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Neil(尼尔)

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

您好，这里是 BBC Learning English 的六分钟英语。我是 Neil。

Beth(贝丝)

And I'm Beth.

我是贝丝。

Neil(尼尔)

Do you enjoy eating noodles, Beth?

贝丝，你喜欢吃面条吗？

Beth(贝丝)

I love noodles, yes. I think my favourite are udon, the big thick ones. Mmm, they're so good! Well, some people buy them dried in a packet, others make them fresh from wheat or rice, but there is little doubt that noodles are popular around the world. From their origins, probably somewhere in China, noodle recipes were spread by traders on the ancient Silk Road. At each destination along the road, people gave noodles a twist, adding different flavours and ingredients to create a new dish.

我喜欢面条，是的。我想我最喜欢的是乌冬面，又大又厚的乌冬面。嗯，他们太好吃了！好吧，有些人买的是小包干的面条，有些人用小麦或大米做新鲜的面条，但毫无疑问，面条在世界范围内很受欢迎。面条的配方起源于中国的某个地方，由商人在古丝绸之路上传播。在沿途的每个目的地，人们都会对面条进行改造，添加不同的口味和配料，创造出一道新的菜肴。

Neil(尼尔)

In this programme, we'll visit the United States and Japan, two countries which have taken noodles and created exciting new varieties. As usual, we'll learn some useful new vocabulary, and remember, you can read along with the transcript of this programme, available now on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

在这个节目中，我们将访问美国和日本，这两个国家已经接受了面条并创造了令人兴奋的新品种。像往常一样，我们会学习一些有用的新词汇，请记住，您可以阅读该计划的文字记录，现在可以在我们的网站上找到，bbclearningenglish.com。

Beth(贝丝)

But first, Neil, I have a question for you. As well as different shapes and ingredients, noodles come in many different flavours. So which region of China is famous for its spicy flavours? Is it: a) Shanghai, b) Sichuan, or c) Guangzhou?

但首先，Neil，我有一个问题要问你。除了不同的形状和成分外，面条还有许多不同的口味。那么，中国哪个地区以辣味闻名呢？是：a） 上海，b） 四川，还是 c） 广州？

Neil(尼尔)

Well, I think actually, Beth, I know the answer to this. I've been lucky enough to have been to this place. I think it's b) Sichuan.

嗯，我想实际上，贝丝，我知道这个问题的答案。我很幸运能去过这个地方。我认为是 b） 四川。

Beth(贝丝)

OK. Well, you sound confident. I will reveal the answer later in the programme. BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain, investigated how noodles spread from Asia through Europe to America. They uncovered a surprising story: that pasta comes from noodles brought back to Italy by Marco Polo in the 13th century. Jen Lin-Liu, author of the book 'On the Noodle Road', doesn't believe this story.

还行。嗯，你听起来很自信。我将在稍后的节目中揭示答案。BBC 世界服务节目 The Food Chain 调查了面条如何从亚洲通过欧洲传播到美洲。他们发现了一个令人惊讶的故事：意大利面来自 13 世纪马可波罗带回意大利的面条。《On the Noodle Road》一书的作者 Jen Lin-Liu 不相信这个故事。

Jen Lin-Liu(刘林)

So, noodles were very exotic in the 1920s and 30s in the United States, and there was a new pasta association in America that wanted to promote the manufacturing of dried pasta. And so they came up with a story about how Marco Polo went to China and found the noodle there, and brought it all the way to Italy.

因此，面条在 1920 年代和 30 年代的美国非常具有异国情调，美国有一个新的意大利面协会，希望促进干意大利面的制造。因此，他们想出了一个故事，讲述马可波罗如何去中国，在那里找到面条，并一路带到意大利。

Neil(尼尔)

In the 1920s, noodles were popular because they were exotic, meaning foreign, unusual and exciting. At that time pasta companies were promoting a new invention, dried pasta, so they came up with a story about Marco Polo to sell more pasta. If you come up with something, you suggest or think up an idea. And it worked, sales of pasta jumped as a result!

在 1920 年代，面条很受欢迎，因为它们具有异国情调，意味着外国、不寻常和令人兴奋。当时意大利面公司正在推广一项新发明，即干意大利面，所以他们想出了一个关于马可波罗的故事来销售更多的意大利面。如果你想出什么东西，你就会提出或想出一个想法。它奏效了，意大利面的销量因此猛增！

Beth(贝丝)

Now, our second destination, Japan, also has a history of eating noodles. One of the most famous Japanese noodle dishes is ramen, and Frank Striegl, a blogger living in Tokyo, knows all about it. He eats over 300 bowls of ramen a year! He explained to BBC World Service's The Food Chain how Chinese immigrants to Japan in the late 1800s influenced this Japanese dish.

