Questions 11-14

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the reading passage above for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 11-14.

11. The EC disagrees with energy firms to strike long-term deals with foreign suppliers because such deals are usually far from …

12. The EC proposes to split those “national champions” into …

13. A more diverse range of suppliers would guarantee …in the European gas market.

14. The realization¹ of carbon emissions² reduction would require the promotion³ of cleaner cars, a better emissions-trading system, wider use of public transport and more use of … of energy.

Key and Explanations:

1. No

See para.1: Europe's energy firms have failed to invest in networks…

2. Yes

See para.2: Energy prices vary wildly across Europe.

3. Not Given

See para.2: It is remarkably⁴ hard, for example, for gas-poor Germany to import from the neighbouring, gas-rich Netherlands.

4. No

See para.5: The risk is that concerns about security of supply may be used spuriously by those in Europe who oppose the sort of liberalisation encouraged by Ms Kroes. The likes of E.ON and EDF may claim that…

5. Yes

See para.7: If America is willing to play ball, the Commission proposes to reduce emissions by as much as 30%.

6. E

See para.4: Much has been made of the risk for western Europe of depending too heavily on Russian exports of gas.

7. B

See para.6: It would also be likely to mean lower prices, if the example of liberalised Britain over the past ten years is anything to go by.

8. F

See para.4: Last year Russia interrupted gas deliveries to Ukraine, affecting supplies in central and western Europe too.

9. C, D

See para.3: …the legal separation of energy suppliers and transporters, something that the integrated energy companies and interested governments, notably⁵ in France and Germany, are bound to oppose ferociously⁶.

10. A

See para.4: This week it blocked oil exports passing via Belarus to Europe, though that spat⁷ was soon resolved.

11. transparent⁸

See para.5: by striking long-term deals with powerful foreign suppliers. The Commission disagrees. Such deals are too often politically motivated and far from transparent.

12. suppliers and distributors

See the sentences in para.1 （Those “vertically integrated” energy companies such as Electricité de France （EDF） or Germany's E.ON, widely dubbed⁹ as “national champions”…） and para.6 （…the Commission's new policy proposes, ideally, a break-up of these companies into suppliers and distributors.）

13. competition and security

See para.6: For the gas market another means of ensuring competition and security would be finding a more diverse range of suppliers…

14. renewable sources

See para.7: Achieving either target would mean promoting cleaner cars, a more effective emissions-trading system for Europe, wider use of public transport and a sharp increase in the use of renewable sources of energy…