VOA慢速英语20060912a

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Cork¹: More Than Just a Bottle StopperBy Dana Demange

Broadcast: Tuesday, September 12, 2006

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Cork is a light brown material harvested from the cork oak² tree. Cork is lightweight, strong and resistant³ to water.


Some winemakers are turning to metal or plastic closures instead of cork

It is best known for keeping liquids from spilling. For thousands of years, people have used pieces of cork as closures for bottles.

Cork is made of small cells filled with air. This structure makes it elastic⁵, so it can be pressed but later return to its full shape. It is said that no technology has been able to copy this unusual material exactly.

The cork oak tree is native to the western Mediterranean⁶ coast of Europe. The largest cork forests in the world are located in Portugal. In fact, Portugal produces more than half of the world's cork supply.

Cork oak trees have to be at least twenty-five years old before they are ready for harvest. Harvests only happen once every nine years.

Cork is gathered by skillfully cutting off the outer layer of the tree with special knives. The harvest weakens⁷ the tree temporarily, but it soon starts to grow a new layer of bark.

Next, the cork harvest is set out in the open for six months. Then, the cork is boiled in order to clean it and make it softer. After drying, the cork is ready to be cut.

Because cork trees are not killed during harvest, they can live for as long as two hundred years. Also, used cork products can be recycled and used again. This makes cork a valuable renewable resource.

The wine industry has always been a major supporter of cork production. Wine makers⁴ say cork stoppers in their bottles let the wine age and improve over time. But now some wine producers are changing to plastic or metal closures.

Some environmentalists worry that if cork starts to lose its value, the cork oak forests of Europe will no longer be protected. These forests are rich with animal and plant life.

Cork bottle stoppers make up about sixty percent of all cork products. But many people are finding⁸ creative new uses for cork. A designer in Italy, for example, makes cloth out of cork. An American designer uses cork to make large storage containers for food. Cork can be shined and used to cover floors and walls.

Because it is fire resistant, cork is even being used as a material in making rockets.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Dana Demange. You can download transcripts⁹ and audio¹⁰ files of our reports at www.unsv.com. I'm Faith Lapidus.

1 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

2 oak   

n.栎树，橡树，栎木，橡木

参考例句：

• The chair is of solid oak.这把椅子是纯橡木的。
• The carpenter will floor this room with oak.木匠将用橡木铺设这个房间的地板。

3 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 elastic   

n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的

参考例句：

• Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。
• These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 weakens   

v.（使）削弱， （使）变弱( weaken的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• "Cousins shouldn't marry, even second cousins. It weakens the strain. "表兄妹不应该结婚，就是从表兄妹也不应该，那会削弱血统的。 来自飘（部分）
• The burlesque element weakens the serious portions of the book. 书里的戏谑成分使严肃部分受到损害。 来自辞典例句

8 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

9 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

10 audio   

n./adj.音频(响)(的)；声音(的)，听觉(的)

参考例句：

• Often,the meeting is recorded on audio or video media for later reference.通常这种会议会以视频或者音频形式记录下来，供以后查阅。
• You don't even have to pay for audio programs.你大可不必为自己听这些节目付费。