【精英翻譯】的部落格

Our Great Love of Chocolate 　入口即化的甜蜜 —— 濃情巧克力

精英翻譯社轉自http://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0062/274856/web/

　　Is there any other food that is loved as much as chocolate? It is believed that humans have been enjoying chocolate since at least 1900 BC. At that time, chocolate was mainly drunk as a bitter liquid. Mesoamericans, those who lived in an area from central Mexico to parts of Central America, made chocolate using cacao beans. Christopher Columbus and Spanish explorers were responsible for introducing the beans, and therefore chocolate, to Europe.

　　有任何其他食物和巧克力一樣深受人們喜愛嗎？據信人們從西元前1900年以來一直都很喜愛吃巧克力。當時巧克力主要當作味道苦的飲料飲用。住在墨西哥中部到中美洲部分區域的中美洲人用可可豆做巧克力。哥倫布和西班牙的探險家正是引進可可豆 ── 也就是巧克力 ── 到歐洲的人。

　　It took a lot of effort to grow and prepare the beans back then. Because of this, the Europeans originally used slaves to do the work. At first, only the rich could afford chocolate. Later, machines were invented that allowed chocolate to be produced more quickly and cheaply. People's desire for chocolate soon grew as it became more affordable. Today, there are chocolate festivals around the world. In addition, chocolate has become so popular that it has been the subject of books and movies. One book, which was also made into a film starring Johnny Depp, is Chocolat. Clearly, the love for chocolate around the world will not end anytime soon.

　　過去栽培和處理可可豆很費工。因此，歐洲人起初利用奴隸來做此工作。一開始，只有有錢人才買得起巧克力。後來，機器的發明使巧克力可以生產得更快又便宜。隨著巧克力變得更便宜，人們對巧克力的需求量快速增加。今日，世界各地都有舉行巧克力節。此外，因為巧克力變得如此受歡迎，所以一直是許多書和電影的主題。其中一本書還被改拍成由強尼‧戴普主演的電影《濃情巧克力》。無疑地，全世界對巧克力的喜愛不會這麼快就結束。