Biofuels Reading Answers

Nov 24, 2022

Biofuels Reading Answers comprises 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Biofuels Reading Answers comprises three types of questions, namely- choose the correct paragraph, and only two word. For matching the information, candidates must read the passage and understand the statement provided. In order to solve choose the correct paragraph, candidates are required identify the keywords and understand the sentences and questions posed. In no more than two word, candidates are required to answer based on a given cue. Answers shouldn’t exceed the mentioned one word limits. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.

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Reading Passage Question

Soon, we’re told, corn crops will be as valuable as oil. This is because corn and a few other crops are being promoted as the biofuels of the future. Biofuel is an umbrella term used to describe all fuels derived from organic matter. The two most common biofuels are bioethanol which is a substitute for gasoline and biodiesel. Not only have soaring oil prices made biofuels economically viable for the first time in years but they could also help countries reduce their dependency on fossil fuel imports. However, the real plus point m the minds of many is their eco-friendly image.
Supporters claim they will cut our net greenhouse gas inputs dramatically because the crops soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. Given this fact it’s no surprise that politicians and environmentalists the world over are backing the Idea, hoping we will soon be using this green alternative to power their cars, buses, and trains. Other scientists, however, have begun to question the environmental and social arguments for biofuels. Far from solving out the problem, they believe biofuels will destroy rainforests, suck water reserve dry, kill off species and raise food prices. Worst of all they claim that many biofuels will hardy slow global warming at all if the technology behind them does not improve. Biofuel supporters counter that it’s still early days, and we should give this technology the time and investment to delivering on its promise. So, who’s right?
The controversy may be brand new, but the biofuels themselves are an old idea. The Model T Ford, first produced in 1908, was designed to run on ethanol, and Rudolf Diesel who invented the diesel engine in 1892, ran his demonstration model on peanut oil. Biofuels fell out of favor as petroleum-based fuel appeared and became cheaper In produce. but, after the oil crisis of the early 1970s, some countries returned to biofuels. For example, Brazil has been producing large quantities of ethanol from sugarcane for over 30 years. Brazilian law now requires that 20 percent of fuel be blended with bioethanol which all gasoline-powered cars can tolerate. Over 15 percent of Brazil’s cars can even run on pure bioethanol.
According to a recent study by the World Watch Institute, for Brazil to produce ten percent of its entire fuel consumption, requires just three percent of its agricultural land, so it’s not surprising that other places want to emulate Brazil’s approach. The problem is that in most other countries the numbers don’t add up. The same study estimated that to meet that ten percent target, the US would require 30 percent of its agricultural land, and Europe a staggering 72 percent. It’s no secret why things stack up so differently. Not only do Brazilians drive far less than Europeans and Americans, their fertile land, and favorable climate mean their crop yield is higher and their population density is lower
Several research groups have tried to compare fossil fuel emissions with those of corn bioethanol at every stage of production from seed sowing to fuel production. The studies have been beset by scientific uncertainties, such as how much of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide is produced by the nitrogen fertilizer used in growing corn. Opinions are divided as to what should and should not be included in the calculation, which means the results vary widely, but a study by David Pimental at Cornell University in New York concluded that corn ethanol creates more greenhouse gases than burning fossil fuel.
Another reason a growing number of people oppose biofuels is that growing corn for ethanol uses up land that is currently supplying food to the world. According to Lester Brown, veteran commentator and activist on food politics, the corn required to fill a 4×4 tank with bioethanol just once could feed one person for a year. He predicts that a boom in bioethanol would lead to a competition between 800 million people in the world who own automobiles and three billion people who live on less than $2 a day, many of whom are already spending over half their income on food.
So are we already mistaken to think that bioethanol could usher in an era of greener energy? The way things are developing, it certainly looks that way, but it needn’t be so. Scientists want to perfect a way to make biofuels from non-food crops and waste biomass saving the corn and other food crops for food use and to do it without wrecking natural ecosystems. Already researchers are discovering ways to convert cellulose-rich organic matter into ethanol. Cellulose is the main structural component of all green plants. Its molecules comprise chains of sugars strong enough to make plant cell walls. If you could break down these molecules to release the sugars they contain, you could ferment them until ethanol is created. Developing such a process could open the door to many non-food materials such as switchgrass – a wild grass that lives on the eastern states and Midwest of the US – straw, crop residues like stalks and hardwood chips. Its supporters say these cellulose materials could deliver twice as much ethanol per hectare as corn, and do it using land that is today neither economically productive nor environmentally precious. Some even think municipal waste such as paper, cardboard and waste food could also be used. If the numbers add up this could be the development that may yet deliver us from our dependence on oil without costing us the Earth in the process.

