進入英語學習論壇下載音頻 去聽寫專區一展身手

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition agreed on Monday to shut down all of the country's nuclear reactors by 2022.

Following Japan's nuclear disaster in March, the coalition decided to keep the eight oldest of Germany's 17 nuclear reactors permanently shutdown.

Seven of the eight reactors were closed in March right after an earthquake and tsunami hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Another six will be taken offline by 2021, German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said after talks in the chancellor's office among leaders of the coalition.

The remaining three newest reactors will stay open for another year until 2022 to ensure no disruption to power supplies, he said.

Analysts said the German plan would not influence global cooperation in nuclear safety.

Germany is a leader in nuclear technologies and still has 11 years to undertake the transition, so it can still cooperate with other countries in nuclear safety, said Liu Liqun, an expert in German studies from Beijing Foreign Studies University.

In 2002, under then chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the German government decided to end nuclear power generation in the country by 2022, but in 2010 the Merkel government amended the plan to extend the lifetime of the nations' nuclear plants - with the last scheduled to go offline in 2036.

However, the German government's attitude toward nuclear power changed after the nuclear disaster in Japan.

Analysts said it was unlikely that other nations would also move to scrap nuclear power.

In Germany, nuclear power plants supplied some 22 percent of the nation's energy needs in 2010, compared to around 80 percent in France, the world's most nuclear dependent country.

Questions:

1. In what year will Germany scrap nuclear power?

2. How many nuclear reactors does Germany have?

3. What percentage of power is supplied by nuclear power in France?

Answers:

1. 2022.

2. 17.

3. 80 percent.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.