英语听力:自然百科 墨西哥龙舌兰酒(在线收听

 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 distilled 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 brewed in giant copper kettles as Tequila doctors measure temperature levels and monitor the alcohol balance. After the brewing 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.
  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/zrbaike/2010/256416.html