2007年VOA标准英语-'Year of the Pig' Brings More Power to Korea

By Kurt Achin
Icheon, South Korea
26 April 2007
 

Many Asian nations are marking this as the Year of the Pig on the Chinese zodiac calendar, which sees pigs as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.  South Korea is marking the Year of the Pig both symbolically¹ and organically, with an energy-saving and cost-cutting plant that turns pig waste into electrical power.  As VOA Seoul correspondent Kurt Achin tells us, wealth can come in many forms. 

These are the oinks of progress.

It may not be apparent, but these pigs are helping² to light and heat homes.  They are the key players in a new South Korean program to generate electricity. By constantly feeding, 2,500 pigs generate 20 tons of waste a day.

Engineers at this plant use a bacterial³ process to make "biogas" from the waste -- of which the key ingredient is methane⁴. "Before we can derive⁵ the biogas, we need to remove hair and other particles.  That happens up on the left.  Then, we scrape away micro-organisms, and that happens over on the right," explains Sung In Yoo.

Sung In Yoo

The process and the plant are every bit as fragrant⁶ as one might imagine.

But, with the right ID and password, managers can control plant operations from any remote location, such as a much nicer smelling office.

Environmental expert Hong Seung-mo directs the project.  He says pig waste power is still in the early days, but has great potential.

Hong Seung-mo

"South Korea produces 51 million tons of animal waste every year.  Usually it is dumped into the ocean, but that will become illegal in 2011.  So in 2012, we need another way to deal with it.  These techniques can also be used to deal with household sewage, and even restaurant food waste."

The gas from the waste processing is captured in a giant balloon inside a two-story steel tower.

Some of the methane stays on site to power the plant's small electric generator⁷. The rest is pressurized and sent to a local electricity production facility.  Engineers say the output of this pig-power plant can help light up several high-rise apartment buildings.

More than half the money for the pig power project comes from the South Korean government.  The government hopes to expand the project nationwide to eventually replace the purchase of 360 thousand tons of oil every year.

With savings⁸ like that, the pig could really live up to its reputation for bringing prosperity.

1 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

2 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。

3 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

4 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

5 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

6 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

7 generator   

n.发电机，发生器

参考例句：

• All the while the giant generator poured out its power.巨大的发电机一刻不停地发出电力。
• This is an alternating current generator.这是一台交流发电机。

8 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。