首页
登录
职称英语
Most people today think of chocolate as something sweet to eat or drink that
Most people today think of chocolate as something sweet to eat or drink that
游客
2023-11-06
37
管理
问题
Most people today think of chocolate as something sweet to eat or drink that can be easily found in stores around the world. It might surprise you that chocolate was once highly treasured.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently released a study. It suggested that people in Central and South America first gathered the cacao plant much earlier and for a different use than experts once thought. ① The researchers examined the chemistry of substances found in ancient clay containers that were over three thousand years old. They discovered that the substance came from an alcoholic drink made from the fruit of the cacao plant. The researchers believe it was the interest in cacao as an alcoholic drink that led to the use of its bitter seeds to make what is now known as chocolate. ②
Historians believe the Maya people of Central America first learned to farm cacao plants around two thousand years ago. The Maya took the cacao trees from the rainforests and grew them in their gardens. They cooked the cacao seeds, and then crushed them into a soft paste. They mixed the paste with water and flavorful spices to make an unsweetened chocolate drink. The Maya poured the chocolate drink back and forth between two containers so that the liquid had a layer of bubbles, or foam. ③
Cacao and chocolate were an important part of Maya culture. There are often images of cacao plants on Maya buildings and art objects. Ruling families drank chocolate at special ceremonies. And, even poorer members of society could enjoy the drink once in a while. Historians believe that cacao seeds were also used in wedding ceremonies as a sign of the union between a husband and wife.
The Aztec culture in current day Mexico also prized chocolate. But, the cacao plant could not grow in the area where the Aztecs lived. So, they traded to get cacao. They even used cacao seeds as a form of money to pay taxes or give as holy offerings to the gods. Only the very wealthy people in Aztec societies could afford to drink chocolate because cacao was so valuable.
Some experts believe the word for chocolate came from the Aztec word "xocolatl" which in the Nahuatl language means “bitter water”. Others believe the word "chocolate" was created by combining Mayan and Nahuatl words.
The explorer Christopher Columbus brought cacao seeds to Spain after his trip to Central America in 1502. But it was the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes who understood that chocolate could be a valuable investment. In 1519, Cortes arrived in current day Mexico. He believed the chocolate drink would become popular with Spaniards. After the Spanish soldiers defeated the Aztec empire, they were able to seize the supplies of cacao and send them home. Spain later began planting cacao in its colonies in the Americas in order to supply the large demand for chocolate.
The wealthy people of Spain first enjoyed a sweetened version of the chocolate drink. Later, the popularity of the drink spread throughout Europe. The English, Dutch and French began to plant cacao trees in their own colonies. Chocolate remained a drink that only wealthy people could afford to drink until the eighteenth century. During the period known as the Industrial Revolution, new technologies helped make chocolate less costly to produce. [br] Who considered cacao as a valuable investment?
选项
A、The Maya people.
B、Christopher Columbus.
C、The Spanish.
D、The Aztecs.
答案
C
解析
事实细节题。根据文中第七段第二句“But it was the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes who understood that chocolate could be a valuable investment.”的内容,可知Hernando Cortes意识到了可可的价值并进行投资,而他是西班牙人。故C 正确。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3163346.html
相关试题推荐
PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem
PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem
PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem
InthesouthofSpain,therewasasmallvillagewhosepeoplewereveryjoyf
InthesouthofSpain,therewasasmallvillagewhosepeoplewereveryjoyf
InthesouthofSpain,therewasasmallvillagewhosepeoplewereveryjoyf
WhenthechildsawsomethingfierceandviolentonTV,hewould______underthe
Wherecanpeopletakeadulteducationcourses?[br][originaltext]Millions
Wherecanpeopletakeadulteducationcourses?[br][originaltext]Millions
Wherecanpeopletakeadulteducationcourses?[originaltext]Millionsofpe
随机试题
闭幕词说明:请写一份闭幕词,宣布讨论会闭幕。内容:1.代表组委会的全体成员感谢大家参加讨论会,并促使其成功;2.对大家表示祝
Youwillnowlistentopartofalecture.Youwillthenbeaskedaquestionabo
A—multimediamessageserviceJ—fixeddialB—subscriberidentitymoduleK—aut
设计题目:餐馆建筑设计 任务要求 1.建设地点:中国某城市(南方、北方地
适宜口腔溃疡反复发作患者的是()A:左旋咪唑 B:西地碘含片 C:甲硝唑粘贴
A.肝外门静脉血栓形成 B.肝炎后肝硬化 C.血吸虫病 D.布加综合征
班主任如何做好后进生的转化工作
方针目标制定的程序包括()。 A.宣传教育B.搜集资料,提出报告 C.确
(2017年真题)应用“5C”系统评估顾客信用标准时,客户“能力”是指()
建设单位申请领取施工许可证,应当具备的条件不包括( )。A.已经确定施工企业
最新回复
(
0
)