Story:
Oil Drilling in Alaska Becomes Focus of Political and Environmental Debate, 03/23/05
Reading Comprehension Questions: 1. What did the Senate vote on recently that affects the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge?
2. Why was the vote important to President Bush?
3. Why is ANWR a wildlife refuge?
4. Why is ANWR attractive to many oil companies?
5. What reasons do Republicans give in favor of opening ANWR to drilling?
6. What is the argument against drilling in ANWR?
7. What is the Sierra Club's answer to high gas and oil prices? Discussion Activity (more research might be needed): 1. Given the arguments from Republican lawmakers and environmentalists, do you think the government should allow oil companies to drill in ANWR? Why or why not? 2. Do you think maintaining the Alaska refuge is more important than keeping gasoline prices low for American consumers and possibly helping the economy as a whole? 3. What are other sources of energy the government should consider to help lower gas prices? 4. The Sierra Club has said, "With only 5 percent of the world's population, the U.S. consumes 26 percent of the world's oil." Is this a problem? Are Americans consuming too much oil or is the consumption justified because it is a large industrialized nation? Write a 500-800 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org]. Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site. |