RC#1

While there is no guarantee that increased investment in achieving
energy independence will solve all of America's unemployment problems,
the results so far have demonstrated that it will definitely help the
cause. Under President Obama's watch, such increased investment has
so far created 1.5 million jobs and has demonstrated the potential to
create many more.

After a four-decade decline in oil production, the U.S. is now
producing enough oil to serve more than half of our oil needs. This
has the potential to free us from our addiction to foreign-sourced
barrels, particularly if we utilize our dramatically larger and
cheaper reserves of natural gas, which now costs the equivalent of
less than $15 per barrel, versus the $100-plus per barrel of oil we
import from the Middle East. The money saved by increased use of
natural gas has helped in greater investments and has created more
than 75,000 jobs domestically.



Moreover, the president's policies have motivated companies to invest
more in clean energy to the extent that American companies make over
75% of all venture investments in clean technologies. Overall, because
of U.S. public and private investments in clean energy—including
renewables, efficiency, transportation, and infrastructure—the clean
economy grew by 8.3% from 2008 to 2009, even during the depths of the
recession. Even though several technologies, such as solar power, are
still not as cost-competitive as imported oil, expanding these
clean-energy investments is good economics as they will help preserve
and expand America's middle class, because energy investments are a
particularly effective method of "insourcing" manufacturing jobs,
which in turn spur jobs in invention, installation, and maintenance.

1

According to the passage, the percentage of American oil needs served
by foreign oil today is

A

Greater than 50%

B

More than that currently served by natural gas

C

Less than 50%

D

Constituted a greater percentage of imports a few years back than it does today.

E

Has constantly been increasing till recently


2

From the passage which of the following can be inferred about imported oil?

A

Most of the imported oil comes from Middle East.

B

It is cheaper on a per barrel basis than natural gas.

C

It is not as cost competitive as solar energy.

D

Does not create the same number of jobs per unit of energy as solar power does.

E

Its unit price has increased over the past decade.

3


The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

A

Demonstrating that increased investment in achieving energy
independence will create more jobs.

B

Proving that the upside of investing in achieving energy independence
is not limited to creating jobs.

C

Advocating that America must invest in alternate renewable energy to
attain Technology independence.

D

Proving that America can tackle unemployment by lowering the cost of
foreign energy.

E

Lobbying for a greater proportion of GDP to be spent on achieving
energy independence.