現(xiàn)代生活的方方面面都需要?jiǎng)恿Γ鴦?dòng)力的來源——燃料則是我們當(dāng)今社會(huì)發(fā)展所遇到的一大難題。今天我們的托福閱讀材料中所介紹的藍(lán)菌正是一種有可能在未來解決燃料問題的特殊細(xì)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：藍(lán)菌，又稱藍(lán)細(xì)菌、藍(lán)綠菌、藍(lán)藻或藍(lán)綠藻，或稱為藍(lán)菌門，當(dāng)中包括發(fā)菜、螺旋藻等生物。雖然傳統(tǒng)上歸于藻類，但近期發(fā)現(xiàn)因?yàn)闆]有細(xì)胞核等等，與細(xì)菌非常接近，因此現(xiàn)時(shí)已被歸入細(xì)菌域。藍(lán)菌在地球上已存在約30億年，是目前以來發(fā)現(xiàn)到的最早的光合放氧生物，對(duì)地球表面從無氧的大氣環(huán)境變?yōu)橛醒醐h(huán)境起了巨大的作用。
2.Algae：very simple plants with no true stems or leaves, found chiefly in water 藻; 藻類.
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)發(fā)酵:
Fruit juices ferment if they are kept a long time.果汁放置日久會(huì)發(fā)酵.
When wine is fermented it gives off bubbles of gas.酒發(fā)酵時(shí)會(huì)放出氣泡.
5.Biofuel: 生物燃料。
6.Tackle： deal with or overcome (an awkward problem, a difficult piece of work, etc) 應(yīng)付, 對(duì)付, 處理(棘手的問題﹑ 困難的工作等)
It's time to tackle my homework.現(xiàn)在該對(duì)付我的家庭作業(yè)了.
tackle a problem head-on, ie boldly and vigorously 迎向困難著手解決.
7.Dilemma: situation in which one has to choose between two undesirable things or courses of action 進(jìn)退兩難的窘境; 進(jìn)退維谷的困境:
be in/place sb in a dilemma 陷入[置某人於]進(jìn)退兩難之境.
8.Cellulose: 纖維素
9.Splice：join (two pieces of wood, magnetic tape, film, etc) by fastening them at the ends 拼接(木片﹑ 磁帶﹑ 膠片等).
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) (動(dòng)物﹑ 昆蟲﹑ 植物等的)系, 品系, 品種, 類型:
a new strain of wheat小麥的新品種
strains of mosquitoes that are resistant to insecticide 對(duì)殺蟲劑有抗藥性的蚊蟲.
12.Isobutyraldehyde 即isobutanol：異丁醛
13.Economical：careful in the spending of money, time, etc and in the use of resources; not wasteful 經(jīng)濟(jì)的; 節(jié)儉的; 省時(shí)間的; 節(jié)約的:
an economical car to run, eg one with low petrol consumption 節(jié)油汽車
14.win win：雙贏
15.Cyanogas：氰鈣粉
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：藍(lán)菌，又稱藍(lán)細(xì)菌、藍(lán)綠菌、藍(lán)藻或藍(lán)綠藻，或稱為藍(lán)菌門，當(dāng)中包括發(fā)菜、螺旋藻等生物。雖然傳統(tǒng)上歸于藻類，但近期發(fā)現(xiàn)因?yàn)闆]有細(xì)胞核等等，與細(xì)菌非常接近，因此現(xiàn)時(shí)已被歸入細(xì)菌域。藍(lán)菌在地球上已存在約30億年，是目前以來發(fā)現(xiàn)到的最早的光合放氧生物，對(duì)地球表面從無氧的大氣環(huán)境變?yōu)橛醒醐h(huán)境起了巨大的作用。
2.Algae：very simple plants with no true stems or leaves, found chiefly in water 藻; 藻類.
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)發(fā)酵:
Fruit juices ferment if they are kept a long time.果汁放置日久會(huì)發(fā)酵.
When wine is fermented it gives off bubbles of gas.酒發(fā)酵時(shí)會(huì)放出氣泡.
5.Biofuel: 生物燃料。
6.Tackle： deal with or overcome (an awkward problem, a difficult piece of work, etc) 應(yīng)付, 對(duì)付, 處理(棘手的問題﹑ 困難的工作等)
It's time to tackle my homework.現(xiàn)在該對(duì)付我的家庭作業(yè)了.
tackle a problem head-on, ie boldly and vigorously 迎向困難著手解決.
7.Dilemma: situation in which one has to choose between two undesirable things or courses of action 進(jìn)退兩難的窘境; 進(jìn)退維谷的困境:
be in/place sb in a dilemma 陷入[置某人於]進(jìn)退兩難之境.
8.Cellulose: 纖維素
9.Splice：join (two pieces of wood, magnetic tape, film, etc) by fastening them at the ends 拼接(木片﹑ 磁帶﹑ 膠片等).
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) (動(dòng)物﹑ 昆蟲﹑ 植物等的)系, 品系, 品種, 類型:
a new strain of wheat小麥的新品種
strains of mosquitoes that are resistant to insecticide 對(duì)殺蟲劑有抗藥性的蚊蟲.
12.Isobutyraldehyde 即isobutanol：異丁醛
13.Economical：careful in the spending of money, time, etc and in the use of resources; not wasteful 經(jīng)濟(jì)的; 節(jié)儉的; 省時(shí)間的; 節(jié)約的:
an economical car to run, eg one with low petrol consumption 節(jié)油汽車
14.win win：雙贏
15.Cyanogas：氰鈣粉