Now listen to a part of lecture on the topic you just read about.
現在來聽一段有關你剛剛讀到的話題的演講。
Ethanol actually is a good alternative to gasoline, although you just read three reasons why it's not a good alternative.
酒精實際上是一個好的汽油替代物,雖然你剛剛讀到三個理由說為什么它不是一個好的替代物。
Not one of these three reasons is convincing.
這三個理由沒有一個是有說服力的。
First, the increased use of Ethanol fuel will not add to global warming.
首先,酒精燃料使用的增加不會加劇全球變暖。
It's true that when the ethanol is burned, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
當然,當酒精燃燒的時候,它是會釋放二氧化碳到大氣中。
But as you read, ethanol is often made from plants such as corn.
但是,就像你讀到的,酒精通常是有植物制造的,比如玉米。
Well, the process of growing the plants counteracts this release of carbon dioxide.
那么,種植這些植物的過程抵消了這一二氧化碳的釋放。
Let me explain.
讓我來解釋。
Every growing plant absorbs carbon dioxide from the air as part of its nutrition.
每個生長的植物都吸收空氣中的二氧化碳作為它營養的一部分。
So growing plants for ethanol production actually removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
所以,為酒精生產種植植物事實上從大氣中去除了二氧化碳。
Second, large scale production of ethanol doesn't have to reduce the sources of food for animals.
第二,酒精的大規模生產不需要減少動物的食物來源。
That's because we can produce ethanol using cellulose.
那是因為我們能使用纖維素來生產酒精。
Cellulose is the main component of plants' cell walls, and you'll find most cellulose in those parts of plants that are not eaten by animals.
纖維素是植物細胞壁的主要組成成分,而且你會在那些不被動物們食用的植物部分里找到大部分的纖維素。
so since we can produce ethanol from the plant parts that aren't eaten, the amount of animals feed that is available will not be reduced.
所以,因為我們能用那些不被食用的植物部分生產酒精,動物可利用的食物數量就不會減少。
Third, in the future, ethanol will be able to compete with gasoline in terms of price.
第三,在未來,酒精可以能在價格上同汽油競爭。
It's true that government subsidies make ethanol cheaper than it would normally be, but this support won't always be needed.
確實,政府的補貼使得酒精比它通常要便宜,但是這一支持不會一直被需要。
Once enough people start buying ethanol, ethanol producers will increase their production of ethanol.
一旦有足夠多的人開始購買酒精,那么酒精制造商們就會增加他們的酒精產量。
Generally, increased production of a product leads to a drop in its price.
一般來說,一個產品產量的增加會導致其價格的降低。
So the price of ethanol will go down as more of it becomes available.
所以當更多的酒精是可得到的時候它的價格就會降低。
Studies show that, if ethanol production could be three times greater than it is now, the cost of producing a unit of ethanol would drop by forty percent.
研究表明如果酒精產量比現在大三倍的話,生產一個單位酒精的花費就會降低百分之四十。