世界节假日博览 第125期:世界巧克力日

 World Chocolate Day must be one of the best holidays in the world. It’s such a great idea. It could be the most celebrated¹ holiday in the world. Everyone loves chocolate. It is probably the most popular food ever. It is also probably the most popular flavor in the world. No one knows where Chocolate Day came from. Perhaps it was a secret marketing² campaign by chocolate makers³. On this day, we celebrate our love for this sweet and spoil ourselves. Start the day with chocolate spread on your toast. Take a bag of chocolates to work and give them to your workmates; a bar of chocolate for your boss. Enjoy a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and wash it down with a mug of hot chocolate. You have another 364 days to lose the calories!

世界巧克力日一定是世界上最美妙的节日。举办该节真是妙哉。它或许是全球庆祝范围最广的节日。无人不爱巧克力。也或许是全球最受欢迎的食物。它的味道也最受人们喜爱。关于巧克力日的起源无人知晓。它很有可能是巧克力制造商的一次秘密营销活动。在这一天，我们表达对巧克力的热爱，无节制地享用巧克力。将巧克力涂抹在吐司上。上班带一袋巧克力，将巧克力分给同事；分给老板享用。享用巧克力蛋糕，饮用一杯巧克力热饮。剩下的日子就交给你消耗卡路里了！

Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. Cacao has been grown for thousands of years in Central America and Mexico. Historians believe chocolate was first produced in Mexico by the Aztecs. The word ‘chocolate’ comes from an Aztec word for a drink made from the cacao seed. The product of the cacao seed has a very bitter taste. The chocolate we know and love contains sugar, milk and milk powder. Chocolate contains chemicals that can be good for us. Scientists say it can lower our blood pressure and make us feel positive. It also gives us a tasty energy boost and makes our brain more active. It’s not all good news though. Too much chocolate can make us fat and give us tooth decay.

巧克力来源于热带植物可可树的种子。在中美洲和墨西哥地区，可可树种植已有数千年时间。历史学家认为，阿兹特克人率先在墨西哥制作了巧克力。“chocolate”一词来源于阿兹特克语，意为由可可种子制成的饮料。可可豆本身是苦的。我们所喜爱的巧克力加入了糖、牛奶以及奶粉。巧克力所含有的化学物质有益健康。科学家认为，它可降低血压，保持积极向上的心态。它为我们传递能量，让大脑更加活跃。但它并非百利而无一害。食用过多可致肥胖和龋齿。

1.come from 产自

例句：This word comes from Latin.

这个词源于拉丁语。

2.blood pressure 血压

例句：The patient's blood pressure is stable.

病人的血压平稳。

3.chocolate cake 巧克力蛋糕

例句：We have apple pie or chocolate cake.

我们有苹果派和巧克力蛋糕.

4.wash down 送服

例句：We washed some bread down with a glass of milk for breakfast.

我们早饭只用一杯牛奶送下点面包。

1 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。

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》