為什麼爆米花會「爆」呢? The Science behind Popcorn

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	#美食料理 2/7 解析英語 作者 Brian Foden 閱讀時間 6分鐘 聽講解 聽朗讀 本圖文出處: MP3: 為什麼爆米花會「爆」呢? The Science behind Popcorn 爆米花背後的科學原理相當簡單。這當中有三 個主要因素影響著。 目錄 / More to Learn / 中文翻譯(& 答案) 科普園地         It’s a natural treat loved by people around the world. For a lot of moviegoers, a night out at the cinema wouldn’t be the same without it. Many adults and kids also delight in making it at home to snack on. After all, it’s hard not to love a food that explodes . But why exactly does popcorn blow up and turn into something delicious?         In fact, the science behind popcorn is fairly simple. With popcorn, there are three main factors at work. Firstly, the kernel, or seed, of popcorn contains a small amount of water, along with a large amount of starch. Secondly, the outer shell of the kernel, which is called the hull, is strong and traps water inside it. Thirdly, when heated enough, the water expands into steam. This steam makes the starch softer. It also produces pressure inside the kernel. Since the steam cannot escape from the hull, it eventually explodes. When that happens, the kernel basically turns inside out.         Does all corn act this way? No, the corn that people commonly eat is a variety known as sweet corn. No matter how long someone leaves sweet corn on a barbecue or in an oven, it won’t burst into little puffs. The popcorn people eat comes from a variety of corn that is itself called popcorn. Another interesting fact about popcorn is related to the reason that it makes a bang when it pops. It was once thought that the sound came from the kernel breaking. However, scientists discovered it is actually due to the sudden release of water vapor from the kernel. In other words, this swift change in air pressure produces the popping sound. 1. What is the second paragraph mainly about? (A)  How and where popcorn is grown. (B)  Why popcorn bursts open when heated. (C)  The history behind a popular snack food. (D)  Why popcorn is so popular around the world. 2. According to the passage, which part of the kernel prevents steam from flowing out? (A) A (B) B (C) C (D) D 3. Four students are in a group discussion. Which of the following statements is correct? (A) “In addition to popcorn, sweet corn can also pop.” (B) “The corn kernel is mainly composed of the seed, starch, and flakes.” (C) “Many people enjoy eating popcorn while watching movies.” (D) “Sweet corn also makes a popping sound when fried in hot oil.” 答案:  1 .B 2 .D 3 .C 單字片語整理 Words in Use ● factor [ˋfæktɚ] n. 因素 ● barbecue [ˋbɑrbɪkju] vt. 烤（肉等）（縮寫為 BBQ [ `barbIkyu ]） n. 