Nature has the power to alter an element’s identity with time and space. This is evident by the transformative effect Britain’s deep coal mines have been showing after decades of being one of the biggest reasons for pollution. Now, they’re being employed to supply green energy to the town of Gateshead. The town is the first place to experience something like this in the country, but the success of the phenomenon has encouraged the authorities to apply it to other towns.

In 2021, coal was just producing 2% of electricity in the UK. Most of the electricity in the country is being supplied through oil and gas. This has resulted in massive abandoned coal mines all across the country. As years went by, these mines were flooded with water, making it a source of geothermal（地热的） energy, which is used to generate heat and electricity. Gateshead hosts such a mine in its town, whose council, therefore, launched a mine water project in March 2023.

The authorities put in a large central heat pump in the mine. Mine water can often sit with a temperature of 45℃. The water is then pumped using appliances to home heat pumps. The process increases the temperature further. The water then goes ahead and warms up the interior space and home water supply. After the heat from the water has been used, it’s sent back to the mine where it again goes through the same process. The project has been successful in supplying low-carbon heating to 350 high-rise buildings, a college and several office buildings.

“Recovering heat from mine water below the ground within abandoned coal mines provides an exciting opportunity to generate a low-carbon secure supply of heat, benefitting people living or working in buildings on the coalfields,” said Gareth Farr, head of heat and by-product innovation at the Coal Authority.

The water resources through the mines are estimated to be two billion cubic meters or half the amount of water in Loch Ness. Farr added, “With many millions of people living upon abandoned coalfields in Great Britain, the potential for mine water heat could be significant.”

【小题1】What does the town of Gateshead feature?

A．It’s been one of the most heavily polluted areas.	B．It has the most deep coal mines nationally.
C．It mainly relies on geothermal energy.	D．It is the first one to reuse abandoned coal mines.

【小题2】Why were many coal mines abandoned in the UK?

A．They were quite remote.	B．Prices of coal declined a lot.
C．There weren’t enough miners.	D．The UK prioritizes cleaner energy.

【小题3】What is implied in the last paragraph?

A．The number of abandoned coal mines is stably increasing.

B．The future of sourcing energy from coal mines is promising.

C．The dependence on water resources in the UK is decreasing.

D．The technique to take advantage of mine water is impressive.

【小题4】What is the text mainly about?

A．An innovative way to obtain green energy.	B．A method of living in harmony with nature.
C．A national project for abandoned facilities.	D．A discussion on the future of coal mines.