英语听力：自然百科 墨西哥龙舌兰酒

 Tequila may look like many other sleepy little towns as locals pass their time in this quiet central Mexican city of 35,000, but not far from the town’s square is one of the most recognizable company names in business--the headquarters of Jose Cuervo Tequila.

 

We began producing Tequila in 1758, even though it wasn't until 1795 when the King of Spain Carlos IV gave us the permit to produce and sell Tequila, and that's when we consider the birth of Jose Cuervo in 1795.

 

Unlike the slow pace of this little colonial city, the pace inside one of Mexico’s largest companies is anything but slow, producing a whopping 230,000 liters Tequila each and every day. The Tequila industry is so strong around here, an estimated 80% of the entire town’s population lives off the income generated from the Tequila production. Tequila was first distilled¹ as a drink called pulque by Spanish conquistadors. In the years since, the Tequila has become a symbol of Mexican pride and culture.

 

Process includes stripping the agave plant, then exposing the heart. The pineapples, as they refer to them, are then steamed inside giant ovens for as long as three days. The next step is extracting the juice from the cooked agave plant. The extraction is then brewed² in giant copper³ kettles as Tequila doctors measure temperature levels and monitor the alcohol balance. After the brewing⁴ process, the Tequila cools off as workers constantly monitor contents. The liquor is eventually stored in barrels, anywhere from a few weeks to several years.

 

Today just about all of the world's Tequila comes from the state of Jalisco and especially the city of Tequila. Some Tequila lovers say the good Tequilas rank up there with the best liquors in the world.

 

It represents tradition; it represents culture; it represents Mexico.

1 distilled   

adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华

参考例句：

• The televised interview was distilled from 16 hours of film. 那次电视采访是从16个小时的影片中选出的精华。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gasoline is distilled from crude oil. 汽油是从原油中提炼出来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 brewed   

调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡）

参考例句：

• The beer is brewed in the Czech Republic. 这种啤酒是在捷克共和国酿造的。
• The boy brewed a cup of coffee for his mother. 这男孩给他妈妈冲了一杯咖啡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

4 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。