CRI实用英语课堂 Unit 53:All About Coffee I 个性咖啡(上)
日期:2008-06-06 10:31

(单词翻译:单击)

Part 1 The History of Coffee 咖啡起源

The history and development of the beverage that we know as coffee is varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political intrigue, and the pursuit of wealth and power.

According to one story, the effect of coffee beans on behavior was noticed by a sheep herder from Caffa Ethopia named Kaldi as he tended his sheep. He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures.

He tried a few himself, and was soon as overactive as his herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking of the devil's fruit." However the monks soon discovered that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their prayers.

Another legend gives us the name for coffee or "mocha." An Arabian was banished to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the broth save the exiles, but their survival was taken as a religious sign by the residents of the nearest town, Mocha. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this event.

Originally the coffee plant grew naturally in Ethopia, but once transplanted in Arabia was monopolized by them. One early use for coffee would have little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia used coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. The Turks were the first country to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew.

Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia whose inhabitants believed it to be a delicacy and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans.

Transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations was forbidden by the government. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, the descendants of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region.

Coffee was believed by some Christians to be the devil's drink. Pope Vincent III heard this and decided to taste it before he banished it. He enjoyed it so much he baptized it, saying "coffee is so delicious it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it."

Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export.

目前咖啡在我们的生活中已是不可或缺的饮料,静寂的森林深处悄悄自生的咖啡,到底是如何被人们发现而广为世界各地所接受的呢?还有,如何开始栽培的呢?在无数的咖啡发现传说中,有两大传说最令人津津乐道,那就是“牧羊人的故事”与“阿拉伯僧侣”。

十六世纪埃塞俄比亚有个牧羊人,有一天发现自己饲养的羊忽然在那儿不停的蹦蹦跳跳,他觉得非常不可思议,仔细加以观察,才明白原来羊吃了一种红色的果实。

于是他便拿着这种果实分给修道院的僧侣们吃,所有的人吃完后都觉得神清气爽;据说此后这种果实被用来做提神药,而且颇受医生们的好评。

一二五八年,因犯罪而被族人驱逐出境的酋长雪克·欧玛尔,流浪到离故乡摩卡很远的瓦萨巴( 位于阿拉伯 )时,已经饥饿疲倦到再也走不动了,当他坐在树根上休息时,竟然发现有一只鸟飞来停在枝头上,以一种他从未听过,极为悦耳的声音啼叫着。

他仔细一看,发现那只鸟是在啄食枝头上的果实后,才放开喉咙发出美妙的啼声的,所以他便将那一带的果实全采下放入锅中加水去熬煮。之后竟开始散发出浓郁的香味,喝了一口不但觉得好喝,而且还觉得疲惫的身心也为之一振。于是他便采下许多这种神奇果实,遇到病人便拿给他们熬成汤来喝,最后由于他四处行善,故乡的人便原谅了他的罪行,让他回到摩卡,并推崇他为「圣者」。

所有的历史学家似乎都同意咖啡的诞生地为埃塞俄比亚的咖发 ( Kaffa ),至于咖啡这个名称则是源自于阿拉伯语“Qahwah”,即植物饮料的意思。

后来咖啡流传到世界各地,就采用其来源地“Kaffa”命名,直到十八世纪才正式以“coffee”命名。

Part 2 Coffee! 咖啡创意

Dialogue Script 1 对话原文 1

Jack: Any new ideas on the Mr. Fro case? How can we give this motor oil a new brand identity?
Tina: Let me get my morning coffee to get my brain working again.
Jack: I could use one, too. I'm still burnt out from that last cigarette ad campaign.
Tina: As long as the foam on my macchiato's not burnt, too, I'll be alright for a while.
(Sitting down with their drinks)
Jack: My latte looks like that shoe polish we did an ad for last month.
Tina: And this espresso looks like...oil!
Jack: It still tastes fine, though.
Tina: These days, I can't think of anything but motor oil. Even coffee makes me think of it.
Jack: Wait a second! There's the idea for this case! "Your motor oil should be as choice and fresh as your morning coffee."
Tina: That's brilliant! We can name the grades of motor oil by where they come from.
Jack: (Jokingly) "Mr. Mechanic, I'd like a nice Venezuelan blend this morning."
Tina: "I think the Saudi Arabian will hit the spot today."
Jack: But really, maybe this can work. Everyone loves coffee, and everyone needs motor oil.
Tina: A match made in heaven.

