# Biomass fuel - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2019.6.29Asia/2018.5.19 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/3836ad87-2631-4e5a-8ebf-c9305567f350（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 00:00:02,360 You will hear a lecturer talking to a group of environmental science students about fuel made from biomass. 00:00:11,420 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty on page seven. 00:01:06,740 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:01:13,960 Good afternoon, everyone. In this course, we’ve been discussing the principles of sustainable development, and now we’re going to look at some of the ways in which these principles are being put into practice. Today, I’m going to talk about the use of biomass. And for those of you who don’t know what biomass is, it’s plant material, usually agricultural waste, such as sawdust or straw. And briquettes made out of biomass are used as fuel, either in the home or in industry. 00:01:46,700 I’ll start with the benefits. 00:01:49,200 Using briquettes has a financial benefit because they make use of waste products as raw materials, so there isn’t any cost involved for that. 00:01:59,180 Another advantage is convenience. Handling briquettes is cleaner than handling materials like wood or charcoal. 00:02:06,900 Also, briquettes are less trouble to store because they’re a uniform size and shape. 00:02:12,700 Right. Let’s look briefly now at how these briquettes are made. There are two basic methods of manufacture. The first method uses machinery. At the initial stage, all the loose plant material is ground into a powder and then mixed with other materials. Next, a machine compresses the biomass mixture, and that process raises the temperature and causes it to melt. 00:02:41,840 The machine forces the biomass mixture out through rectangular or circular holes. Then, as the pressure decreases, the mixture cools and becomes solid again. And that’s how the briquettes are formed. 00:02:56,700 It’s important to point out that with this method, electricity is essential to operate the machinery, and the exact amount you need depends on the type of biomass you use. But generally, the amount required is only three percent to nine percent of the energy that’s produced by the briquettes when they are burnt. 00:03:17,460 The second method involves making briquettes by hand. This method is suitable when the biomass is mainly composed of material that doesn’t melt, like paper. 00:03:28,390 The biomass is made into a paste by adding water and, in addition, something sticky, such as starch. This mixture is then shaped using either a simple metal press or bare hands. 00:03:46,300 So where is biomass fuel used, and how extensively? Well, it’s difficult to obtain detailed figures, but it’s been used for several years in Europe and the USA, mainly for agriculture. And since 2000, there’s been a rapid increase in the production and use of briquettes made out of wood waste. I can give you a ballpark figure: in two thousand and ten, about five million tonnes were used in Europe. Some of these had to be imported from the USA. 00:04:18,220 Moving further east, both India and China have been producing biomass briquettes since the nineteen nineties. 00:04:25,980 Detailed figures are hard to come by, but in China, in two thousand and two, the number of factories producing biomass briquettes had increased to approximately six hundred, and production is still growing. 00:04:40,580 I don’t have information about Africa in general, but I can give you an example of one company in Uganda which is producing briquettes. Most of the company’s customers are public institutions like schools and universities that provide hot meals for their students. The other main users are businesses that need a source of heat for producing their products. 00:05:03,820 Okay. Well, how viable are biomass fuels like these in economic terms, and what is likely to happen in the future? Well, the answer depends partly on the price of the fuels that they replace, and that varies from place to place. But in general, the demand for biomass fuels is almost certain to grow, and that can only benefit the environment. 00:05:27,280 Let’s turn now to another facet of sustain- 00:05:32,780 That is the end of section four. You now have half a minute to check your answers. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Biomass is waste plant material, e.g. sawdust, straw. Bio mass briquettes can be used as domestic or industrial fuel. Benefits of biomass briquettes · Financial: no 31_____ for materials Biomass is waste plant material, e.g. sawdust, straw. Bio mass briquettes can be used as domestic or industrial fuel. Benefits of biomass briquettes · Financial: no 31_____ for materials **答案**：cost 原文定位：Using briquettes has a financial benefit because they make use of waste products as raw materials, so there isn’t any cost involved for that 同义替换：「no cost」↔「there isn’t any cost involved」 ### 32. · Convenience: clean and easy to handle and 32_____ · Convenience: clean and easy to handle and 32_____ **答案**：store 原文定位：Also, briquettes are less trouble to store because they’re a uniform size and shape 同义替换：「easy to」↔「less trouble to」 ### 33. Production by machine · Biomass is first converted to a 33_____ . Then other substances are added. Production by machine · Biomass is first converted to a 33_____ . Then other substances are added. **答案**：powder 原文定位：At the initial stage, all the loose plant material is ground into a powder and then mixed with other materials 同义替换：「converted to」↔「ground into」；「substances」↔「materials」 ### 34. · The machine expels the mixture through 34_____ of different shapes. · The machine expels the mixture through 34_____ of different shapes. **答案**：holes 原文定位：The machine forces the biomass mixture out through rectangular or circular holes 同义替换：「expels the mixture」↔「forces the biomass mixture out」；「different shapes」↔「rectangular or circular」 ### 35. · N.B. Only a relatively small amount of 35_____ is needed to operate the machine. · N.B. Only a relatively small amount of 35_____ is needed to operate the machine. **答案**：electricity 原文定位：It’s important to point out that with this method, electricity is essential to operate the machinery, and the exact amount you need depends on the type of biomass you use. But generally, the amount required is only three percent to nine percent of the energy that’s produced by the briquettes when they are burnt 同义替换：「small amount」↔「only three percent to nine percent」 ### 36. Production by hand · Biomass is mixed with water and sticky material, e.g. 36_____ , and then pressed into shape. Production by hand · Biomass is mixed with water and sticky material, e.g. 36_____ , and then pressed into shape. **答案**：starch 原文定位：The biomass is made into a paste by adding water and, in addition, something sticky, such as starch. This mixture is then shaped using either a simple metal press or bare hands 同义替换：「mixed with」↔「adding」 ### 37. Current Use · Briquettes have been in use for some time for 37_____ · The use of briquettes made from wood has increased rapidly. Current Use · Briquettes have been in use for some time for 37_____ · The use of briquettes made from wood has increased rapidly. **答案**：agriculture 原文定位：So where is biomass fuel used, and how extensively? Well, it’s difficult to obtain detailed figures, but it’s been used for several years in Europe and the USA, mainly for agriculture 同义替换：「have been in use for some time」↔「been used for several years」 ### 38. India and China · 1990s: briquette manufacture began. · 2002: China had about 600 38_____ India and China · 1990s: briquette manufacture began. · 2002: China had about 600 38_____ **答案**：factories 原文定位：but in China, in two thousand and two, the number of factories producing biomass briquettes had increased to approximately six hundred 同义替换：「about」↔「approximately」 ### 39. Uganda · Customers are mainly public institutions or 39_____ Uganda · Customers are mainly public institutions or 39_____ **答案**：businesses 原文定位：Most of the company’s customers are public institutions like schools and universities that provide hot meals for their students. The other main users are businesses that need a source of heat for producing their products 同义替换：「public institutions」↔「schools and universities」 ### 40. Prospects for biomass fuel · The 40_____ is likely to increase Prospects for biomass fuel · The 40_____ is likely to increase **答案**：demand 原文定位：But in general, the demand for biomass fuels is almost certain to grow, and that can only benefit the environment 同义替换：「Prospects」↔「what is likely to happen in the future」；「likely to increase」↔「almost certain to grow」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。