Good Earth School

Naduveerapattu
Date: 23.03.2020 Class: VII
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Geography Comprehension Passage

Petroleum is a brownish-black oily fluid that can be found in the ground and in the sea. In
its unprocessed form, it is known as crude oil. There are many petroleum products that
are essential for our everyday life. Fuels, like petrol for motor vehicles and kerosene for
heaters, plastic, asphalt and wax for candles are all obtained from petroleum. The four
main producers of crude oil in the world today are the Middle East, Russia, the United
States and Venezuela.
Petroleum was formed under the ground many millions of years ago. Plants and animals
living in the sea sank to the sea bed when they died. Their remains, mixed with sand and
mud in layered deposits, built up slowly over the years. The combined action of heat,
pressure and bacteria turned these deposits into petroleum. The petroleum moved slowly
upwards to the porous rocks and became trapped there. With the passage of time, land
that was once under water rose to the surface of the sea. As such, petroleum deposits are
now found on or near dry land.
Crude oil is obtained from the ground through drilling. A drill is hung from a derrick
which may be as high as 60 meters. A derrick is a tower-like structure which is built over
an oil well to raise and lower the drill. If the drill reaches oil-bearing rocks, the oil may
rush to the surface at great force and gush like a fountain. However, this seldom happens.
Usually the oil rises to the surface slowly. Sometimes, when there is no or low
underground pressure, the crude oil has to be pumped out.
Once the crude oil is obtained, it is sent to a refinery to be processed. Pipelines carry the
oil from the oil fields to the collecting stations. Then, huge oil tankers are used to carry
the crude oil by sea to the refineries.
At the refinery, the crude oil undergoes a basic refinery process called distillation, which
separates it into components. Crude oil is heated into various high temperatures during
distillation. The hot vapors rise up. As these vapors cool, it begins to condense and form
lubricating oils, kerosene and gasoline.

From paragraph 1 :
1.(a) Name some petroleum products.
(b) In this paragraph, explain the meaning of 'crude'.
(c) Who are the largest producers of petroleum in the world ?
From paragraph 2 :
2.(a) How is petroleum formed ?
(b) Which word in this paragraph means 'changed' ?
(c) Which word in this paragraph has the same meaning as the phrase 'moved slowly
 upwards' ?
From paragraph 3 :
3.(a) What is a derrick ?
(b) What does the word 'this' refer to ?
(c) What could happen if oil rushes out to the surface at a great force ?
(d) When is crude oil pumped out ?
From paragraph 4 :
4.How is crude oil transported to the collecting stations ?
From paragraph 5 :
5.(a) What happens to crude oil during distillation ?
(b) Describe the distillation process.
(c) Give another word which has the same meaning as the word 'selected'.
(d) What does the word 'basic' in the phrase 'basic refinery process' mean ?

Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is heat which comes from the earth. It can be found anywhere. It
may be tapped from deep wells. We may find it in our own yards. It is inexpensive to
obtain, is renewable and cleaner. It also lessens dependence on fossil fuels, like coal or
oil.
In 2013, sixty-eight billion kilowatts of electricity were produced by geothermal
energy. It was enough to take care of six million households in the United States. The
United States is a leader in producing geothermal energy.
Radioactive materials like uranium and potassium decay in a layer just under the
earth's crust. They produce heat. This layer is called the magma. It is made of hot and
molten rock. Hot spots or the places on the earth where the underground temperatures
are the highest occur where the earth's crust is thin. The United States, California,
Alaska, Nevada, and Oregon have hot spots.
In these areas, seismic movement occurs. That means that there are earthquakes. Hot
water rises up through the cracks and creates hot springs and geysers. Old Faithful in
Yellowstone National Park is a geyser.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems is the term for the new technology used in the
production of geothermal energy. If these geothermal plants would be used continually,
their capacity would equal those of coal and nuclear power.
The geothermal power plants take steam and hot water from the ground and use it.
Then they return it to the ground as warm water. Thus, it can be reused. There are three
types of geothermal power plants - dry steam , flash steam and binary cycle

1) Which of the following is the hot molten rock found under the earth's crust?

A: Magma
 B: Tectonic plate

C: Seismic liquid

D: Potassium
2) Which of the following types of geothermal plants produces the least pollution?

A: Flash steam

B: Dry steam

C: Cooled steam

D: Binary cycle
3) Which of the following is what Old Faithful is called?

A: Magma

B: Volcano

C: Geyser

D: Tectonic plate
4) In which of the following areas is most of the geothermal energy on earth found?

A: In the Caribbean

B: Along the east coast of the United States

C: Around the Pacific Rim

D: On the west coast of France

5) Which of the following is the name of places on earth where underground
temperatures are hottest?

A: Hot sites

B: Hot spots

C: Hot wells

D: Hot caverns
6) Which of the following is a true statement?
 A: Geothermal energy is not renewable.

B: Coal is a fossil fuel.

C: Oil is not a fossil fuel.

D: Uranium is not radioactive.

Natural Gas
Natural gas is the source of energy. Natural gas is formed from bodies of dead animals
buried under pressure in the earth for thousands of years. These decompose and are
covered with rock and soil. The decomposed material goes deeper under the earth over
time and meets hotter temperatures. The pressure and higher temperatures cause a
breakdown of carbon bonds and Methane is formed.
Companies drill near oil wells for natural gas, but sources near the surface are usually
relatively small. The deposits of natural gas down in the earth are larger.
New technology is helping to extract natural gas from places previously thought to be
inaccessible. Biogas is a type of gas formed when matter decomposes without oxygen
present. Sewage and animal matter found in landfills produce this type of gas. Biogas
contains less methane but can be changed for use as an energy source.
Conventional gas deposits can be found about several thousand feet below the surface
of the earth. Those found much deeper in the earth are called unconventional. They are
usually found up to fifteen thousand feet below the surface. The cost of drilling that deep
is high, so new technology is being developed.
Leaks of natural gas were thought to be sacred many years ago by ancient civilizations.
One of these leaks or seeps was near Mt. Parnassus in Delphi, Greece. A temple was
established there with a priestess who said she could tell your future. It was called the
'Oracle of Delphi.'

1) In which of the following countries is Mt. Parnassus located?

A: Italy

B: United States

C: France

D: Greece
2) Which of the following makes up most of what we use as natural gas for energy?

A: Methane
 B: Carbon

C: Propane

D: Ethane
3) Which of the following types of gas is found when matter decomposes without oxygen
present?

A: Biogas

B: Shale gas

C: Methane

D: Propane
4) In which of the following does thermogenic methane get trapped below the earth's
surface?

A: Craters

B: Sedimentary basins

C: Gas caves

D: Gas basins
5) Which of the following is associated with fracking?

A: Drilling deep into the earth straight down

B: Shooting hot oil down into a gas well

C: Shooting hot steam down into the layers of shale

D: Using explosives to get at the gas supply

6) Which of the following is the meaning of the word impermeable?

A: Contains no gas

B: Is permanently attached to something

C: Cannot be penetrated

D: Able to be drilled through