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2009年2月19日 星期四

[澎湖民宿。夏天來了民宿] Lord of the Spices 香料之后——番紅花

 
每週 四 出刊.2009.02.19
 
本 期 目 錄 簡介/舊報明細
Lord of the Spices 香料之后——番紅花
原來如此
精解字詞片語
單字小舖
中文翻譯&標準答案
中文翻譯 

Lord of the Spices 香料之后——番紅花



by Jeremy Beacock
Saffron is truly a multicultural spice.
番紅花是種包含多元文化的香料。

  There is a spice that links an Egyptian Pharaoh, Indian curries, and Buddhist monks. It takes an entire football field to make only a small amount. And this spice is more _(1)_ to produce, harvest, and buy than any other. It is the reddish-yellow spice called saffron (番紅花).
  Saffron is the dried stigma (柱頭) of crocus flowers. To make the spice, each flower must be stripped _(2)_ its three tiny stigmas—each is only two centimeters long—by hand. It takes _(3)_ 75,000 flowers to produce one pound of saffron. What's more, to grow crocus flowers, farmers must carefully _(4)_ the flower bulbs, break them up, and replant them. Because of this labor-intensive process, saffron costs from US$500 to US$5,000 a pound. It is so valuable that _(5)_ every Eurasian country with the right climate has a long saffron-growing tradition, and it is now grown worldwide.
  So what is so special about saffron that makes it _(6)_ the extraordinary effort and expense? First, it has a very unique _(7)_. Even a tiny pinch gives food a slightly metallic taste, and saffron is used in famous dishes _(8)_ Spanish paella (西班牙海鮮飯) and Indian curries. These dishes also show the second reason for saffron's popularity: its luminous yellow color. As a dye, saffron is traditionally used to make the distinctive yellow robes worn by Buddhist monks. Over the years, it has also been valued as a _(9)_ for plague, an anti-depressant, and an aphrodisiac; legendary ruler Cleopatra is said to have used it in her baths.
  In short, saffron's one-of-a-kind _(10)_ have made it an important part of all the cultures it has touched. Its taste, color, and the difficult production process mean that saffron is likely to remain the most valued spice for a long time to come.

(A) of (B) such as (C) flavor (D) costly (E) dig up (F) cure (G) up to (H) properties (I) worth (J) virtually
原來如此 


1. And this spice is more costly to produce, harvest, and buy than any other.
理由:
a. 空格前有 be 動詞 is 以及副詞 more(更加),可知應置入形容詞。
b. 選項中為形容詞的有 (D) costly(昂貴的)以及 (I) worth(值得的),然僅 costly 置入後符合語意,表比起其他香料,它從生產、收成到採購更是『所費不貲』,可知 (D) 為正選。
c. costly a. 昂貴的
例: Repairs to the car turned out to be more costly than expected.
(修車的費用結果比預期的要高。)

2. To make the spice, each flower must be stripped of its three tiny stigmas—each is only two centimeters long—by hand.
理由:
a. 本空格測試下列固定用法:
be stripped of...  被剝去……;被剝奪……
例: The tree was stripped of its leaves by a strong wind.
(一陣強風吹走了樹上的葉子。)
例: The athlete was stripped of the medal when it was found out that he had cheated.
(當那位運動員被發現作弊時,便被摘除獎牌。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (A)。

3. It takes up to 75,000 flowers to produce one pound of saffron.
理由:
a. 本空格測試下列固定用法:
up to + 數字  高達/多達……(數字)
例: Billy can eat up to five bowls of beef noodles in one sitting.
(比利一餐最多可以吃下 5 碗牛肉麵。)
b. 根據上述,可知應選 (G),置入後表一磅的乾番紅花柱頭得用掉『多達』7 萬 5 千朵鮮花之意。

4. What's more, to grow crocus flowers, farmers must carefully dig up the flower bulbs, break them up, and replant them.
理由:
a. 空格前有助動詞 must(必須),後有名詞詞組 the flower bulbs(球莖),可知空格內應置入原形及物動詞或及物動詞片語。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (E) dig up(挖掘)以及 (F) cure(治療),然僅 dig up 置入後符合語意,表花農必須仔細『挖出』成熟的球莖,將新球莖從母株取下後再移植,故選 (E)。
c. dig up...  挖掘……
例: Kathy dug up the old tree in her mother's garden.
(凱西挖起她媽媽花園裡的那棵老樹。)

