TED演讲:我们应该食用昆虫吗(1)

 　　For centuries, people have consumed bugs¹, everything from beetles³ to caterpillars⁴, locusts⁵, grasshoppers⁶, termites⁷, and dragonflies. 几世纪以来，人类都在食用各种虫子，从甲虫到毛毛虫、蝗虫、蚱蜢、白蚁再到蜻蜓。

　　The practice even has a name: entomophagy. 这种用食习惯甚至还有个名字：食虫性。

　　Early hunter-gatherers probably learned from animals that foraged⁸ for protein-rich insects and followed suit. 早期的狩猎采集者们大概从动物那里学到了怎样寻找富含高蛋白的虫子，并且也模仿了起来。

　　As we evolved and bugs became part of our dietary tradition, they fulfilled the role of both staple⁹ food and delicacy¹⁰. 随着人类的发展，吃虫子变成了我们的饮食习惯。因为虫子既是日常可见的东西，又很美味。

　　In ancient Greece, cicadas were considered luxury snacks. 在古希腊，蝉被认为是很奢侈的美味。

　　And even the Romans found beetle² larvae¹¹ to be scrumptious. 罗马人甚至发现甲虫幼虫十分可口。

　　Why have we lost our taste for bugs? 而现在，我们为什么丧失了对虫子的喜爱？

　　The reason for our rejection¹² is historical, and the story probably begins around 10,000 BC in the Fertile Crescent, 这是有历史原因的，大概要追溯到公元前一万年的肥沃月弯地区，

　　a place in the Middle East that was a major birthplace of agriculture. 它位于今天的中东地区，是农业的主要发源地。

　　Back then, our once-nomadic ancestors began to settle in the Crescent. 在那时，我们的游牧民族祖先曾经在肥沃月弯地区定居下来。

　　And as they learned to farm crops and domesticate¹³ animals there, 他们在那里学会了怎样种植庄稼和怎样驯化野兽，

　　attitudes changed, rippling¹⁴ outwards¹⁵ towards Europe and the rest of the Western world. 于是人们换了一种生活方式，并向欧洲拓展，然后传到了整个西方世界。

　　As farming took off, people might have spurned¹⁶ bugs as mere¹⁷ pests that destroyed their crops. 当农业发展了起来，人们意识到虫子只是毁坏庄家的害虫。

　　Populations grew, and the West became urbanized, weakening connections with our foraging¹⁸ past. 而当人口增加，西方开始城镇化发展以后，使得我们与我们祖先的游牧文化的联系越来越淡。

　　People simply forgot their bug-rich history. 人们忘记了食用虫子的历史。

　　Today, for people not accustomed to entomophagy, bugs are just an irritant. 而现在，对于那些不习惯吃虫子的人，虫子成了令人讨厌的东西。

　　They sting and bite and infest¹⁹ our food. 它们叮咬人类并且祸害庄稼。

　　We feel an "ick factor" associated with them and are disgusted by the prospect²⁰ of cooking insects. 看到虫子我们觉得“恶心”，并且讨厌烹调昆虫的流行。

　　Almost 2,000 insect species are turned into food, forming a big part of everyday diets for two billion people around the world. 大约已经有2000种昆虫被转化成了食物，对于世界上的二十亿人类来说这构成了他们日常饮食的很大一部分。

　　Countries in the tropics are the keenest consumers, because culturally, it's acceptable. 热带国家的人们是虫子的最积极食用者，因为对于他们的文化来说是可接受的。

　　Species in those regions are also large, diverse, and tend to congregate²¹ in groups or swarms²² that make them easy to harvest. 那些地区的虫子个头很大，多种多样，并且喜欢聚成一大群，使得他们更容易被捕获。

　　Take Cambodia in Southeast Asia where huge tarantulas are gathered, fried, and sold in the marketplace. 就拿东南亚的柬埔寨来说，大量狼蛛聚集在市场上被炸来贩卖。

　　In southern Africa, the juicy mopane worm is a dietary staple, simmered in a spicy²³ sauce or eaten dried and salted. 在非洲南部，多汁的蝴蝶树虫是常见的可口食物，用一种辣口的调料来炖或者盐腌了吃。

　　And in Mexico, chopped jumiles are toasted with garlic, lemon, and salt. 在墨西哥，剁碎的臭虫用大蒜，柠檬和盐来烤着吃。

1 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 beetle   

n.甲虫，近视眼的人

参考例句：

• A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
• He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

3 beetles   

n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 caterpillars   

n.毛虫( caterpillar的名词复数 )；履带

参考例句：

• Caterpillars eat the young leaves of this plant. 毛毛虫吃这种植物的嫩叶。
• Caterpillars change into butterflies or moths. 毛虫能变成蝴蝶或蛾子。 来自辞典例句

5 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 grasshoppers   

n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 )；蝗虫；蚂蚱；（孩子）矮小的

参考例句：

• Grasshoppers die in fall. 蚱蜢在秋天死去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are usually a lot of grasshoppers in the rice fields. 稻田里通常有许多蚱蜢。 来自辞典例句

7 termites   

n.白蚁( termite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Termites are principally tropical in distribution. 白蚁主要分布在热带地区。 来自辞典例句
• This spray will exterminate the termites. 这种喷剂能消灭白蚁。 来自辞典例句

8 foraged   

v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西）

参考例句：

• He foraged about in the cupboard. 他在碗橱里到处寻找食物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She foraged about in her handbag, but she couldn't find her ticket. 她在她的手提包里搜寻，但她没能找到她的票子。 来自辞典例句

9 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

10 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

11 larvae   

n.幼虫

参考例句：

• Larvae are parasitic on sheep.幼虫寄生在绵羊的身上。
• The larvae prey upon small aphids.这种幼虫以小蚜虫为食。

12 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

13 domesticate   

vt.驯养；使归化，使专注于家务

参考例句：

• Many thousand years ago people learned how to domesticate animals.数千年以前人们就学会了饲养动物。
• If you domesticate this raccoon,it will have trouble living in the wild.如果你驯养这只浣熊，它生活在野外将会有困难。

14 rippling   

起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的

参考例句：

• I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
• The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

15 outwards   

adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形

参考例句：

• Does this door open inwards or outwards?这门朝里开还是朝外开？
• In lapping up a fur,they always put the inner side outwards.卷毛皮时，他们总是让内层朝外。

16 spurned   

v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Eve spurned Mark's invitation. 伊夫一口回绝了马克的邀请。
• With Mrs. Reed, I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. 对里德太太呢，我记得我的最大努力总是遭到唾弃。 来自辞典例句

17 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

18 foraging   

v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西）

参考例句：

• They eke out a precarious existence foraging in rubbish dumps. 他们靠在垃圾场捡垃圾维持着朝不保夕的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The campers went foraging for wood to make a fire. 露营者去搜寻柴木点火。 来自辞典例句

19 infest   

v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于

参考例句：

• Several animals in sea water can infest wood.海水中有好多动物能侵害木材。
• A lame cat is better than a swift horse when rats infest the palace.宫殿有鼠患，瘸猫比快马强。

20 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

21 congregate   

v.(使)集合，聚集

参考例句：

• Now they can offer a digital place for their readers to congregate and talk.现在他们可以为读者提供一个数字化空间，让读者可以聚集和交谈。
• This is a place where swans congregate.这是个天鹅聚集地。

22 swarms   

蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。
• On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天，这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。

23 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。