英语听力—环球英语 770 The World’s Favourite Food: Bread

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
pain ... brot ... chapati ... naan ...
Voice 1
What are these people talking about? Well, it is one of the world's most popular foods:
ekmek ... pao ... mkate ...
BREAD!
Voice 2
Bread is one of the world's oldest foods. Its history starts thousands of years ago - a long time before people started to record historical facts. Scientists have studied the customs of ancient cultures. They think that two particular people groups planted and used wheat. Wheat is the main part, or ingredient, in most bread. These groups lived in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (part of modern Iraq). At first they ate the wheat grain just as it was. But over time, they found other ways to use it. They crushed the wheat and added water. This made a thick soft 'dough²'. People held this soft, smooth mix over an open fire. It then turned into a hard, flat bread.
Voice 1
These ancient people groups made another discovery. But this time, it was by accident! People found that if they left the uncooked dough for a time, something strange happened. When they cooked it, the bread was sometimes softer and lighter³. Later, they discovered that this was caused by yeast⁴. Yeast is a very small organism, small enough to float on air. The yeast in the air reacted with something in the dough. It created gas. This gas made the dough rise. So when they cooked it, it tasted good! Later, people learned to add yeast to control the taste of their bread.
Voice 2
This new food, bread, had a particular influence on the behaviour of these ancient ethnic⁵ groups. They discovered that they could store wheat. And they found that uncooked bread dough kept fresh for some time. This meant that people did not have to go and search for food every single day. And so it left time for them to learn other skills that would help develop their society.
Voice 1
Bread soon began to take an important place in people's lives. From the most unimportant⁶ person to the highest official in the land - everyone liked to eat bread.
Voice 2
Today, thousands of years later, many people visit the Egyptian part of the British Museum in London. In the Egyptian part of the museum, visitors can see bread that is five thousand years old! Archaeologists found it in an Egyptian king's funeral building. The king wanted to have bread to eat in the next life. So he ordered that people bury some bread with him when he died. It would taste terrible now!
Voice 1
In the ancient Roman empire, bread-making had became a real skill. Not just anyone could do it. The government formed a bread-makers' organization. A member of this organization was called a 'pistor' in the Latin language. In English, it means 'baker⁷'. The bakers⁸ cooked, or baked, the bread. And they enjoyed special treatment. First, they were free men - they were not slaves. Second, they could not mix with theatre people - actors and fighters. The government thought that the behaviour of such people could have a bad influence on bakers. Bakers had to be pure in their behaviour. And third, being a baker was a job for life. A baker could not change to another job, even if he wanted to. His children had to become bakers also. The art of making bread was to stay in the family forever. Being a baker in Rome was a big responsibility!
Voice 2
Over the years, the main ingredients of bread - wheat, water, yeast and salt - have not changed much. However, different cultures have created their own versions. And some of these are:
Voice 3
Pitta - a small round flat bread eaten in Middle Eastern countries. People cut it open and fill it with meat or vegetables.
Voice 4
Baguette - a long thin stick of white bread. Baguettes are very popular with French people. They eat them at almost every meal!
Voice 3
Roggenbrot - a popular bread in Germany. Bakers use dark rye grain instead of the usual wheat. This gives roggenbrot its special black colour.
Voice 4
Injera - a bread made from a kind of wheat called teff. Teff is the most common wheat in Ethiopia. People here mix the teff with water. Some time later they take the teff and water mixture and cook it in oil. The result is flat and thick. People eat it with meat and vegetables.
Voice 1
It is true that bread has been a popular food around the world for a long time. It is easy to produce and is full of goodness. But years ago, bread was also a sign of someone's wealth. The whiter the bread, the richer the person. Why? Well, the natural colour of crushed wheat is not white. It takes a number of processes to make the wheat as white as possible. These processes involve removing every small unwanted particle and crushing the wheat even more. All this takes time. So, in the past, white bread was more costly⁹ - because it took longer to make. If someone bought white bread, they usually had plenty of money. The poor people were left with darker bread. This was made from wheat that still contained impure¹⁰ particles.
Voice 2
However, it seems that the poor people may have had the better result after all. Scientists later discovered that bread made with whole grain wheat was more healthy. So darker bread made with 'impure' wheat was better for people's diets. Today, eating white bread is less popular in many countries! People know that whole wheat bread is better for their health.
Voice 1
Bread is an important food. So in language, people often use the word 'bread' to mean any important and simple need for life. Every week in church many Christians¹¹ say the prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread". They are asking God to provide all that they need for life - not just food to eat.
Voice 2
People also talk about 'bread and butter' work. These are the important things that we need to do as part of our job. And they often use the word 'bread' to mean money. A 'bread-winner' is the person in a family who earns the money. The word, 'bread' has become part of culture in so many ways.
Voice 1
Are you having bread with your dinner tonight? What kind will you eat?!
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 dough   

n.生面团；钱，现款

参考例句：

• She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
• The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。

3 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

4 yeast   

n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫

参考例句：

• Yeast can be used in making beer and bread.酵母可用于酿啤酒和发面包。
• The yeast began to work.酵母开始发酵。

5 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

6 unimportant   

adj.不重要的，无意义的

参考例句：

• Let's not quarrel about such unimportant matters.我们不要为这些小事争吵了。
• Money seems unimportant when sets beside the joys of family life.与天伦之乐相比，金钱显得微不足道。

7 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

8 bakers   

n.面包师( baker的名词复数 )；面包店；面包店店主；十三

参考例句：

• The Bakers have invited us out for a meal tonight. 贝克一家今晚请我们到外面去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bakers specialize in catering for large parties. 那些面包师专门负责为大型宴会提供食品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 impure   

adj.不纯净的，不洁的；不道德的，下流的

参考例句：

• The air of a big city is often impure.大城市的空气往往是污浊的。
• Impure drinking water is a cause of disease.不洁的饮用水是引发疾病的一个原因。

11 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。