(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
‘A Blessing from God:’ Iraqis Harvest Truffles
In the Iraqi desert, a 72-year-old woman carefully digs in the sand for treasure.
"Here it is, the truffle, a blessing from God!" says Zahra Buheir.
In her hands, she holds a truffle, a kind of fungus that grows under the ground. It is used in cooking around the world and is a costly food.
She said, "rain came, and then thunder, bringing truffles up to the surface."
She and her family of seven have spent weeks looking for seasonal truffles. The rare food has provided the family with additional money.
Learning to hunt for truffles requires an understanding of the dangers in the desert. The hunters must deal with the severe weather of Iraq's southern desert. There are dangerous animals and military equipment left from years of war.
The father of her granddaughter is Mohsen Farhan. He said, "We are afraid of wolves. There are a lot here. And there are mines. A while ago, someone died."
Landmines left over from the Gulf war in 1991 remain unexploded and underground. The explosive devices could be mistaken for truffles by an inexperienced person.
But to some, the dangers are worth it. This year, truffles can be sold for up to $7 a kilogram. Iraq's desert truffle costs less than European truffles. Those are rarer and can cost hundreds of dollars or more for a kilogram.
But Iraq's economy is in crisis. So, the local truffles are a big help to this truffle-hunting family.
This year, however, the rains came late. Buheir could only find about one kilogram of truffles each day. That amount is about one tenth of what she would dig up in a good year.
Her granddaughter, five-year-old Riyam, helps by turning over stones and digging the earth with her hands. The child joins the truffle hunt with her family to learn a trade and the desert lifestyle.
"When there is no work, truffles are a source of income. And we are happy here," said Farhan. The child's father said he loves the weeks he spends with his family in their tent in the desert.
Truffles come in many different sizes. When they are sold, they are named for other foods they are most like in size – for example, walnuts, eggs, or oranges. The biggest truffles are called pomegranates.
This year, a lack of truffles has pushed up prices. Truffles that do not sell locally are exported to wealthier Gulf countries. But people who eat at the restaurants in the Iraqi city of Samawa enjoy many truffle dishes.
I'm Anna Matteo.
重点解析
重点讲解：
1. hunt for 搜寻
The couple had helped in the hunt for the toddlers.
这对夫妇曾帮着寻找那些蹒跚学步的孩子。
2. a lack of 缺乏
There is a lack of knowledge about the tax system.
大家对税制缺乏了解。
3. push up 增加；提高
Any shortage could push up grain prices.
任何短缺都会推动粮价上涨。
4. deal with 处理；应对
She had shown herself unable to deal with money.
她所做的事已表明她不善理财。
参考译文
伊拉克人沙漠中挖松露谋生
在伊拉克的沙漠里，一名72岁的妇人正在沙子里仔细地挖宝。
扎赫拉·布赫尔（Zahra Buheir）大喊：“找到松露了，感谢上帝保佑！”
她手里拿着一块松露，这是一种长在地下的真菌。这种真菌在世界各地被用于烹饪当中，是一种珍贵的食材。
她说：”下过雨，然后打雷，松露就会露出地面。”
她和家里剩下的七口人花费数周时间寻找季节性的松露。这种珍贵食材为这个家庭带来了额外的收入。
寻找松露需要了解沙漠中的危险。他们必须能够应对伊拉克南部沙漠的恶劣天气。这里有危险的动物出没以及多年战争遗留下的军用装备。
布赫尔的儿子是穆赫辛·法尔汉（Mohsen Farhan）。他说：“我们害怕狼。沙漠里有很多狼。这里还有地雷。前段时间就有人丢了命。”
1991年的海湾战争导致地下遗留了很多未爆炸的地雷。没有经验的人可能会误把地雷当做松露。
但是对有些人来说，这样的冒险值得一试。今年松露的价格最高可达每公斤7美元。伊拉克的松露价格低于欧洲松露。欧洲松露更加稀缺，每公斤可能售价数百美元甚至更高。
但是伊拉克的经济正处于危机之中。所以，当地的松露对这个寻找松露对家庭有很大帮助。
然而，今年雨季来得晚。布赫尔一天只能找到约1公斤的松露。这个量大约只是好年景能挖到的十分之一。
她5岁的孙女利亚姆（Riyam）帮着搬移石块并用手挖土。小女孩与家人一起寻找松露，以学习这门手艺及掌握沙漠生活方式。
法尔汉表示：“没有工作的时候，松露就是一种经济来源。我们在这里很开心。”孩子的父亲表示，他喜欢和家人在沙漠的帐篷中度过的这些时光。
松露的形状、大小各异。当松露被出售时，会根据它们的尺寸用最相似的食物来命名，例如核桃、鸡蛋或是橙子。最大的松露被称为“石榴”。
今年，松露短缺推高了市场的价格。不在当地销售的松露被出口到较富裕的海湾国家。但是，在伊拉克城市萨玛瓦的餐馆用餐的人们喜欢这里的各类松露菜品。
安娜·马特奥为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
