美国语文第四册 第75期:咖啡(2)

 　　The berry is at first very soft, and has a bad taste; 咖啡豆最初非常柔软，味道不佳。

　　but as the cherry ripens¹ the berry grows harder, and the dried-up fruit becomes a shell or pod of a deep brown color. 但随着“樱桃”的成熟，咖啡豆会变硬，干瘪的果实成了一个深棕色的外壳或豆荚。

　　The berry is now solid, and its color is a translucent² green. 咖啡豆现在是实心的，颜色呈现出半透明的绿色。

　　Each shell contains two seeds, rounded on one side and flat on the other. 每个外壳里包含两粒种子，一边是圆弧形，另一边是平直的。

　　The seeds lie with the flat sides together, 两粒种子的平面挨在一起，

　　and, in one highly prized variety, the two seeds grow together, forming one: this is known as the pea berry. 在一种珍贵的品种中，两粒种子长在一起，合二为一，被称为圆豆。

　　When the fruit is so ripe that it can be shaken from the tree, the husks are separated from the berries, 当果实成熟可以从树上摇下来的时候，豆荚从咖啡豆上分离开。

　　and are used, in Arabia, by the natives, while the berries are sold. 在阿拉伯，人们将其利用起来，所以会出售豆荚。

　　The young plants are inserted in holes from twelve to eighteen inches deep, and six or eight feet apart. 小树被插在12～18英尺深的洞里，每棵之间留出6～8英尺的距离。

　　If left to themselves, they would grow to the height of eighteen or twenty feet; 如果让它们自己生长，可以长到18～20英尺高。

　　but they are usually dwarfed³ by pruning⁴, so that the fruit may be easily got at by the gatherer. 但人们通常会把它们剪得比较矮，以方便采摘者的工作。

　　Thus dwarfed, they extend their branches until they cover the whole space about them. They begin to yield fruit the third year. 由于树变矮了，它们会不断延伸自己的枝干，直到把周围的空间全部覆盖上。到第三年，就开始结果了。

　　By the sixth or seventh year they are at full bearing, and continue to bear for twenty years or more. 到第六或第七年，它们已经硕果累累，并且一直到二十年甚至更长时间都可以结出果实。

　　Before the berry can be used, it undergoes a process of roasting. 在使用咖啡豆之前，需要经过一个烘焙的过程，

　　The amount of aromatic⁶ oil brought out in roasting has much to do with the market value of coffee, 这个过程中带出的芳香油的数量直接关系着咖啡的市场价值。

　　and it has been found that the longer the raw coffee is kept, the richer it becomes in this peculiar⁷ oil, and so the more valuable. 研究发现，原始咖啡保存的时间越长，这种特殊的油分会越丰富，价值自然也会更高。

　　But after the coffee is roasted, and especially after it is ground, it loses its aroma⁵ rapidly. 但在咖啡经过烘焙后，尤其是经过研磨后，芳香会迅速消失。

　　Arabia produces the celebrated⁸ Mocha, or "Mokha," coffee, which is the finest in the world; 阿拉伯出产著名的摩卡，又称穆哈咖啡，是世界上最优质的咖啡。

　　but little or none of the best product is ever taken out of that country. 阿拉伯出产著名的摩卡，又称穆哈咖啡，是世界上最优质的咖啡。

　　The Java coffee from the East Indies is next prized, but the best quality of this kind is also quite difficult to obtain, 东印度群岛的爪哇咖啡紧随其后，但好品质的产品同样很难得到。

　　and many, therefore, prefer the finest grades of Rio coffee from South America to such Mocha and Java as can be had in our country. 因此，很多人更愿意选择上等的南美里约咖啡，而不选择美国国内能买到的摩卡或爪哇咖啡。

1 ripens   

v.成熟，使熟( ripen的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The sun ripens the crops. 太阳使庄稼成熟。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then their seed ripens, and soon they turn brown and shrivel up. 随后，它们的种子熟了，不久就变枯萎。 来自辞典例句

2 translucent   

adj.半透明的；透明的

参考例句：

• The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。
• A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。

3 dwarfed   

vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The old houses were dwarfed by the huge new tower blocks. 这些旧房子在新建的高楼大厦的映衬下显得十分矮小。
• The elephant dwarfed the tortoise. 那只乌龟跟那头象相比就显得很小。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 pruning   

n.修枝，剪枝，修剪v.修剪（树木等）( prune的现在分词 )；精简某事物，除去某事物多余的部分

参考例句：

• In writing an essay one must do a lot of pruning. 写文章要下一番剪裁的工夫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A sapling needs pruning, a child discipline. 小树要砍，小孩要管。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 aroma   

n.香气，芬芳，芳香

参考例句：

• The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
• The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。

6 aromatic   

adj.芳香的，有香味的

参考例句：

• It has an agreeable aromatic smell.它有一种好闻的香味。
• It is light,fruity aromatic and a perfect choice for ending a meal.它是口感轻淡，圆润，芳香的，用于结束一顿饭完美的选择。

7 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

8 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。