讲解:

1. Tina 和Jack同在一家广告公司的创意组,喝咖啡,想创意,就是他们的上班模式。这天他们接到了一个机油的广告案,来看看咖啡能给他们带来什么灵感吧。一大早Jack就问Tina有没有什么创意,要怎么给这种机油新的品牌特性呢?brand是指“品牌”,而brand identity就是指“品牌特性”,应该是一种广告术语吧。

2. Tina说先不要着急,先来一杯早上咖啡,好让大脑运作起来再说。在今天的对话中,会出现几个跟咖啡有关的词,我们先在这里说一下,给大家提个醒,他们是coffee,caffe,还有café。coffee是咖啡的英文,但是这个单词就是单指“咖啡”。比如说,---May I help you? ---I'd like a cup of coffee. ---您要点什么吗?---我要来杯咖啡。

3. 再来说说这个caffe,是“咖啡”的意大利文,在美国,这个单词总是作为咖啡的名称出现,比如说,“摩卡咖啡”caffe mocha;“拿铁咖啡”caffe latte;“美式咖啡”caffe Americano等等。比如说,---Could you get me a caffe Americano? ---No problem. ---可以帮我买杯美式咖啡吗?---没问题。

4. 最后说说这个café,是“咖啡”的法文,但在美国café指“咖啡店”。在这类店里,除了卖咖啡,也供应一些简单餐点。此外,café跟其他咖啡名称连用的时候,也代表“咖啡”,用法跟caffe一样。比如说,---I'm going to the café to buy some coffee. ---Could you get me a café latte? ---我要去咖啡店买一些咖啡。---可以帮我买一杯拿铁咖啡吗?

5. Jack听Tina要喝咖啡,也想来一杯,I could use one, too. I can use something,表示“我也需要...”。Jack说为了上次那个香烟广告,他到现在还累得脑汁绞尽、口吐白沫呢。be burnt out 有“耗尽热情、精力等”的意思,burnt是burn的过去式和过去分词,Jack说的burnt out有“累瘫了”和“香烟烧光了”的双关含义。

6. Tina说只要她的玛奇朵上的白泡沫还没有干涸,她就能再撑一阵子。Tina说的burnt out则是“奶泡烧干了,消失了”的意思。Tina 和Jack两个人拿了各自的咖啡坐到了桌前,一起想机油这个广告创意。Jack看着自己的拿铁咖啡,说这东西怎么看起来像他们上个月做的广告里面的鞋油呢?看来Jack现在满脑子都是广告的事情了。

7. 听Jack这么一说,Tina也觉得自己的浓缩咖啡看起来也像是石油,不过这些咖啡的味道还好。Tina也说这么些天来,她脑子里除了机油就没有别的东西,连她最喜欢的咖啡也看起来像机油。这时Jack脑子里突然灵光一现,想到了一句关于机油的广告语,Your motor oil should be as choice and fresh as your morning coffee. 您的机油应该和早上喝的咖啡一样,精选又新鲜。choice在这里是形容词,表示“精选的,上等的”。

8. 在这个对话中出现的case和campaign这两个词都是指“方案,企划案”。Tina觉得这个主意不错,还建议用机油的产地来命名,以区分机油的等级。Jack开玩笑地说,"Mr. Mechanic, I'd like a nice Venezuelan blend this morning." 技师先生,我今天早上想来一点委内瑞拉特调。

9. Tina也开个玩笑,说“I think the Saudi Arabian will hit the spot today.” 我想今天来点阿拉伯口味挺合胃口的。Saudi Arabia 沙特阿拉伯和Venezuela委内瑞拉都是石油产国,所以Jack 和Tina故意模仿咖啡以产地命名的做法,把买机油的场景说得像是在点咖啡。hit the spot 是指“食物等合某人的胃口。”

