NeuroEnglish for You!: 25. PAGS 2026 LISTENING PRACTICE: THE ENERGY CRISIS

18 mar 2026

25. PAGS 2026 LISTENING PRACTICE: THE ENERGY CRISIS

100% FREE · PAGS 2026 · B2 LISTENING

NEUROENGLISH FOR YOU! · @NeuroEnglishMMP

The Energy Crisis

Supply. Costs. Resilience.

How can a disruption far away affect everyday costs? Explore energy supply, transport and practical resilience through English.

Your listening roadmap

01 Activate vocabulary → 02 Listen for the main idea → 03 Listen for details → 04 Answer four questions → 05 Reflect.

1. Prime your vocabulary

Read the six key terms first. Predict how supply routes, fuel costs and energy resilience might be connected.

2. Listen in two passes

First, identify the cause-and-effect chain. Then listen for the effects on households, transport businesses and long-term planning.

3. Retrieve, then check

Answer before opening the transcript. Use a short phrase from the passage to justify each choice.

Key Glossary (Input Priming)

Chokepoint

A narrow route used for transport.

Punto estratégico / Estrecho

Brent crude

Major classification of oil from the North Sea.

Petróleo Brent

Imported inflation

Domestic price rises caused by more expensive imports.

Inflación importada

Fast-tracking

Accelerating a process or project.

Acelerando / Tramitación rápida

Subsidies

Financial aid from the government.

Subvenciones / Subsidios

Volatility

Tendency to change rapidly and unpredictably.

Volatilidad / Inestabilidad

Listen: from supply shocks to daily costs

Browser-generated English speech · available voices depend on your device.

Speed

Open transcript · hover or tap underlined words for Spanish

Energy supply depends on networks that connect producers, shipping routes and consumers. A conflict in the Middle East can affect oil prices when it threatens a critical maritime route. The Strait of Hormuz is an important chokepoint for oil transport. Disruption can delay deliveries, raise shipping costs and create uncertainty. Prices may respond to the risk of shortages as well as to actual supply losses. Brent crude is one widely used international oil-price benchmark.

Higher fuel costs can have consequences well beyond petrol stations. Households may spend more on commuting, while transport businesses face higher operating costs. Imported inflation occurs when more expensive imports contribute to rising domestic prices. In this example, higher imported energy costs feed into transport and distribution, which can raise the prices of food and manufactured goods. The effect varies: businesses may absorb some costs, change routes or pass part of the increase to customers.

Small transport firms and independent drivers can be especially exposed to fuel-price volatility. One possible response is to protest and request temporary government support or subsidies. Such support can ease short-term pressure, but it also has costs and does not remove the underlying dependence on fuel. Better route planning, vehicle maintenance and efficient driving can reduce some energy use.

A longer-term response is to accelerate the transition towards cleaner electricity, suitable electric transport and more efficient logistics. Expanding charging networks and strengthening electricity grids can support this shift. These changes take time, investment and trained workers; no single technology solves every transport need. For future logistics and automotive technicians, skills in diagnostics, charging systems and energy efficiency can help build more resilient services.

Think critically: This passage explains possible cause-and-effect relationships. It is not a live fuel-price report. Prices and business responses vary across places and over time.

Listening challenge · four questions

Choose one answer per question. First attempts count towards your score. Listen to each question and its options if you need support.

0 / 4 answered · 0 / 4 correct

1. Why can conflict in the Middle East cause a global rise in oil prices?

2. What does the author mean by the term "imported inflation"?

3. How might transport professionals be reacting to high fuel costs, according to the passage?

4. What is the strategic response suggested?

Your turn · make transport more resilient

Speak for 45–60 seconds. A delivery business faces higher fuel costs. Suggest one immediate action, one longer-term investment and one skill its staff would need. Use because of, whereas and in order to.