tpo 22

The reading argues that ethanol, made from plants such as corn and sugar can, is not a good substitute for gasoline in the United States and it provides three reasons for support. However, the lecture says ethanol is a good substitute for gasoline and opposes each reason mentioned in the passage.

First reason mentioned in the article is that the increased use of ethanol fuel would not help to solve the global warming issue of gasoline usage as when ethanol burns, it also releases the carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, in the air. In contrast, the professor claims that ethanol would not cause global warming. Ethanol is made from the plants and the process of growing plants includes the absorption of carbon dioxide from the air. Therefore, the growing plants counteract the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

Second, the article asserts that the production of significant amount of ethanol would reduce the amount of plants, which are the food source for cattle. However, the lecture refutes the point by saying that it does not reduce the food source as ethanol is made from the cellulose. The plant parts, which do not used by animals, also contain cellulose; hence, it would be used for the production without reducing the food source.

Third, the passage posits that ethanol fuel will never be able to compete with the gasoline on price. On the other hand, the professor opposes the point by saying that its true government has given subsidies to ethanol production. However, if the usage of ethanol would increase, the production would also increase and it will decrease the production cost, so do its price. The study shows three times greater usage in ethanol will drop forty percent of production cost of a unit.