英语听力精选进阶版 6241

A Boost for the Scotch¹ Whisky Industry 苏格兰威士忌将在中国受品牌保护

For many people around the world a glass of Scotch is their favourite tipple².

Scotch whisky can come in blended or single malt varieties. Connoisseurs³ of the drink debate its tone, taste and its ageing process.

Distilleries around the world produce the drink but whisky-makers in Scotland have been trying to protect its name, saying that only when it's made there can it really be Scotch.

They say it's their distilling⁴ process involving barley⁵ and water that makes their product unique. Whisky is big business with almost ￡1.5 billion (15 billion yuan) worth of it exported in the first half of this year.

Now, a new agreement by the Chinese government is expected to mean that Scotch sold in China will have been produced in Scotland. The UK Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice, says "If it says Scotch whisky on the bottle it will be Scotch whisky in the bottle in China's bars, restaurants, hotels and homes."

This is not the first time a food has been protected. In Europe many types of food have been given special protection. For example, the Champagne⁶ region of France is home to the drink of the same name.

Local producers have fought hard to make sure only sparkling wine made there can carry the name champagne. The European Union has legally protected its name with the Treaty of Madrid and its protection has been accepted by many other countries worldwide.

Numerous other edible⁷ products have their regional names protected but why is it so important? Well, giving a product its name of origin does add value by giving it a USP – its unique selling point.

Consumers know where it has been made and that it's been manufactured to an exclusive recipe and ultimately that it tastes fantastic. At least from now on, everyone in China who enjoys a 'wee dram' knows they are drinking a genuine Scottish product.

Glossary 词汇表

tipple 酒 

whisky 威士忌 

blended 调和的 

single malt 单一麦芽的（威士忌） 

connoisseurs 鉴定家，行家 

tone 颜色 

ageing 使陈化 

distillery 酿酒厂 

barley 大麦 

to export 出口 

agreement 协议 

to protect 保护 

treaty 条约 

edible 可食用的 

regional 地方的 

origin 来源 

to manufacture 制造 

ultimately 最终，最后 

wee dram 一小杯威士忌酒 

genuine 真的

1 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

2 tipple   

n.常喝的酒；v.不断喝，饮烈酒

参考例句：

• My favourite tipple is a glass of port.我最喜欢喝的酒是波尔图葡萄酒。
• Scotch drinkers around the world tend to associate their favourite tipple with success and achievement.世界各地喝苏格兰威士忌的人，往往把他们最喜欢的这种烈酒，与成功和成就联系在一起。

3 connoisseurs   

n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Let us go, before we offend the connoisseurs. 咱们走吧，免得我们惹恼了收藏家。 来自辞典例句
• The connoisseurs often associate it with a blackcurrant flavor. 葡萄酒鉴赏家们通常会将它跟黑醋栗口味联系起来。 来自互联网

4 distilling   

n.蒸馏（作用）v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )( distilled的过去分词 )；从…提取精华

参考例句：

• Water can be made pure by distilling it. 水经蒸馏可变得纯净。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• More ammonium sulphate solution is being recovered in the process of distilling oil shale. 在提炼油页岩的过程中回收的硫酸铵液比过去多了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

6 champagne   

n.香槟酒；微黄色

参考例句：

• There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
• They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

7 edible   

n.食品，食物；adj.可食用的

参考例句：

• Edible wild herbs kept us from dying of starvation.我们靠着野菜才没被饿死。
• This kind of mushroom is edible,but that kind is not.这种蘑菇吃得，那种吃不得。