5. It is so valuable that virtually every Eurasian country with the right climate has a long saffron-growing tradition, and it is now grown worldwide.
理由:
a. 空格後有形容詞 every(每一個)及 Eurasian country(歐亞國家),可知空格應置入可修飾 every 的副詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅有 (J) virtually(幾乎),此副詞通常與 all、any、every、no 等概括性完全的形容詞並用,置入後符合用法,故選之。
c. virtually adv. 幾乎,差不多
例:Virtually all of the students in our class have passed the test.
(我們班上的學生幾乎都通過考試。)

6. So what is so special about saffron that makes it worth the extraordinary effort and expense?
理由:
a. 空格前有不完全及物動詞 makes(使……成為……)以及受詞 it(= saffron),其後有名詞詞組 the extraordinary effort and expense(特別的費力和花費),由此可知,空格內可置入介詞或及物動詞。
b. 符合上述條件的選項有 (F) cure(治療)及 (I) worth(值得),然僅 worth 置入後符合語意,表使番紅花『值得』人們這麼費事又捨得花錢,故選 (I)。
c. worth prep. 值得
be worth + N/V-ing  值得……
例: This bike is worth a lot of money.
(這輛自行車值很多錢。)

7. First, it has a very unique flavor.
理由:
a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a 及形容詞 unique(獨特的),可知空格內應置入單數可數名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項有 (C) flavor(味道)及 (F) cure(治療法),然僅 flavor 置入後符合語意,表番紅花有很獨特的『氣味』,可知應選 (C)。
c. flavor n. 味道

8. Even a tiny pinch gives food a slightly metallic taste, and saffron is used in famous dishes such as Spanish paella and Indian curries.
理由:
a. 空格前有複數名詞詞組 famous dishes(有名的料理),空格後又列舉 Spanish paella and Indian curries(西班牙海鮮飯和印度咖哩)為例,可知空格應置入介詞片語 such as(諸如、像),表在一些『像是』西班牙海鮮飯和印度咖哩等有名的料理中就會用到番紅花,故選 (B)。
b. such as...  諸如/像……等等(置於複數名詞之後使用)
例: Marie likes exotic dances such as the flamenco and the tango.
(瑪莉喜歡異國舞蹈,像是佛朗明哥和探戈等。)

9. Over the years, it has also been valued as a cure for plague, an anti-depressant, and an aphrodisiac...
理由:
a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a,空格後有介詞 for,可知空格內應置入單數可數名詞。
b. 符合上述的選項僅剩 (F) cure(治療法),置入後亦符合語意,表番紅花也一直被視為是對抗瘟疫的珍貴『療方』,故選 (F)。
c. cure n. 治療方法(其後通常與介詞 for 並用)& vt. 治療
例: A cure was found for the disease in 1942.
(治療這種疾病的方法於 1942 年被發現。)

10. In short, saffron's one-of-a-kind properties have made it an important part of all the cultures it has touched.
理由:
a. 空格前有複合形容詞 one-of-a-kind(獨一無二的),可知空格內應置入名詞以供修飾。
b. 選項中僅剩 (H) properties(特性)為名詞,置入後亦符合語意,表番紅花獨一無二的『特性』使得它在所觸及的每個文化中都佔有一席之地,故 (H) 為正選。
c. property n. 特性
例: The new chemical has unusual properties.
(這種新的化學物質有不尋常的特性。)
精解字詞片語 


1. link vt. 聯繫;使有關聯
link A and B  把 A 與 B 聯繫在一起
link A to/with B  認為 A 與 B 有所關聯
例: The historical records link the past and the present.
(歷史文獻使我們得以鑒古知今。)
例: Researchers link smoking to lung cancer.
(研究專家認為抽菸和肺癌有所關聯。)

