▶ Your Answer :
In the reading passage, their is ample support for the author's claim that coal has diverse merits, so it will be exploited continuously in the future. However, the professor in the lecture gives several reasons as a rebuttal that coal is unlikely to be used as a energy source much longer. First, the professor argues that mining coal is a complicated process. The amount of coal on the surface is limited and almost exhausted. Thus, the miners must dig soil deeply, which means that more technical skills and workers are required. This refutes the reading passage's claim that coal can be extracted with less time and effort and does not require special equipment. Next, the professor insists that coal is costly to ship. Because coal is heavy and bulky, a bunch of trucks and trains are required when coal is moved from a mine to a power plant. The result is that coal transporting is significantly expensive than other fuels. This contradicts the reading passage's suggestion that the cost of safe transprotation is low since coal is very safe. Finally, the professor contends that it is not true that coal industry will create more job opportunities. Coal mining companies are putting enormous effort on reducing the cost of mining by developing technology. When coal extraction process is improved, fewer human operators are needed. And this trend is likely to continue. This means that the employment of mining companies will even decline in the future. this counters the reading passage's assertion that coal industry will flourish and produce more workers due to the country's energy requirements. |