10. 不过开玩笑归开玩笑,Jack还是觉得这个创意也许会行得通,因为人人都爱喝咖啡,人人也都需要机油。Tina夸奖说,A match made in heaven.真是天作之合。要形容两个人或是两个东西很配,可以说a match made in heaven,意思就是“天作之合”,有时候也可以用在挖苦上。我们用一个对话来做例子,---In Leaving Las Vegas, Ben is a drunk, and Sera is a prostitute. ---Sounds like a match in heaven. ---在《远离赌城》中,Ben是一个酒鬼,Sera是一个妓女。---听起来还真是绝配。

Dialogue Script 2 对话原文 2

Tina: I can't believe Mr. Fro didn't buy it. Who does that guy think he is anyway? Bill Gates?
Jack: He had a lot of nerve telling us our ads sucked.
Tina: Time to order. (to barista) Barista, today I want a skinny triple latte.
Jack: When did you start worrying about your weight?
Tina: I'm not. I just don't feel like drinking whole milk today. Why? Do you think I'm fat?
Jack: No. Chill out!
(Jack is ordering)
Jack: Barista, pull me a restretto.
Tina: What? You're suddenly some kind of coffee snob now? What's a ristretto anyway?
Jack: It's basically a very strong espresso. Half the water pulled through the same amount of beans. Pure coffee essence.
Tina: Sounds like it must be full of caffeine. I want one of those instead.
Jack: You fiend. It's about the flavor, not the fix. Why don't you just crush some caffeine pills and start doing lines? Try an Americano. Espresso with water.
Tina: Sounds a little weak.
Jack: Go with a hammerhead then - espresso mixed with drip coffee.
Tina: Sounds better, but I hope it doesn't inspire me to take a hammer to the client's head.
Jack: Don't worry, Tina. We'll get this case worked out in no time.

讲解:

1. 那么Jack他们的广告创意被通过了吗?看来是没有,因为Tina说I can't believe Mr. Fro didn't buy it. 我真不敢相信法洛先生竟然不买帐,也就是没有通过他们的广告创意的意思。...don't buy it,是指“某人没有接受”。buy大家都知道是“买”的意思,这里是“接受,相信或同意”的意思。如果没有人接受或者同意你的说词,就可以套用这个句型表达,我们用一个对话来做例子,---What do you think about Peter's reasons for divorcing his wife? ---I don't buy them. ---你对Peter跟他妻子离婚的理由有什么看法?---我才不信呢。

2. 看来这个客户还挺挑剔的。气得Tina 说,他以为他自己是谁啊,比尔·盖茨阿。不过客户挑剔也无可厚非,因为他需要最好的广告创意来推销自己的产品。Jack也挺气愤,觉得这么好的广告创意,客户怎么就不接受呢,他还真有胆子敢说我们的广告烂。He had a lot of nerve telling us our ads sucked. nerve可以指“神经”,在对话中是指“勇气,胆量”,比如说,It took nerve to be a racing driver. 当赛车手要有胆量。I wouldn't have the nerve to do anything so dangerous. 我可不敢做那么危险的事情。

3. suck 在这里是一个俚语词汇,表示“烂,令人讨厌,差劲”,比如说,The movie sucks. 那电影太烂了。几乎所有你认为差劲的东西你都可以用suck这个词来说。还有一个关于suck的词组,也是一个俚语的用法,suck up to sb“奉承或者巴结某人,拍某人的马屁”。比如说,She sucks up to him by agreeing with everything he said. 她巴结他,他说什么都同意。

4. Tina决定先不想那个讨厌的客户了,先点一杯咖啡提提神再说。barista, 是指意式咖啡店的店员,这是一个职务的名称,就像teacher一样,很少有人会用这个词来称呼他们,Tina今天可能是心血来潮吧。Tina今天点的是一杯脱脂牛奶加三份浓缩的拿铁。skinny原意是指“极瘦的,皮包骨头的”,比如说,You're skinny enough without going on a diet. 你不用节食就已经够瘦的了。对话中skinny是指“脱脂的”。