2. process n. 過程
in the process of...  在……過程中
例: Bill and Linda are in the process of getting a divorce.
(比爾和琳達目前正在辦離婚手續。)

3. expense n. 費用,支出
at the expense of...  以……的費用;犧牲……
例: His father was in the hospital, so he needed a large sum of money to pay the expenses.
(由於父親住院,因此他需要一大筆錢來支付費用。)
例: You should never try to earn money at the expense of your health.
= You should never try to earn money at the sacrifice of your health.
(你絕對不應該為了要賺錢而犧牲健康。)

4. distinctive a. 特殊的
例: The police officers in this city wear a distinctive uniform.
(這個城市的警官穿的制服很特別。)

5. In short, S + V  簡而言之,……
= In brief, S + V
= In a nutshell, S + V
例: In short, that was the best concert that I've ever been to.
(簡而言之,那是我曾去過最好的一場音樂會。)

6 one-of-a-kind  獨一無二的
one of a kind  獨一無二
例: It is worthwhile to buy that bag at any price. It's one of a kind.
(不論花多少錢買那個包包都值得。它是獨一無二的。)
單字小舖 


1. spice n. 香料
2. curry n. 咖哩
3. football field  足球場
4. harvest vt. 收成,收割
5. saffron n. 番紅花(粉)
6. crocus n. 番紅花
7. bulb n. 球莖
8. replant vt. 改種;移植
9. labor-intensive a. 勞動密集的
10. valuable a. 有價值的
11. Eurasian a. 歐亞的
12. extraordinary a. 特別的
13. pinch n. 少量;一撮
14. metallic a. 金屬的
15. luminous a. 閃耀的,發光的
16. dye n. 染料
17. traditionally adv. 傳統上
18. robe n. 長袍
19. plague n. 瘟疫
20. anti-depressant n. 抗抑鬱劑
21. aphrodisiac n. 催情劑
22. valued a. 貴重的
中文翻譯&標準答案 


有種香料將埃及法老、印度咖哩以及佛教僧侶聯繫在一起。這種香料得採收一個足球場面積大的原料才能製作出一點點的份量。而且比起其他香料,它從生產、收成到採購更是所費不貲。這種香料就是紅中帶黃的番紅花。
  
番紅花是摘自番紅花柱頭烘乾後的成品。要製作這種香料,必須用手工摘取每朵花上的 3 根小柱頭,而每根柱頭只有 2 公分長。一磅的乾番紅花柱頭得用掉多達 7 萬 5 千朵鮮花。另外,要種植番紅花,花農們必須小心挖出成熟的球莖,將新球莖從母株取下並移植。因為這種勞力密集的過程,使得每磅番紅花要價從 500 美金至 5,000 美金不等。因為番紅花這麼有經濟價值,所以幾乎每個氣候合適的歐亞國家長久都有栽種番紅花的傳統,而現在它更是遍植世界各地。
  
那麼番紅花到底有何特別之處,值得人們這麼費事又捨得花錢?首先,番紅花有非常獨特的氣味。即使非常少量,也會讓食物散發出些許金屬的味道,在一些像是西班牙海鮮飯和印度咖哩等有名的料理中就會用到番紅花。而這兩道料理也帶出番紅花如此受歡迎的第二個原因:那就是它亮澄澄的金黃色。番紅花可用來作為染料,通常被用來製作佛教僧侶所穿的特殊黃長袍。歷年來,番紅花也一直被視為是對抗瘟疫的珍貴療方、抗抑鬱劑和催情劑。據說傳奇性女王埃及豔后就會在沐浴時用番紅花泡澡。
  
總之,番紅花獨一無二的特性使它在所觸及的每個文化中都佔有一席之地。番紅花的氣味、顏色以及製造時的困難過程都透露出在未來的日子裡,它仍會是最彌足珍貴的一種香料。

標準答案: 1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (G) 4. (E) 5. (J) 6. (I) 7. (C) 8. (B) 9. (F) 10. (H)
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由 澎湖民宿。夏天來了民宿 於 2/18/2009 12:04:00 上午 張貼在 澎湖民宿。夏天來了民宿

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