TOEFL Integrated Writing Practice Test 044Ethan Fuel

Ethanol fuel, derived from plants such as corn and sugarcane, has been promoted by some as an alternative to gasoline in the United States. However, numerous critics argue that ethanol is not a viable replacement for gasoline for several reasons.

First, ethanol fuel would not significantly reduce global warming, one of the primary environmental issues associated with gasoline. Like gasoline, ethanol releases carbon dioxide when burned, contributing to the greenhouse effect. As a result, ethanol does not offer any notable environmental benefit over gasoline in terms of reducing carbon emissions.

Second, large-scale ethanol production could deplete the supply of plants available for other important purposes, particularly food. For instance, much of the corn grown in the United States is currently used to feed livestock like cows and chickens. If ethanol were to account for just 10 percent of the country’s fuel needs, over 60 percent of the corn supply would be required to produce ethanol, threatening a vital food source for animals.

Third, ethanol fuel is unlikely to ever be cost-competitive with gasoline. Although ethanol and gasoline are currently priced similarly for consumers, this is primarily due to government tax subsidies that support ethanol production. Over the past 30 years, these subsidies have cost the U.S. government more than $11 billion. If the government were to discontinue these subsidies, the price of ethanol would increase dramatically, making it far less affordable than gasoline.