleep at night.

  3. A country that imports a lot of fuel can be hit by problems far away. local wind and solar can matter so much.

    Also, / Because of that, / For example, / But,

    A country that imports a lot of fuel can be hit by problems far away. Because of that, local wind and solar can matter so much.

Sentence Unscramble

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. Wind power B. it gives countries C. security. D. more energy E. because F. is useful

    Wind power is useful because it gives countries more energy security.

  2. A. Compared with B. take longer C. wind farms D. solar, E. to build F. steady power. G. but H. can give

    Compared with solar, wind farms take longer to build but can give steady power.

  3. A. but B. energy security C. matters, D. just as much. E. cheap energy F. matters G. I get why

    I get why cheap energy matters, but energy security matters just as much.

Discussion Questions
  1. Do you think China was smart to invest in wind power? Why or why not?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind power?
  3. What natural resources does your country have a lot of?
  4. What does your country need to import from other countries?
  5. How dependent is your country on imported oil and gas?
  6. What kinds of renewable energy are growing in your country?
  7. Do you think governments should invest more in wind and solar power? Why or why not?
  8. Would you want to live near wind turbines? Why or why not?
  9. What happens to ordinary people when fuel prices rise quickly?
  10. Some people think cheap energy is more important than clean energy. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you think China was smart to invest in wind power? Why or why not?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind power?
  3. What natural resources does your country have a lot of?
  4. What does your country need to import from other countries?
  5. How dependent is your country on imported oil and gas?
  6. What kinds of renewable energy are growing in your country?
  7. Do you think governments should invest more in wind and solar power? Why or why not?
  8. Would you want to live near wind turbines? Why or why not?
  9. What happens to ordinary people when fuel prices rise quickly?
  10. Some people think cheap energy is more important than clean energy. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Answers China’s Wind Power Bet Pays Off / Level 4

Listening: (1) pressure, (2) capacity, (3) security, (4) overnight, (5) foundation, (6) noise, (7) crisis

Main Idea: China’s long investment in wind power is helping it handle global fuel risks more safely.

True or False:

  1. True. The second paragraph says China installed more wind power capacity last year than the rest of the world combined.
  2. False. The fourth paragraph says the opposite: solar panels can be installed quickly, while wind farms take time.
  3. True. The fifth paragraph says one resident near Yancheng complained that the turbines run for many hours and affect people’s sleep.

Multiple Choice: b, c, a, c

Vocabulary:

  1. Put: pressure on oil and gas supplies
  2. Import: oil and gas
  3. Sell: turbines and parts
  4. Carry: electricity
  1. Need: a large foundation
  2. Build: wind farms
  3. Affect: people's sleep
  4. Keep: the lights on

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Opinion. 2) Reason. 3) Result.

  1. To me,
  2. because
  3. Because of that,

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. Wind power is useful because it gives countries more energy security.
  2. Compared with solar, wind farms take longer to build but can give steady power.
  3. I get why cheap energy matters, but energy security matters just as much.

eslnewsstories.com