5. Jack觉得奇怪,怎么今天Tina开始喝脱脂牛奶了,难道是在考虑减肥?Tina说根本没有那回事,就是今天不想喝全脂牛奶而已,全脂牛奶就是whole milk。是Jack觉得Tina太胖了吗?Jack觉得今天Tina有点咄咄逼人,太紧张了。所以他说,Chill out! 冷静点,别紧张。Chill out!就是“冷静点”的意思。

6. 要想让别人放轻松,冷静下来,除了说calm down之外,也可以用Chill out!这个句子。比如说,---The baby is driving me crazy! ---Chill out! You'll get used to it.---照顾小孩快要把我弄疯了。---冷静点。你会慢慢习惯的。Jack让店员给他做一杯ristretto,就是芮思崔朵咖啡。pull 这个词用在这里是“从意式咖啡机中汲取咖啡”的意思。

7. Tina觉得奇怪,什么时候Jack突然变成咖啡专家了?snob是一个贬义词,表示“假装内行的人,自以为了不起的人”,比如说,He is just a wine snob who will only drink the best wines.他不过是一个自命不凡非上等酒不喝的人。Jack给Tina解释说,ristretto咖啡是浓缩咖啡的再浓缩,相同份量的咖啡豆,只加入一半的水,是纯正的咖啡精华。strong在这里的意思是“味道浓烈的”,跟它相对的是weak“味道淡淡的”。

8. Tina觉得这种咖啡听起来肯定含有很多咖啡因,就是caffeine,肯定很提神,所以她也想换成这样的咖啡。Jack取笑她说,你这个咖啡鬼,You fiend. fiend是“嗜好成癖的人,…迷”的意思。

9. Jack说芮思崔朵咖啡讲求的是咖啡的香味,而不是刺激和快感。fix是一个俚语词汇,意思是“毒品注射”。Jack还说如果Tina这么想追求刺激,为什么不干脆把咖啡因片弄碎,开始用鼻子吸算了,这样更痛快。

10. do lines 这个短语表示“把毒品的粉末排成列线用鼻子吸入”,这里Jack是在开玩笑,说Tina对咖啡因上瘾的程度,就好像在吸毒。Jack建议Tina选择Americano 美式咖啡,就是浓缩咖啡加水。Tina说听起来味道有点淡。

11. Jack 又推荐hammerhead,就是榔头咖啡,做法是一般的咖啡加滴滤式咖啡。drip coffee在口语中是指加滤纸的咖啡壶煮出来的咖啡。Tina觉得这款咖啡听起来还不错,但是希望这种咖啡不会让她想拿起榔头敲客户的脑袋。

12. hammerhead 是指“榔头上用来敲打的那一端”,所以Tina才会故意说她想拿“榔头”hammer来敲客户的脑袋,因为Tina很生气他没有同意他们的广告创意。Jack安慰她说,We'll get this case worked out in no time. 我们很快就会把这个广告案搞定了。

13. work out 这个词组表示“顺利解决事情”,in no time则是指“很快,立即”,所以要给工作团队打气,表示很快就会解决手上的案子了,We'll get this case worked out in no time.就是一个很好的说法。我们来用一个对话作例子,---I don't know when I'll get some sleep. ---Don't worry. We'll get this case worked out in no time. ---不知道什么时候才能睡觉。---别担心,我们很快就会把这个案子搞定的。

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重点单词
  • froadv. 向那边,向后,离开,回来
  • legendn. 传说,传奇
  • orderingn. [计]定序;排序;订购 v. 命令;指挥;订购(o
  • militaryadj. 军事的 n. 军队
  • mechanicadj. 手工的 n. 技工,机修工
  • originaladj. 最初的,原始的,有独创性的,原版的 n. 原件
  • essencen. 本质,精髓,要素,香精
  • scriptn. 手稿,脚本,手迹 vt. 为...准备手稿
  • appealn. 恳求,上诉,吸引力 n. 诉诸裁决 v. 求助,诉
  • flavorn. 滋味,香料,风格 vt. 加味于