新奇事件簿 可以吃的香蕉皮

It almost seems too hard to believe, but there is now a banana that has an edible¹ peel. Most people would never think of eating the peel of a banana. However, banana farmers in Japan have created a special technique for growing bananas with a peel we can eat. The new banana-growing method is called the "freeze-thaw awakening²" technique. Farmers in Okayama, in the west of Japan, keep their banana trees at a freezing cold temperature of -60° Celsius³. The farmers then replant the trees in 27oC temperatures. The huge change in temperature makes the tree suddenly grow too quickly for the peel to fully⁴ mature. This makes the skin thin, soft and sweet enough to eat.

这似乎很难相信，但现在香蕉皮真的可以吃啦。多数人绝不会想到去吃香蕉皮。但是日本的蕉农发明了一种特殊技术能够种植可吃香蕉皮的香蕉。这种新的香蕉种植方法被称为“冷冻觉醒”技术。日本西部冈山的蕉农将香蕉树保存在零下60摄氏度的地方。然后蕉农们再将香蕉树重新种植在27度的地方。巨大的温差使香蕉树突然快速生长，这样香蕉皮就彻底成熟了。这种方式种植的香蕉，皮薄且柔软，吃起来非常甜美。

The new variety of banana is called the "Mongee". Farmers are now selling it in small bunches of 10 bananas. They are not cheap. One Mongee banana costs yen⁵ 650 (about six dollars). The farmers have not grown a lot of Mongee bananas, so the price is high. They want to grow more so they can sell them all over the world. This means the price will come down. Bananas are the most popular fruit in Japan. Similar to other countries, Japan imports most of its bananas. About 99% of bananas in Japanese stores are imported. The Mongee could mean Japanese people eat more home-grown bananas. The Mongee banana skin is sweet and contains nutrients⁶ such as vitamin B6 and magnesium⁷.

这种新品香蕉被称为“Mongee”。现在蕉农们仅小束售卖，一束10根。这种香蕉并不便宜一根Mongee香蕉650日元（约6美元）。由于蕉农仅少量种植，所以价格才如此昂贵。他们想大量种植，这样就能销售至全世界。这就意味着这种香蕉的价格会降低。香蕉是日本最受欢迎的水果。和其他国家一样，日本大量香蕉都是依靠进口。日本香蕉店内约99%的香蕉都是进口香蕉。Mongee香蕉意味着日本人能够吃到更多的国产香蕉。Mongee的香蕉皮味道甜美且含有多种维生素，如维生素B6和镁。

1 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。

2 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

3 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 yen   

n. 日元；热望

参考例句：

• He wanted to convert his dollars into Japanese yen.他想将美元换成日币。
• He has a yen to be alone in a boat.他渴望独自呆在一条船上。

6 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 magnesium   

n.镁

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The water contains high amounts of magnesium.这水含有大量的镁。