新托福阅读训练：Cyanobacteria:TheFutureOfFuel
现代生活的方方面面都需要动力，而动力的来源——燃料则是我们当今社会发展所遇到的一大难题。今天我们的托福阅读材料中所介绍的蓝菌正是一种有可能在未来解决燃料问题的特殊细菌。When most people fill their gas tanks, they think of fossil fuels and pumping oil from the ground. But many scientists around the country think bacteria.
Cyanobacteria
Bacteria have a bad reputation because they are responsible for several human illnesses, but there are many thousands of species of bacteria.
Some of the most interesting species are cyanobacteria which used to be called blue green algae because of their color. These bacteria are naturally found in bodies of water, and like plants, use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into energy.
Ethanol And Quantity
Currently, we are using plants like corn to produce ethanol. It is a time consuming, expensive process that involves growing plants, transporting them, fermenting and processing them to get fuel. With bacteria, carbon dioxide can be converted directly into organic chemicals.
The only problem has been the quantity and type of fuels bacteria can produce.
Biofuel Solutions
Scientists are tackling that dilemma…
Some are developing strains that produce cellulose and sugars, and could produce the same amount of energy as corn using a fraction of the production energy and land area.
Increasing Carbon Dioxide
Others are splicing genes from other organisms into cyanobacteria to increase the amount of carbon dioxide fixing enzymes present in the cells. They have created strains that produce isobutyraldehyde gas that can be easily collected and converted into isobutanol.
Advantages
Using bacteria to produce fuel is not only economical, it has two advantages. First, it recycles carbon dioxide which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Secondly, it uses solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuel. It is a win win situation.
In the future, there may be no need to worry about petroleum dependency or oil spills. Drivers will pull up to the pump and fill up on Cyanogas, the green alternative.
Notes
1. Cyanobacteria：蓝菌，又称蓝细菌、蓝绿菌、蓝藻或蓝绿藻，或称为蓝菌门，当中包括发菜、螺旋藻等生物。虽然传统上归于藻类，但近期发现因为没有细胞核等等，与细菌非常接近，因此现时已被归入细菌域。蓝菌在地球上已存在约30亿年，是目前以来发现到的最早的光合放氧生物，对地球表面从无氧的大气环境变为有氧环境起了巨大的作用。
2.Algae：very simple plants with no true stems or leaves, found chiefly in water 藻; 藻类.
3.Ethanol：another name for alcohol，乙醇，酒精。
4.Ferment: (make sth) change chemically through the action of organic substances (esp yeast) (使某物)发酵:
Fruit juices ferment if they are kept a long time.果汁放置日久会发酵.
When wine is fermented it gives off bubbles of gas.酒发酵时会放出气泡.
新托福阅读训练：Cyanobacteria:TheFutureOfFuel
5.Biofuel: 生物燃料。6.Tackle： deal with or overcome (an awkward problem, a difficult piece of work, etc) 应付, 对付, 处理(棘手的问题﹑ 困难的工作等)
It's time to tackle my homework.现在该对付我的家庭作业了.
tackle a problem head-on, ie boldly and vigorously 迎向困难着手解决.
7.Dilemma: situation in which one has to choose between two undesirable things or courses of action 进退两难的窘境; 进退维谷的困境:
be in/place sb in a dilemma 陷入[置某人於]进退两难之境.
8.Cellulose: 纤维素
9.Splice：join (two pieces of wood, magnetic tape, film, etc) by fastening them at the ends 拼接(木片﹑ 磁带﹑ 胶片等).
10.Enzyme: organic chemical substance that is formed in living cells and assists chemical changes (eg in digestion) without being changed itself 酵素.
11.Strain: breed or type (of animal, insect, plant, etc) (动物﹑ 昆虫﹑ 植物等的)系, 品系, 品种, 类型:
a new strain of wheat小麦的新品种
strains of mosquitoes that are resistant to insecticide 对杀虫剂有抗药性的蚊虫.
12.Isobutyraldehyde 即isobutanol：异丁醛
13.Economical：careful in the spending of money, time, etc and in the use of resources; not wasteful 经济的; 节俭的; 省时间的; 节约的:
an economical car to run, eg one with low petrol consumption 节油汽车
14.win win：双赢
15.Cyanogas：氰钙粉
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