烤肉聚會（可數）；烤肉架（可數）；烤出來的食物（不可數） ● variety [vəˋraɪətɪ] n. 變化；種類 ● oven [ˋʌvən] n. 烤箱 ● trap [træp] vt. 設陷阱捕捉 n. 陷阱；圈套，騙局，詭計 ● burst [bɝst] vt. & vi. （使）爆破 / 炸 n. 爆破 / 炸，噴；（感情）爆發 ● expand [ɪkˋspænd] vt. & vi. （使）（尺寸或數量）擴大，增加 ● eventually [ɪˋvɛntʃʊəlɪ] adv. 終究，到頭來 ● delight [dɪˋlaɪt] .vt. 使喜悅 n. 欣喜 ● fairly [ˋfɛrlɪ] adv. 相當地，蠻 ● cinema [ˋsɪnəmə] n. 電影院 ● bang [bæŋ] vt. 猛然撞擊 n. 發出砰的一聲 adv. 準確地〔英〕 ● release [rɪˋlis] vt. & n. 釋出，釋放（= let go of）；發行，發布 ● vapor [ˋvepɚ] n. . 蒸氣 ● explode [ɪkˋsplod] vi. 激增 vt. & vi. 爆炸，炸掉 ● swift [swɪft] a. 迅速的，敏捷的 ● puff [pʌf] vi. . 喘氣 vt. & vi. 抽（菸） n. 抽菸；一陣（風或煙）；泡芙 ● hull [hʌl] n. 船身，船殼 ● starch [stɑrtʃ] n. 澱粉 ● kernel [ˋkɝn!] n. （玉米、麥等的）粒／子 Practical Phrases ● escape from + 地方 從某處逃脫 According to the news, a notorious drug dealer escaped from prison. 據新聞報導，一個惡名昭彰的毒販越獄了。 ● inside out 裡面翻到外面地 Sam didn’t notice that he was wearing his T-shirt inside out. 山姆沒發現他把 T 恤裡外穿反了。 ● In other words, S + V 換句話說／也就是說，⋯⋯ ● be related to 與⋯⋯有關 The artist’s paintings are related to there lationship between man and nature. 那名藝術家的畫作是關於人類與大自然之間的關係。 ● snack on... 吃⋯⋯（當作點心） Do you have anything in your house to snack on? I’m hungry. 你家裡有什麼可以吃的嗎？我餓死了。 ● at work 起作用，產生影響 Rock formations are a perfect example of weathering at work. 岩石的的形成是風化作用產生影響的最佳範例。 More to Learn pop [ pɑp ] vi. 砰的一聲爆開 • The balloon Amy held suddenly popped and gave her a fright. 艾咪手裡拿的氣球突然砰的一聲爆開，嚇了她一大跳。 以下介紹跟烹飪或食物相關的擬聲詞(狀聲詞): a. pop 是爆米花爆開的聲音，或是開酒瓶蓋時「啵」 一聲的聲音。 b. bubble 是水、湯沸騰時的咕嚕咕嚕聲。 • Please turn off the gas when you hear the water bubbling. 聽到水滾時，請關掉瓦斯。 c. crack 是雞蛋裂開時的聲音。 • Knock the egg on the table a few times and it will crack. 把雞蛋敲桌子幾下，它就會裂開。 d. crackle 是炸食物時所發出的劈劈啪啪聲。 • I can hear the crackling sound whenever my mother fries something. 每當我媽媽炸東西時，我都能聽到劈劈啪啪聲。 e. sizzle 是鐵板煎烤食物發出的滋滋聲。 • The steak sizzles on the grill, and I start to get hungry. 牛排在烤架上滋滋作響，我開始覺得餓了。 中文翻譯(& 答案) 它是一種受到世界各地人們喜愛的天然美味食物。對很 多常去看電影的人來說，如果沒有它，在電影院的夜晚就會 有所不同。許多大人和小孩也喜歡在家裡做這道點心吃。畢 竟，很難不愛上會爆開的食物。但爆米花究竟為什麼會爆， 並變成美味的東西呢? 事實上，爆米花背後的科學原理相當簡單。這當中有三 個主要因素影響著。首先，爆米花的玉米粒(或種子)含有 少量的水分和大量的澱粉。其次，玉米粒的外殼(hull)很 結實，會把水分存在裡頭。第三，當加熱至夠熱時，水會膨 脹成蒸氣。這些蒸氣使澱粉變得較軟。它還會在玉米粒內部 產生壓力。由於蒸氣無法從外殼溢出，外殼最終就爆開了。 這種情況發生時，玉米粒基本上就會外翻過來。 所有的玉米都會這樣嗎?不，一般人們常吃的玉米是一 種被稱為甜玉米的品種。無論將甜玉米放在烤肉架上或烤箱 中多久，它都不會爆裂成蓬鬆的米花。人們吃的爆米花來自 一種本身叫做爆米花的玉米品種。另一個關於爆米花的有趣 事實是關乎爆米花爆裂時產生砰砰聲的原因。曾有人認為， 這個聲音是因為玉米粒破裂。然而，科學家發現，事實上砰 砰聲是因為玉米粒中突然釋放的水蒸氣。換句話說，是這種 氣壓的迅速變化產生了爆裂聲。 1. 第二段的主旨為何? (A) 爆米花的種植方式和地點。 (B) 爆米花加熱時為何會爆開。 (C) 人氣零食背後的歷史。 (D) 爆米花為何在世界各地如此受歡迎。 2. 根據本文，玉米粒的哪個地方會防止蒸氣溢出? (A) A (B) B (C) C (D) D 題解: 根據第二段，由於蒸氣無法從外殼溢出，玉米粒 最終就會爆開，圖中 D 所指的部分為玉米粒的外 殼(hull)，故選之。 3. 四位學生正在小組討論。以下哪項敘述是正確的? (A) 「除了爆米花會爆之外，甜玉米也會爆。」 (B) 「玉米粒主要由種子、澱粉和玉米片組成。」 (C) 「許多人喜愛在看電影時吃爆米花。」 (D) 「甜玉米在熱油中油炸時也會有爆裂聲。」