【英语时差8,16】蘑菇也能变为柴油？

 Don: Time to go again to the A Moment of Science mailbag. Yaël: A listener writes: Dear A Moment of Science, Scientists know that one day we'll run out of oil and other natural sources of energy. Beyond solar power and wind power and ethanol, what are some other potential alternative energy sources? D: Excellent question. Of course, wind and solar power are valuable technologies, even though they're not close to the point of being able to replace fossil fuels as our main energy source. So scientists are always on the lookout¹ for other possibilities. Y: A plant scientist named Gary Strobel discovered a very interesting and unusual possibility: a South American fungus² that makes chemical compounds found in diesel³ fuel. The fungus lives and feeds on cellulose, a material found in things like wheat, barley⁴, straw, leaves---basically almost any plant material. The fungus breaks down cellulose, and then somehow converts it to the diesel-like chemical. D: It's not yet clear if the fungus can be cultivated on a large scale and used to produce actual fuel to power cars and planes and everything else that burns fuel. That will take more research into the fungus. But it's a promising⁵ find. The world is full of a nearly unlimited⁶ amount of renewable plant waste material like leaves and straw and other things the fungus needs to thrive. If the fungus does pan out as a way to make fuel, it could play an important role in helping⁷ to solve the world's energy problems.

1 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

2 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

3 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

4 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。