Honey is found in kitchens all around the world. This naturally sweet substance can be used in all sorts of dishes, sauces, and drinks. It makes a simple, tasty topping on everything from toast to ice cream or even fried chicken. Honey is also said to be healthier than most common sweeteners. It even has some medicinal properties and helps treat coughing and sore throats.
According to scientific research, honeybees began producing honey over 120 million years ago. The first honeybees evolved from predatory wasps that adapted to a new diet of pollen and nectar from flowers. Today, there are seven species of honeybees, with most found exclusively in Asia. In contrast, the western honeybee populates every continent except Antarctica. These seven species are responsible for over 300 different kinds of honey, each of which varies in flavor depending on the plants that are used for nectar.
Interestingly, honey is a product of a bee’s special honey stomach, which is different from its regular stomach. A bee’s honey stomach stores and processes nectar. The type of bees known as foragers are responsible for gathering nectar for the colony. A single bee will likely visit over 200 different flowers in a single day. To make a single kilogram of honey, it will take over 40,000 loads of nectar.
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Once a forager has a full load of nectar in its stomach, it returns to the hive and spits up the gooey liquid. Another type of bee called a worker bee will then suck it up and carry it to the honeycomb. There, it will be dried out and stored under a wax coating produced by the worker bees. Depending on the source of nectar, honey may be watery or nearly solid. Honey can come in a wide range of flavors, with some rare varieties being especially prized and expensive.
在全世界的廚房中都能找到蜂蜜。這種有天然甜味的物質可用於各種菜餚、醬料和飲品中。它是一種簡單、美味的食物配料，可淋於吐司、冰淇淋或甚至炸雞等食物上。據說蜂蜜也比大多數常見的甜味劑還健康。它甚至具有一些藥用性質，有助於治療咳嗽和喉嚨痛。
根據科學研究，蜜蜂在一億兩千多萬年前開始製造蜂蜜。最早的蜜蜂是由狩獵黃蜂演化而來，牠們適應了從花朵中攝取花粉和花蜜的新飲食。如今，有七個蜜蜂物種，其中大部分僅分布在亞洲。相比之下，西方蜜蜂生活在除了南極洲以外的每個大陸。這七個物種負責製造三百多種不同類型的蜂蜜，每種蜂蜜的味道取決於提供花蜜的植物而有所不同。
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有趣的是，蜂蜜是蜜蜂特殊的蜜胃所產生的產物，蜜胃與蜜蜂的正常胃不同。蜜蜂的蜜胃儲存和處理花蜜。被稱為採集蜜蜂的那種蜜蜂負責為整個蜂群收集花蜜。單一隻蜜蜂一天可能會拜訪兩百多朵不同的花。為了製造單單一公斤的蜂蜜，牠需要載運超過四萬次的花蜜。
一旦採集蜜蜂的蜜胃裝滿花蜜後，牠就會回到蜂巢，吐出這種軟而黏的液體。接著，另一種被稱為工蜂的蜜蜂會吸起花蜜，並將其運送到蜂房中。在那裡，花蜜會被乾燥並存放在由工蜂產生的蠟膜下。根據花蜜來源的不同，蜂蜜可能會是水水的或接近固體狀。蜂蜜有各種不同的風味，有些稀有的種類尤其珍貴且價值高昂。
Words in Use
1. substance n. 物質
Rubber is a very useful substance.
橡膠是一種非常有用的物質。
2. medicinal a. 有藥效的，有療效的
Some people are trying to legalize marijuana for medicinal use.
有些人正努力使大麻成為合法的醫療用品。
3. property n. 特性
Green tea is beneficial to your health because it has many cancer-fighting properties.
因為綠茶含有許多抗癌特性，所以對你的健康有益。
4. evolve vi. 演化
evolve from... 從……演化而成
Biologists think that birds evolved from reptiles.
生物學家認為鳥類是從爬蟲類演化而來。
5. predatory a. 獵捕的，食肉的
The predatory lioness stalked her prey.
掠食性的母獅正悄悄地追蹤牠的獵物。
Practical Phrases
1. adapt (oneself) to N/V-ing 適應於……
adapt vi. & vt. （使）適應
I find it hard to adapt to the hustle and bustle of city life.
我發現我很難適應都市生活的熙熙攘攘。
2. In contrast, ... 相比之下，相較之下
Ben is very friendly. In contrast, his brother is mean.
阿班很友善。相較之下，他哥哥就很刻薄。
3. vary in... 在……（方面）有所不同
vary vi. 相異
The rings vary in size and color, so take your time and pick out the one you like.
這些戒指有不同的尺寸和顏色，所以你慢慢挑一個你喜歡的。
4. depending on... 視∕按照……而定（作片語介詞用）
Weather in this desert ranges from hot to cold depending on the time of day.
根據一天中的時間而定，這片沙漠的天氣從炎熱到寒冷都有。
5. spit up... 嘔出……
My cat occasionally spits up hairballs around my house.
我的貓偶爾會在家裡四處吐出毛球。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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