Debate over the use of Renewable energy
Ausubel of Rockefeller University in New York, US. says the key renewable energy sources, including sun, wind and biofuels, would all require vast 1 of land if developed up to large scale production 1 unlike nuclear power. That land would be far better left alone 2, he says. Renewables look attractive when they are quite 2 . But if we start producing renewable energy on a large scale, the fallout is going to be horrible. Instead, Ausubel argues 3 renewed development of nuclear.
Ausubel draws his conclusions by analysing the amount of energy renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used3. Moreover, he claims that as renewable energy use increases, this measure of efficiency4 will 4 as the best land for wind, biofuels, and solar power gets used up.
Using biofuels to obtain the 5 amount of energy as a 1000 megawatt nuclear power plant would require 2500 square kilometres of farm 6 , Ausubel says. We should be sparing land for nature5, not using it as pasture for cars and trucks, he adds.
Solar power is much more efficient than biofuel in terms of the area of land 7 , but it would still require 150 square kilometres of photovoltaic cells to 8 the energy production of the 1000 MW nuclear plant. In another example, he says meeting the 2005 US electricity demand via wind power alone would need 780,000 square kilometres, an area the size of Texas.
However, several experts are highly critical 9 Ausubels conclusions. John Turner of the US governments National Renewable Energy Laboratory says that 10 the US got all of its power from solar energy, it would still need less than half the amount of land that has been paved over for highways. Further, it need not 11 additional land. The US could get a quarter of its energy just from covering rooftops of 12 buildings, he says.
According to Turner, the same dual use also applies to wind power6. The footprint for wind7 is only 5% of the land that it 13 . Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on8. Turner says looking solely at land use is an oversimplification of the 14 . Im not sure Id want to build one of these nuclear plants in Afghanistan9, but we could 15 put in wind and solar power, he adds.
词汇:
renewable adj. 可再生的
n. 可再生能源 photovoltaic adj. 光电的
rooftop n. 屋顶
biofuel n 生物燃料 footprint n. 足迹,影响区域
fallout n. 余波,结果 turbine n. 涡轮机
megawatt n. 兆瓦
pasture n. 牧场,牧地 Oversimplification n. 过于简单化
注释:
1. if developed up to large scale production:如果开发达到大规模的程度。 if developed up to large scale production = if developed up to large scale production
2.That land would be far better left alone:保留那一片土地远比使用它为好。 left alone 是别动它的意思。如:
Leave him alone. He can solve the problem himself.
3.Ausubel draws his conclusions by analysing the amount of energy renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used:Ausubel 用每平方公尺土地与产生的能量的比率这一方法,对可再生能源、天然气和核电厂发出多少能量进行分析,从而得出他的结论。 renewables, natural gas and nuclear can produce in terms of power per square metre of land used 是定语从句,修饰 the amount of energy, 关系动词 that 省略。in terms of 是 按照,依据。如:
We cannot measure everything in term of money.
5.We should be sparing land for nature:我们应该将土地留给自然。spare 是免去,免遭。如:
Call him and you will spare a visit.
6.the same dual use also applies to wind power:同样的双重利用土地 也适用于风力发电
7.The footprint for wind:风力发电占用的土地。footprint 在此的意思是影响区。wind 实际上指的是风力发电。
8.Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on:农民在涡轮机占用的土地上仍然可以耕种。 Farmers can still farm the land that the turbines are on = Farmers can still farm the land on which the turbines are
9.Im not sure Id want to build one of these nuclear plants in Afghanistan:我确定不了我是否还想在阿富汗建立一个这样的核电厂。这是一种委婉的英语表达方式 ,其真正要表达的意思是:我不想在阿富汗建立一个这样的核电厂。
练习:
1.A) figures B) amounts C) numbers D) digits
2. A) small B) huge C) little D) vast
3. A) at B) over C) for D) against
4. A) expand B) minimize C) enlarge D) decrease
5. A) same B) similar C) alike D) identical
6. A) region B) site C) area D) land
7. A) leased B) cultivated C) used D) purchased
8. A) patch B) match C) catch D) fetch
9. A) in B) with C) of D) on
10. A) even if B) only if C) what if D) as if
11. A) lock up B) take up C) give up D) step up
12. A) towering B) interesting C) nicelooking D) existing
13. A) surrounds B) contains C) includes D) covers
14.A) issue B) stuff C) summary D) suggestion
15. A) doubtfully B) supposedly C) certainly D) honestly
英语美文:我真的做到了
国际英语资讯:Mauritania receives new medical donation from Jack Ma, Alibaba foundations
英雄新传:我是外国人,但不是外人
每日一词∣形式主义 the practice of formalities for formalities sake
国际英语资讯:Argentina receives new shipment of Chinese medical supplies for COVID-19 fight
个人理财,一定要保持多样化
贝卢斯科尼豪宅藏地下洞穴 似007电影场景
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: IMF, World Bank urge countries to keep trade open amid COVID-19 pandemic
体坛英语资讯:Ribeiro fires Flamengo to victory over Junior in Libertadores opener
国际英语资讯:Chinese medical team arrives in Kyrgyzstan to help fight COVID-19
批准了!纽约居民通过视频远程登记结婚
日本金融大臣自杀或因婚外情
国内英语资讯:China strengthens border control to prevent imported COVID-19 risk
商业周期包括哪几个阶段?
伦敦街头“天降”男尸吓坏居民
体坛英语资讯:La Ligas Espanol striker Wu Lei to miss China national team training camp in Dubai
瑞银职员举报逃税 坐牢两年获1亿美元
国际英语资讯:New York state to launch large-scale COVID-19 antibody testing, says governor
国内英语资讯:Chinas BGI helps Serbia build automated COVID-19 testing lab
为何北京市朝阳区成为高风险地区?官方回应来了
奥巴马接受民主党提名 自比罗斯福
国际英语资讯:Turkey, U.S. presidents agree to protect economy, public health from COVID-19 threat
国际英语资讯:Bangladesh fetches COVID-19 preventive medical aids from China
国内英语资讯:Bank of China donates medical materials to enhance COVID-19 fight in Zambia
体坛英语资讯:FIBA changes schedule of several events due to COVID-19 virus
模仿《手指》
斯里兰卡急聘刽子手 工作轻松仅限男性
体坛英语资讯:Ronaldinho arrested for alleged passport fraud
国内英语资讯:Economic Watch: With key rate cuts, China ramps up stimulus to bolster economy
国际英语资讯:More PPE supplies from China expected to arrive soon in Ireland