The article introduces the topic of corn-based ethanol. More specifically, the writer discusses the advantages of switching from fossil fuels to this alternative energy source. The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that the benefits the author mentions are misleading and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.
In the reading, the author begins by stating that drivers will get better gas mileage on corn ethanol than on fossil fuels, and therefore save money on gas. The speaker, however, disagrees. He states that the production of corn ethanol is very expensive. He says that in order to make for the costs to create and distribute this biofuel, the price of ethanol gas will increase. Therefore, it will not be any cheaper for consumers in the long run.
The writer also claims that making the switch to corn ethanol will help the American economy because it will make the United States less dependent on foreign oil. Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. He holds instead that mass use of corn-based ethanol will hurt the economy. He elaborates this by point out that the inevitable competition for corn by multiple consumers, including beef and dairy farmers, will drive the price of corn up.
Another reason why the author feels that moving from traditional gasoline to corn ethanol is a good idea is that they are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that as more farmlands are created to support the demands for more corn, more carbon will be absorbed by the land. This means that these emissions will still be released to negatively affect the environment. 
The article introduces the topic of corn-based  
ethanol
. More  
specifically
, the writer discusses the advantages of switching from fossil fuels to this alternative energy source. The lecturer in the listening passage disagrees. He believes that the benefits the author mentions are misleading and attacks each of the claims made in the reading.
In the reading, the author  
begins
 by stating that drivers will  
get
 better gas mileage on  
corn
  ethanol
 than on fossil fuels, and  
therefore
 save money on gas. The speaker,  
however
, disagrees. He states that the production of  
corn
  ethanol
 is  
very
 expensive. He says that in order to  
make
 for the costs to create and distribute this biofuel, the price of  
ethanol
 gas will increase.  
Therefore
, it will not be any cheaper for consumers in the long run.
The writer  
also
 claims that making the switch to  
corn
  ethanol
 will  
help
 the American economy  
because
 it will  
make
 the United States less dependent on foreign oil. Again, the lecturer believes there are flaws in the writer’s argument. He holds  
instead
 that mass  
use
 of corn-based  
ethanol
 will hurt the economy. He elaborates this by point out that the inevitable competition for  
corn
 by multiple consumers, including beef and dairy farmers, will drive the price of  
corn
 up.
Another reason why the author feels that moving from traditional gasoline to  
corn
  ethanol
 is a  
good
  idea
 is that they are more  
environmentally
 friendly than fossil fuels. The professor in the listening passage is doubtful that this is accurate. He suggests that as more farmlands  
are created
 to support the demands for more  
corn
, more carbon will  
be absorbed
 by the land. This means that these emissions will  
still
  be released
 to  
negatively
 affect the environment.