英语听力精选进阶版 7290（在线收听）

英国华威大学（University of Warwick）科学家员找到一种方法，可以把巧克力的脂肪含量减少一半但“口感”不变。

Here's the problem with chocolate - what makes it velvety and smooth in the mouth is exactly what ends up elsewhere - fat.

Low-fat versions disappoint because it's difficult to replace the tiny globules of fat with anything else that disperses within the chocolate and maintains its texture.

The trick, it seems, is to use agar - a widely available gelling agent. Thoroughly blended bits of it, the researchers say, act as tiny sponges that soak up any liquid - fruit juice, plain water, even alcohol.

Stefan Bon, who led the research, said that the method opens up whole new markets for chocolate, and that additives such as fruit juice could further increase chocolate's health credentials.

Stefan Bon:

"It would both lower fat content and sugar content, so for people who have a craving and want to just down a bar of 200g, you take half the amount of fat in, so it's great."

But for the less health-conscious, students in the group have made a chocolate bar containing four shots of vodka.

Quiz 听力测验

What is it in chocolate that gives it a smooth texture?

Fat

What do scientists replace fat with in the new chocolate?

Agar

Aside from reducing the fat, how can this kind of chocolate be made even more healthy?

This kind of chocolate's health credentials can be boosted by using additives like fruit juice.

Which word means a small amount of alcohol?

Shot

Glossary 词汇表

velvety 天鹅绒般的

globules 小球体

disperses 分散

agar 琼脂

gelling agent 胶凝剂

sponges 海绵

additives 添加剂

credentials 资格

craving 强烈欲望

health-conscious 有健康意识

shots 一口酒