1. What do you learn from Ben Leach’s article about the issues and concerns regarding the building of wind farms? (8 marks)
2. Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the text. (8 marks)
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Claire Francis has during the storm. (8 marks)
4. Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse the effects. (16 marks)
Answers:
1. From Leach’s article we learn that wind farms could detract from ‘one in six beauty spots’ around the U.K. Leach backs up this claim in his first paragraph, saying that out of 89 protected sites, due to their beautiful landscape, 14 have sought or had approved planning permission for wind turbines.
We also learn that campaigners want clearer rules governing the approval of building wind turbines in order to protect ‘much-loved views’ from being ruined. He has also provided facts about Cornwall’s plans for wind turbines to support this concern, as they are planning to build 20 turbines ‘each 415 ft in height’, which is higher than St Paul’s Cathedral or Big Ben.
Leach has also included experts’ quotations and noted well-known organisation which are against the plan, such as the RSPB, Natural England and Friends of the Earth to support the concern that wildlife are in danger as a result of the wind turbines. He has included facts that ’16,000 starlings and dozens of golden plover’ might be killed each year.
Towards the end of his article we learn that people are desperate to save a ‘beautiful area of countryside’. We also learn that the British Wind Energy Association makes decisions about wind farms on a ‘case by case basis’ implying that they will consider the concerns and issues specific to each individual site. We also learn that Charles Anglin thinks ‘the biggest threat to...wildlife is catastrophic climate change.’, showing a different point of view about what is going to