Solution With Explanation
Question 1 to 6:
Reading Passage has seven paragraphs, A – G. Which paragraph contains the following information.

Why bioethanol production is a success in this area.
An individual's forecast on the effects of increased maize ethanol production.
Biofuels' potential to slow global warming is discussed in this section.
An explanation for the term "biofuel"
One of the biofuels studied was deemed less environmentally benign than oil.
Before petroleum, examples of how ethanol was utilized as a fuel.

Question 1: Why bioethanol production is a success in this area.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Not only do Brazilians drive far less than Europeans and Americans, their fertile land, and favorable climate mean their crop yield is higher and their population density is lower.
Keywords: crop yield, population density, favorable climate
Keyword location: Section D, line 7
Explanation: the favorable climate and fertile soil in Brazil allow for a better crop yield as well as a lower population density. Production of ten percent of enture fuel consumption requires three percent of agricultural land use. This analysis indicated that the United States would need 30% of its agricultural area and Europe would need a whopping 72% of its agricultural land to accomplish this 10% target. It's not a mystery why things are arranged in such a divergent manner.

Question 2: An individual's forecast on the effects of increased maize ethanol production.

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: He predicts that a boom in bioethanol would lead to a competition between 800 million people in the world who own automobiles and three billion people who live on less than $2 a day, many of whom are already spending over half their income on food.
Keywords: predicts, bioethanol production, boom in bioethanol
Keyword location: Section F, line 5
Explanation: Lester Brown, a long-time food policy critic, and activist, says that the amount of corn needed to fill a 4x4 tank with bioethanol once could feed a person for a year, according to his estimates. Many of the three billion residents who stay on less than $2 a day already spend more than half of their income on food, and he believes a surge in bioethanol will put them in competition.

Question 3: Biofuels' potential to slow global warming is discussed in this section.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Supporters claim they will cut our net greenhouse gas inputs dramatically because the crops soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow.
Keywords: global warming, biofuels, net greenhouse gas inputs
Keyword location: Section B, line 1
Explanation: Biofuel promoters argue that the crops absorb carbon dioxide from the environment as they grow, reducing our net greenhouse gas contributions considerably. Politicians and environmental activists throughout the world have jumped on board to support the concept, expecting that we will soon be using this green alternative to power our vehicles, buses, and trains.

Question 4: An explanation for the term "biofuel"

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Biofuel is an umbrella term used to describe all fuels derived from organic matter.
Keywords: Biofuel, term, organic matter
Keyword location: Section A, line 3
Explanation: All fuels obtained from organic matter are referred to as biofuels. There are two main types of biofuels: bioethanol, a gasoline alternative, and biodiesel.

Question 5: One of the biofuels studied was deemed less environmentally benign than oil.

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: A study by David Pimental at Cornell University in New York concluded that corn ethanol creates more greenhouse gases than burning fossil fuel.
Keywords: Corn ethanol, biofuels, burning fossil fuel
Keyword location: Section E, line 7
Explanation: At every stage of production, researchers have compared fossil fuel emissions with those of corn bioethanol, from seed sowing to the manufacturing of the finished product. Nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertilizer used in maize production are unknown, and this uncertainty has hindered the analyses.

Question 6: Before petroleum, examples of how ethanol was utilized as a fuel.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Biofuels fell out of favor as petroleum-based fuel appeared and became cheaper In produce. But after the oil crisis of the early 1970s, some countries returned to biofuels.
Keywords: Biofuels, petroleum, oil crisis
Keyword location: Section C, line 4
Explanation: As petroleum-based fuels arrived and became more affordable to generate, biofuels fell out of favor. However, some countries turned to biofuels again following the early 1970s oil crisis. Over the past three decades, Brazil has produced huge amounts of ethanol from sugarcane.

