This masochistic relationship with capsaicin has been a long one, starting in the Andes of South America, where chilli peppers originate. Humans were one of the few mammals on Earth that developeda taste forcapsaicin so, archaeological evidence suggests, they started cultivatingchilli peppers about six thousand years ago. Human interventionchanged the chilli pepper to suit human tastes and needs – including the pepper's colour, size and capsaicin content– helping to explain the many different types of chilli peppers now available.

Fast-forward to today, and our love affair with the chilli pepper is going strong. We eat around 57.3 million tons of peppers globally each year, and chilli is a key ingredient in traditional dishes from Mexico to Korea. Maybe we are masochistic after all.

词汇表

go numb 发麻

masochistic 自讨苦吃的，自找罪受的

taste 味道

sour 酸的

bitter 苦的

sensation 感觉

trigger 引发，触发

chemical compound 化合物

capsaicin 辣椒素

contain 含有

trick 使产生错觉

temper 使缓和

release 释放

endorphin 内啡肽

conscious 有意的

rational being 理性的动物

derive 获得，得到

thrill-seeking 寻求刺激的

benign masochism 良性自虐，从不适中得到享受

develop a taste for 养成吃…的习惯

cultivate 种植

intervention 干预

content 含量

going strong 依旧强烈

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. True or False? Spicy is a taste.

2. What's the name of the chemical compound found in chilli peppers?

3. Why do we feel pleasure when eating chilli peppers?

4. How is eating chilli similar to skydiving?

5. True or False? Lots of mammals like the sensation of capsaicin.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I love the _______ of ginger. I cook with it all the time!

taste sour bitter sensation

2. The smell of cinnamon always _______ memories of my grandmother.

triggers contains tricks releases

3. Excuse me, does this dish _______ nuts? I'm allergic.

release content contain derive

4. Human _______ are social creatures – we need the company of others.

thrill-seeking tastes beings benign-masochism

5. Our son has _______ peanut butter. He can't get enough!

gone numb gong strong cultivated developed a taste for

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. True or False? Spicy is a taste.

False. Spicy is a sensation.

2. What's the name of the chemical compound found in chilli peppers?

Capsaicin.

3. Why do we feel pleasure when eating chilli peppers?

The endorphins the body releases to temper the burning sensation, as well as the ingredients chilli peppers are often cooked or eaten with, give pleasure.

4. How is eating chilli similar to skydiving?

It's a form of thrill-seeking or 'benign masochism', where we get pleasure from a seemingly negative sensation.

5. True or False? Lots of mammals like the sensation of capsaicin.

False. Humans are one of the few mammals on Earth that developed a taste for capsaicin.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I love the tasteof ginger. I cook with it all the time!

2. The smell of cinnamon always triggersmemories of my grandmother.

3. Excuse me, does this dish containnuts? I'm allergic.

4. Human beingsare social creatures – we need the company of others.

5. Our son has developed a taste forpeanut butter. He can't get enough! 返回搜狐，查看更多