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Now listen to a part of lecture on the topic you just read about.
现在来听一段有关你刚刚读到的话题的演讲。
Ethanol actually is a good alternative to gasoline, although you just read three reasons why it's not a good alternative.
酒精实际上是一个好的汽油替代物，虽然你刚刚读到三个理由说为什么它不是一个好的替代物。
Not one of these three reasons is convincing.
这三个理由没有一个是有说服力的。
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会加剧全球变暖。
It's true that when the ethanol is burned, it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
当然，当酒精燃烧的时候，它是会释放二氧化碳到大气中。
But as you read, ethanol is often made from plants such as corn.
但是，就像你读到的，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，种植这些植物的过程抵消了这一二氧化碳的释放。
Let me explain.
让我来解释。
Every growing plant absorbs carbon dioxide from the air as part of its nutrition.
每个生长的植物都吸收空气中的二氧化碳作为它营养的一部分。
So growing plants for ethanol production actually removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
所以，为酒精生产种植植物事实上从大气中去除了二氧化碳。
Second, large scale production of ethanol doesn't have to reduce the sources of food for animals.
第二，酒精的大规模生产不需要减少动物的食物来源。
That's because we can produce ethanol using cellulose.
那是因为我们能使用纤维素来生产酒精。
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.
纤维素是植物细胞壁的主要组成成分，而且你会在那些不被动物们食用的植物部分里找到大部分的纤维素。
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，因为我们能用那些不被食用的植物部分生产酒精，动物可利用的食物数量就不会减少。
Third, in the future, ethanol will be able to compete with gasoline in terms of price.
第三，在未来，酒精可以能在价格上同汽油竞争。
It's true that government subsidies make ethanol cheaper than it would normally be, but this support won't always be needed.
确实，政府的补贴使得酒精比它通常要便宜，但是这一支持不会一直被需要。
Once enough people start buying ethanol, ethanol producers will increase their production of ethanol.
一旦有足够多的人开始购买酒精，那么酒精制造商们就会增加他们的酒精产量。
Generally, increased production of a product leads to a drop in its price.
一般来说，一个产品产量的增加会导致其价格的降低。
So the price of ethanol will go down as more of it becomes available.
所以当更多的酒精是可得到的时候它的价格就会降低。
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.
研究表明如果酒精产量比现在大三倍的话，生产一个单位酒精的花费就会降低百分之四十。
