Riches and Romance From France’s Wine Harvest ! B0 E9 k: }+ T$ J% F# s) a8 B% W" O
September is harvest time. And with bunches of grapes swinging (摇摆) in the wind, the vineyards of southern France are getting ready to celebrate it.
6 c$ T( i6 l7 v The yearly wine festival is held in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. It’s a fun time with parties, music, and dancing, big meals and, of course, lots of wine. ! z9 n3 J& p+ _' o) U$ c2 M5 x, [
French wine-making began more than 2,500 years ago. The world’s oldest type of vine grows in France and always produces a good quality wine. Today France produces one-fifth of the world’s wine, and some of the most famous varieties. 0 b8 b) q: z; R2 l6 m8 v0 }
The top wine-producing areas are Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Loire Valley.
! S$ Z8 W# B o! Q. Y Champagne, a drink used in celebrations, is named after the place where sparkling (有汽泡的) wine was first produced in 1700.
4 {; s! I; [ c4 z Wine is made from the juice of freshly picked grapes. It is the sugars that turn into alcohol. . i* R. @) L! [1 V7 K* C9 L3 [
Traditionally, people used to take off their shoes and crush the grapes with their bare feet to bring out the juice. Nowadays, this practice is usually carried out by machines.
5 b4 Q R1 S _2 ^ Each wine producing region has its own character, based on its type of grapes and soil. ) }7 i2 h# ?5 C# ^: W
The taste of wine changes with time. Until 1850, all French champagne was sweet.
' j1 O9 O7 A- g! W9 @* P Now, both wine and champagne taste slightly bitter.
) z E% o" B* r2 @( n2 p The drink has always been linked with riches, romance and nobleness. Yet the
- q \9 P: G6 R3 ^/ F2 V French think of it in more ordinary terms. 1 v! U3 D2 }7 o- D% H& _
They believe it makes daily living easier, less hurried and with fewer problems.
* n: I) Q' ?5 Z; T1 r7 s "Its entire links are with times when people are at their best; with relaxation, happiness, long slow meals and the free flow of ideas," wrote wine expert Hugh Johnson.
+ F) t* r- H4 B 1 All French people celebrate the grape harvest every September.
; X9 S! y: X& y7 U ~9 O A Right
U) z1 v5 x3 j, w, }4 ] B Wrong
! N; v* c' N6 d" `6 E& I C Not mentioned ( _7 r, \# _' [4 z) O- l" Y0 ^
2 In the yearly wine festival, people always enjoy themselves. 6 P4 |: W* c. H0 E* Q9 z' _
A Right
* X% U* V- f8 W B Wrong
$ {' a4 w2 x) A4 W C Not mentioned |
发表于 2012-8-15 23:30:26
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