-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Voice 1
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand - no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
At Kansas State University, the American football game begins. The players run onto a large green football field. But this field is not real grass. It is a material called turf. It almost seems like plastic. But it is made from something surprising – soybeans3! The small soy, or soya, bean is a yellow plant seed. Soy beans are traditionally4 a food crop. People all over the world eat them in many ways. Soybeans are also used in more and more industrial products. Today’s Spotlight is on the soy bean.
Voice 2
The story of the soybean2 begins in China. Thousands of years ago, people began to plant soy on their fields. They found an amazing result. While it grows, the soy plant puts good substances5 in the soil. This helps the other crops to grow well. Dr6. Ping-ti Ho is an expert on Chinese history. He wrote a book about the history of Chinese farming7. In it, he explained the importance of the soybean:
Voice 3
“The soybean had a huge effect on the farming and nutrition8 of the ancient Chinese. Finally, the Chinese had found a food plant that did not decrease soil quality. Soy even helped to protect the soil and improve the crops. The soybean supplied all classes of the population with more protein food. It also cost less money. The ancient Chinese cropping system was not well balanced until after people began using soybeans. Once people knew about the good qualities of the soybean it spread around the country quickly.”
Voice 1
The soy bean quickly became a big part of the Chinese diet. It was very important food. All beans, including soy, provide protein. A person must eat protein for her body to be healthy. Protein gives her body strength and protects her from disease9. Soy is very high in protein. And it costs less money to grow and buy than other kinds of protein, like meat and milk.
Voice 2
The ancient Chinese found many good tasting ways to eat the soybean. Usually, they would ferment10 the soybeans first. This is a way to prepare the beans to make them better to eat. People would first boil the beans. Then they put the soybeans in salt water for a few days. And finally, they dried the beans in the sun. Then people made foods from the prepared beans such as tofu and tempeh. These foods are formed into a block shape. Then people cut them up, cook them and eat them. They are the base of many different kinds of food.
Voice 1
People in many countries also eat and enjoy soy foods. Japanese cooking uses a soy food called miso. To make miso, soy beans are fermented11, mixed with grains and made into a smooth thick paste12. Then people add it to soup and other meals. Many people also drink soy milk and use soy oil to cook food. And around the world, people eat soy sauce13. This is a dark brown liquid that is made from fermented soybeans.
Voice 2
Some people think that everyone should eat soy. It is easy to grow and good for the soil. It is a way to eat protein without spending much money. People who cannot drink cow’s milk or eat meat can eat soy instead. Nathan Zassman is an expert in healthy food. He says that soy can help a person have strong bones and healthy blood. Zassman wrote about the advantages of eating soy on his website:
Voice 4
“The Okinawans of Japan have the world's longest life expectancy14. They have one of the lowest rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes15, bone problems and other diseases16. And they eat soy as their main kind of protein. When mixed into a healthy diet, soy may be one of nature’s most perfect foods.”
Voice 1
But some experts disagree. They argue that soy is not healthy. They find two main problems with soy. One is that many people do not eat soy in a healthy way. They say that whole fermented soy – cooked in a traditional way is good. But in some places this is not the kind of soy that many people eat.
Voice 2
Instead soy is added17 to other foods, usually packaged food. These are prepared foods that people buy in plastic or paper containers. Many people say that these foods have been processed by too many machines. The soy and other things in the food are no longer fresh and healthy.
Voice 1
The other possible problem is that many soybeans have been genetically18 modified19 - people have used technology to change the qualities of the soybean. The soybeans used in packaged foods are not the same as the soybeans grown in ancient China. Many people think that genetically modified food may be unhealthy and even dangerous.
Voice 2
Dr. Ed Bauman is head of a clinic and college of nutrition. He says that people should eat whole soy that is prepared well. Bauman says that eating processed soy foods is not the same. He talked to the magazine Terrain20 about this problem. He said that it is good to look at the advantages and disadvantages of soy:
Voice 5
“As with any food, soy can be good in one system and bad in another. I think soy is an acceptable21 food, but we need to look at how it is used. People mainly want food that is quick and easy. We are looking at this whole fast processed food market. But then we are making judgements about one plant. Is soy the problem? Or is it the packaging22 and processing of the plant that is the real problem?”
Voice 1
Soy is used in much more than food. In the United23 States huge factories separate24 the soy oil from the remaining meal. Ninety eight percent [98%] of this soy meal is used for feeding animals.
Voice 2
People also use soy to make surprising things: Parts for cars. Plastics and foams25. Clothes. Ink for writing. Diapers for babies. And turf for sports fields! Using soy in industry has some disadvantages. On large farms, farmers often treat genetically modified soybeans with chemicals. But growing soy is still better for the environment than using gas and oil. And it costs much less too.
Voice 1
Do you eat soybeans? Do you think soybeans are healthy for people? What soy products or foods do you use? Give your opinions about soy on our website: http://www.radioenglish.net
.
Voice 2
The writer and producer of this program was Rena Dam. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes26 were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called, ‘Using the Soybean’.
Voice 1
We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
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： |
|
|
|
|
2
soybean
|
|
| n.黄豆；大豆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
soybeans
|
|
| n.大豆，黄豆( soybean的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
traditionally
|
|
| adv.传说地；传统地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
substances
|
|
| n.物质( substance的名词复数 )；实质；物体；[哲学]1)。 本质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
Dr
|
|
| n.医生，大夫；博士(缩)（= Doctor） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
farming
|
|
| n.农事；耕作 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
nutrition
|
|
| n.营养，营养学 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
disease
|
|
| n.疾病，弊端 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
ferment
|
|
| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
fermented
|
|
| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
paste
|
|
| n.糊，浆糊，铅制玻璃；vt.粘贴，覆盖，猛击 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
sauce
|
|
| n.酱油，酱汁；调味汁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
expectancy
|
|
| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
diabetes
|
|
| n.糖尿病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
diseases
|
|
| n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
added
|
|
| adj.更多的，附加的，额外的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
genetically
|
|
| adv.遗传上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
modified
|
|
| adj.改良的，改进的，修正的vt.修饰v.修改，更改( modify的过去式和过去分词 )；改变；修饰；缓和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
terrain
|
|
| n.地面，地形，地图 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
acceptable
|
|
| adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
packaging
|
|
| n.包装，包装业，包装术 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
united
|
|
| adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
separate
|
|
| n.分开，抽印本；adj.分开的，各自的，单独的；v.分开，隔开，分居 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
foams
|
|
| n.泡沫，泡沫材料( foam的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
quotes
|
|
| v.引用，援引( quote的第三人称单数 )；报价；引述；为（股票、黄金或外汇）报价 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
购买
在百度中搜索