Question 7- 12:
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Using Non-Fuel Crops to Make Biofuels

A major constituent of green plants is cellulose. The 7……………………..of cellulose is made up of sugars. These form the 8………………………of plants. Ethanol could be produced by extracting the sugars and allowing them to 9……………………… One common North American plant that could be used in this method is 10…………………….. Some scientists believe that this would be a more productive source of ethanol than 11………………………………. Additionally, the source plant materials could be grown in the ground which is not currently being used for agriculture and is not 12…………………valuable.

Question 7:

Answer: Molecules
Supporting Sentence: Cellulose is the main structural component of all green plants. Cell walls of plants can be made from the chains of sugars in their molecules.
Keywords: green plants, cellulose, plant cell walls
Keyword location: Section G, line 7
Explanation: According to Section G, all green plants have cellulose as their primary structural component. Cell walls of plants can be made from the chains of sugars in their molecules. Ethanol production could be achieved by breaking down these molecules and extracting the carbohydrates they contain.

Question 8:

Answer: Cell walls / Structural component
Supporting Sentence: Cellulose is the main structural component of all green plants. Cell walls of plants can be made from the chains of sugars in their molecules.
Keywords: green plants, chains of sugar, plant cell walls
Keyword location: Section G, line 7
Explanation: According to Section G, cellulose is the fundamental structural component of all green plants. Sugar chains in plant molecules can be used to build the cell walls of plants. These molecules can be broken down and the carbs they contain extracted to produce ethanol.

Question 9:

Answer: Ferment
Supporting Sentence: If you could break down these molecules to release the sugars they contain, you could ferment them until ethanol is created.
Keywords: ethanol, ferment, release the sugars
Keyword location: Section G, line 9
Explanation: Cellulose molecules are composed of chains of sugars that are strong enough to form the walls of plant cells. If these molecules could be broken down to liberate the sugars contained therein, they could be fermented until ethanol is produced.

Question 10:

Answer: Switchgrass
Supporting Sentence: Developing such a process could open the door to many non-food materials such as switchgrass – a wild grass that lives in the eastern states and Midwest of the US – straw, crop residues like stalks, and hardwood chips.
Keywords: a wild grass, midwest of the US, hardwood chips
Keyword location: Section G, line 10
Explanation: Switchgrass, a wild grass found in the eastern and midwestern United States, straw, crop wastes such as stalks, and hardwood chips might all be used in this procedure.

Question 11:

Answer: Corn
Supporting Sentence: Its supporters say these cellulose materials could deliver twice as much ethanol per hectare as corn, and do it using land that is today neither economically productive nor environmentally precious.
Keywords: cellulose materials, ethanol, environmentally precious
Keyword location: Section G, line 13
Explanation: Switchgrass campaigners assert that such cellulose materials have the potential to produce double the amount of ethanol per hectare as maize, on land that is currently unproductive commercially or environmentally valued.

Question 12:

Answer: Environmentally
Supporting Sentence: Its supporters say these cellulose materials could deliver twice as much ethanol per hectare as corn, and do it using land that is today neither economically productive nor environmentally precious
Keywords: ethanol per hectare, corn, economically productive
Keyword location: Section G, line 15
Explanation: Switchgrass campaigners assert that such cellulose materials have the potential to produce double the amount of ethanol per hectare as maize, on land that is currently unproductive commercially or environmentally valued.

Question 13:
You must select one of the following letters: A, B, C, or D

What does the author of the text conclude?

Sugarcane bioethanol will be the world's cheapest fuel.
Corn-based biofuels could help the United States become self-sufficient in this area.
It is possible to produce a biofuel that does not harm the environment in a timely manner.
Bioethanol is the fuel of the future, according to scientists.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Biofuel supporters counter that it’s still early days, and we should give this technology the time and investment to deliver on its promise.|
Keywords: Biofuel supporters, early days, technology
Keyword location: Section B, line 10
Explanation: According to section B, the worst part is, researchers, claim that even if biofuel technology improves, it will barely affect global warming at all. As a group, biofuel proponents argue that we should give this technology time and money so that its promise might be realized in the future.

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