现在，我们的第二个目的地日本也有吃面条的历史。最著名的日本面条之一是拉面，住在东京的博主 Frank Striegl 对它了如指掌。他一年吃 300 多碗拉面！他向 BBC 世界服务部的《食物链》解释了 1800 年代后期中国移民到日本如何影响这道日本菜。

Frank Striegl(弗兰克·斯特里格尔)

And at one point or another, different chefs decided to localise these dishes. They said, "We love these Chinese noodle dishes. However, why don't we tweak them? Why don't we make them a little bit more Japanese?"

在某个时候，不同的厨师决定将这些菜肴本地化。他们说，'我们喜欢这些中国面条。但是，我们为什么不调整它们呢？我们为什么不让他们更日本一点呢？

Neil(尼尔)

Frank says that at one point or another, chefs started to make noodle dishes more Japanese. Here, the phrase at one point or another means at some unspecified time in the past.

弗兰克说，在某个时候，厨师们开始制作更日本的面条菜肴。在这里，短语 at one point or another 表示在过去某个未指定的时间。

Beth(贝丝)

They did this by tweaking Chinese noodles, in other words, by changing them slightly to make them better, different or, in this case, more Japanese.

他们通过调整中国面条来做到这一点，换句话说，稍微改变它们以使其更好、不同，或者在这种情况下，更日本化。

Neil(尼尔)

By making these tweaks, adding new toppings and slices of beef or chicken, Japanese chefs created the noodle dish we know today as ramen. Here's Frank Striegl again, talking with BBC World Service's The Food Chain.

通过进行这些调整，添加新的配料和牛肉或鸡肉片，日本厨师创造了我们今天所知道的拉面。这是 Frank Striegl 再次与 BBC World Service 的 The Food Chain 交谈。

Frank Striegl(弗兰克·斯特里格尔)

And what I find fascinating about ramen, compared to perhaps other wonderful noodle dishes around the world, is that ramen continues to evolve. Unlike other Japanese foods, it's OK to push the boundaries.

与世界上其他美妙的面条菜肴相比，我发现拉面的迷人之处在于，拉面不断发展。与其他日本料理不同，突破界限是可以的。

Beth(贝丝)

Frank thinks that Japanese ramen continues to evolve, to develop and change gradually in response to new developments and ideas. Unlike other traditional food such as sushi, modern versions of ramen push the boundaries. If you push the boundaries, you act in a way which challenges normal acceptable behaviour.

弗兰克认为，日本拉面不断发展，随着新的发展和想法而逐渐发展和变化。与寿司等其他传统食品不同，现代版本的拉面突破了界限。如果你突破界限，你的行为方式就会挑战正常可接受的行为。

Neil(尼尔)

Yes, noodles have changed so much since ancient times that today you can buy them dried in a packet and simply add hot water, but the flavours and the noodles themselves maintain a link to the past. Now, speaking of flavours, what was the answer to your question, Beth?

是的，自古以来，面条已经发生了很大变化，今天你可以买到一包干的面条，只需加入热水即可，但面条的味道和面条本身都与过去保持着联系。现在，说到风味，贝丝，你的问题的答案是什么？

Beth(贝丝)

Well, I asked you which region of China is famous for its spicy flavours. You were very confident with saying Sichuan and that is the correct answer. Sichuan is a place that is famous for spicy food, such as the Sichuan pepper and Sichuan hotpot. OK. It's time to recap the vocabulary we've learnt. If you give something a twist, you change it in some small way to create something new and exciting.

好吧，我问你中国哪个地区以其辛辣的味道而闻名。你对说四川非常有信心，这是正确的答案。四川是一个以辛辣食物而闻名的地方，例如四川辣椒和四川火锅。还行。是时候回顾一下我们学到的词汇了。如果你对某样东西进行了改变，你就会以某种小的方式改变它，创造出一些新的、令人兴奋的东西。

Neil(尼尔)

The adjective exotic means unusual and exciting because of coming from far away.

形容词异国情调的意思是不寻常和令人兴奋，因为来自遥远的地方。

Beth(贝丝)

The phrase, at one point or another means at some unspecified time in the past.

短语 at one point or another 表示在过去某个未指定的时间。

Neil(尼尔)

If you tweak something, you alter it slightly in order to improve it.

如果你调整了什么，你就会稍微改变它以改进它。

Beth(贝丝)

Something which evolves, develops and changes gradually.

逐渐进化、发展和变化的东西。

Neil(尼尔)

And finally, the idiom to push the boundaries means to do things which challenge normal acceptable behaviour. Once again, our six minutes are up. If you enjoyed the programme, why not visit our website and check out all of the different podcasts that we have at BBC Learning English. There's something there for everyone. Thanks for joining us and goodbye.

最后，谚语 to push the boundaries 的意思是做一些挑战正常可接受行为的事情。我们的六分钟又结束了。如果您喜欢这个节目，为什么不访问我们的网站并查看我们在 BBC Learning English 提供的所有不同播客。每个人都能找到适合自己的东西。感谢您加入我们，再见。

Beth(贝丝)

Bye!

再见！