英语听力精选进阶版 6297

Confectionery manufacturers must be marvelling¹ at their chocolate box balance sheets in the middle of the economic downturn. That's because sales of chocolate products are up.

Chocoholics have pushed one UK company's profits up 25%. In Syria, one of the largest producers has increased sales over the past six years from 150 packs a day to more than a million.

Analyst² Marcia Mogelonsky from Mintel said: "Unlike a lot of other foodstuffs³ chocolate is somewhat recession-resistant. Consumers will turn to chocolate as a reward or a treat."

The scrumptious and widely-available snack has come a long way from its origins in the jungles of Central and South America. The seeds of the cocoa tree fruit were used by the Mayan and Aztec civilisations as currency.

Then, the cocoa beans were used to produce a spicy⁴, rather bitter drink for special occasions. The beverage⁵ reached Europe thanks to the Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortés and landed on the tables of kings and queens.

The first chocolate bars didn't have the yummy, velvety⁶ taste they have today. In the 1840s, they were a coarse mixture of cocoa powder and sugar with a little of the melted cocoa butter extracted from the beans.

Choccy bars, biscuits and drinks that satisfy even the most sweet-toothed consumer are within the reach of most people. But there are those who can't resist a little extravagance. This week, British businessman Carl Weininger tucked into a ￡22,000 (218,000 yuan) chocolate-laced pudding that included champagne⁷ jelly and edible⁸ gold leaf. It was eaten with a gold spoon set with diamonds.

Quiz 小测验

1. Is this statement true, false or not given? Chocolate sales across the Middle East are up.

It is not given. The article gives only one example in the region: a company in Syria.

2. How do consumers see chocolate, according to an analyst quoted in the article?

A reward or a treat.

3. Has chocolate always tasted sweet?

No. As a beverage it was spicy and bitter and the first chocolate bars were a coarse mixture of ingredients.

4. Look at the article. What expressions refer directly to cocoa?

Cocoa tree, cocoa beans, cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

5. Look at the article. What phrasal verb is used to mean to eat something with eagerness?

To tuck into.

Glossary 词汇表

a confectionery manufacturer 糖果厂商

chocolate box 巧克力盒，引申义：什么东西好得令人难以置信

a chocoholic 对巧克力上瘾的人

a foodstuff 一种食品

a reward 奖励

a treat 奖励，犒劳

scrumptious 令人垂涎的，可口的

a cocoa tree 可可树

a cocoa bean 可可豆

spicy 味道浓厚的，辛辣的

bitter 带苦味的

beverage 饮料

yummy 可口好吃的

velvety taste 吃上滑润的，入口就融化的

coarse 粗糙的

cocoa powder 可可粉

cocoa butter 可可油

choccy 巧克力的一种简称

sweet-toothed 喜欢甜食的人

to tuck into something 猛吃

chocolate-laced 含有巧克力的

edible 可吃的

1 marvelling   

v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• \"Yes,'said the clerk, marvelling at such ignorance of a common fact. “是的，\"那人说，很奇怪她竟会不知道这么一件普通的事情。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Chueh-hui watched, marvelling at how easy it was for people to forget. 觉慧默默地旁观着这一切，他也忍不住笑了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 foodstuffs   

食物，食品( foodstuff的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Imports of foodstuffs accounted for a small proportion of total imports. 食物进口仅占总进口额的一小部份。
• Many basic foodstuffs, such as bread and milk, are tax-free. 许多基本食物如牛奶和面包是免税的。

4 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。

5 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

6 velvety   

adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的

参考例句：

• a velvety red wine 醇厚的红葡萄酒
• Her skin was admired for its velvety softness. 她的皮肤如天鹅绒般柔软，令人赞叹。

7 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。

8 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。