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Salt: Valuable, Useful, and Fun! 妙用无穷的盐!

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

A white mountain rises before you. Children zip down its slopes on sleds and build “snowmen” at its base. Have you been transported to some alpine winter wonderland? No, you’re at the Taiwan Salt Museum in Qigu, Tainan County, and the “snowy mountains” are really giant mounds of salt.

一座白色的山耸立在你眼前，小孩乘着雪橇从山坡上呼啸而下，到了山下就做雪人。你是到了某个高山的冬季仙境吗?不是，你是在台南县七股乡的台湾盐博物馆，那些雪白的山其是非常巨大的盐山。

The salt museum was opened by the Taiwan Salt Company in 2005 as a fun place for people to learn about the history of salt industry in Taiwan. Early settlers of Taiwan got their salt by trading with Chinese fishermen or by boiling seawater. In 1665, salt fields were constructed near Tainan, and large-scale production of salt began. During the Ming, Qing, and Japanese eras, the industry grew dramatically. In the sixties and seventies, production became automated and more efficient. The result was the closure of many fields and the loss of thousands of jobs.

这个盐博物馆为台盐公司在2005年所成立，是一个为了要让人们了解台湾盐业历史的有趣地方。早期移居台湾者与中国渔民做买卖或煮沸海水来取得盐巴。1665年在台南附近开辟盐田，开始了大规模的产盐。明清时期及日据时代，整个产业有了非常惊人的成长。1960及1970年代，盐的生产变成了自动化且更有效率，结果就导致许多盐田的关闭及数千人失业。

Despite these improvements in efficiency, the industry just couldn’t compete with cheaper salt coming from Australia. By the 1990s, it had become clear that the Taiwan Salt Company, which had been a government monopoly, would have to privatize and diversify. And diversify they did. The company began to develop health and beauty products, including shampoos, toothpastes, and a highly successful line of cosmetics. In 2002, the company went totally private, and today, it is considered a privatization success story. From simply making salt to making much more, the Taiwan Salt Company has come a long way.

尽管自动化的生产提升了制盐的效率，这个产业就是无法从澳洲进口较便宜的盐竞争。在1990年代结束前，情况已很清楚显示，曾属于政府专营企业的台盐将得民营化及多角化经营。而且他们真的做到了多角化经营。台盐开始研发保健及美容产品，包括洗发精、牙膏及一系列非常成功的美容养颜产品。2002年，台盐完全民营化，台盐现今被公认是民营化的成功事例。从只是产盐至生产一大堆的产品，台盐的进步令人刮目相看。

Vocabulary

单词发音

construct [kənˋstrʌkt] v. 建造

dramatically [drəˋmætɪk!ɪ] adv. 戏剧性地,显着地

monopoly [məˋnɑp!ɪ] n. 独占；专卖；垄断

privatize [ˋpraɪvətaɪz] v. 使私有（民营）化

diversify [daɪˋvɝsə͵faɪ] v. 〔指某企业或国家的经济〕多元化; 从事多种经营

More Information

单词发音

zip [zɪp] v. 有力而迅速地行动（或移动）

sled [slɛd] n. 雪橇

alpine [ˋælpaɪn] adj. （像）高山的

trade with 与…交换, 和…贸易

compete [kəmˋpit] v. 竞争

come a long way 大有进步  to make a lot of progress and improvement

课文讲解

Salt is the “stuff of life.” It has been a highly valued commodity in every culture and civilization throughout history. It enabled early humans to preserve food, giving them the ability to migrate and survive hard times, and it was so valuable that it was sometimes used like money. Roman soldiers, for example, were paid in salt, and the word “salary” is derived from the Latin word for “salt.” To say that someone is “worth his salt” is to say they are worth the money that is paid to them.

盐是「生活的必需品」，从古至今，它一直都是每个文化及文明中人们十分珍视的日用品。盐使早期的人可以保存食物，让他们可以四处迁徒及度过苦日子，且它贵重到有时候可以拿来当钱用。例如，古罗马士兵的薪饷发的就是盐，而且salary(薪水)这个字是从拉丁文的「盐」演变而来的。如果说某人「值得他的盐」，意思是说他值得付给他的酬劳。

It’s believed there are more than 14,000 uses of salt. Of course, the most obvious one is making food taste better. But besides that, salt can be used as an alternative to expensive (and often toxic) cleaning and beauty products. Salt can be used to keep cut flowers fresh, clean greasy pans, and wash vegetables. It can also remove stains from your teeth, deodorize stinky shoes, and remove sweat stains. Gargling with salt soothes sore throats, and hot pads dipped in saltwater are great for tired and puff eyes.

据信盐有一万四千多种的用法。当然最明显的用法就是让食物尝起来更美味，但除此之外，盐也可以用来当作那些贵重(且通常有毒)的清洁及美容产品的替代品。盐可以用来保持剪下的花朵之新鲜度、清洁油腻的锅子及清洗蔬菜，也可以消除牙垢、去除臭鞋的气味及消除汗渍。用盐漱口会减轻喉咙痛，而浸泡在盐水中的热敷包对疲劳及肿胀的眼睛是再好不过的。

Salt can also provide us with a little old-fashioned entertainment. How’s that? Well, just head to the salt fields of the Qigu Salt Museum, jump on a sled, and see for yourself.

盐也能提供我们一些旧式的娱乐，这怎么说呢?嗯，只要前往七股的盐博物馆的盐田，跳上一辆雪橇，接着就自行体验了。

－by Ben Andrews & Robert Kelly

Vocabulary

单词发音

commodity [kəˋmɑdətɪ] n. 商品

civilization [͵sɪv!əˋzeʃən] n. 文明

preserve [prɪˋzɝv] v. 保存

migrate [ˋmaɪ͵gret] v. 迁移；移居

alternative [ɔlˋtɝnətɪv] n. 供选择的东西

soothe [suð] v. 缓和；减轻

More Information

单词发音

derive [dɪˋraɪv] v. 起源，由来[（+from）]

besides [bɪˋsaɪdz]  prep. 在……之外，除……之外

cleaning [ˋklinɪŋ] n. 打扫；去污；清洗

greasy [ˋgrizɪ] adj. 油腻的

stain [sten] n. 污点，污迹

deodorize [diˋodə͵raɪz] v. 将……除臭；脱去……的臭味

hot pad 热敷垫

puff [pʌf]  adj. (=puffed) 肿的，肿胀的

provide [prəˋvaɪd] v. 供给[（+with）]

head to（向特定方向）出发

Reading Questions

1.  When did the large-scale production of salt begin in Taiwan?

A.  In ancient times

B.  In the seventeenth century

C.  In the past hundred years

D.  A few decades ago

2.  The automation of Taiwan’s salt industry brought about ___

A.  cheaper salt

B.  poor quality salt

C.  higher profits

D.  unemployment

3.  Why was salt so valuable in ancient times?

A.  It made food taste better, so early humans ate more and grew stronger.

B.  It enabled early humans to store food because it kept food from going bad

C.  Most early humans couldn’t make salt on their own, so it was very precious.

D.  Most early humans thought it had magical properties that could heal sickness.

4.  Which of the following uses of salt is NOT discussed in the articles?

A.  It can clean dirty dished.

B.  It can be used in makeup.

C.  It can be used to clean eyeglasses.

D.  It can remove odors.

登「七股盐山」、观盐田夕阳，体验另类雪国风情

Answer