读者文摘:关于盐的13个有趣知识(1)

One. Salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that soldiers were sometimes paid with it.

在古罗马，盐非常珍贵，士兵有时候靠它来赚钱。

In fact, the word salary comes from the Latin word sal, for salt.

实际上，salary这个词来自拉丁语sal，意思是盐。

When a soldier was doing a lousy job, his paycheck might be cut, which is how we got the expression "not worth his salt."

当一个士兵的工作做的很糟糕的时候，他的工资可能会减少，这就是“不称职”这个表达的来源。

Two. Salt can still be valuable today. Amethyst¹ Bamboo 9x salt, which rings up at $398 a pound, may be the most expensive in the world.

今天盐仍然很有价值。紫水晶竹9x盐，每磅398美元，它可能是世界上最贵的。

This pricey stuff takes a lot of time to produce—it's roasted nine times inside a bamboo pole at temperatures exceeding 1,400 degrees F.

这种昂贵的东西需要很长时间生产-它要在超过1400华氏度的高温下，在竹枝里烤九次。

One store says the resulting delicacy² "smells like something dragons use to season their victims before eating them."

一家商店称，美味的紫水晶竹9x盐“就像是龙在食用猎物之前的调味料”。

Three. Historically, salt's value came from its ability to preserve food.

在历史上，盐的价值来自于它储存食物的能力。

Venice, Italy, may be famous for its canals now, but salt imports fueled its rise as an influential³ trade power by the end of the 13th century.

今日的意大利威尼斯可能以它的运河著称，但是在13世纪末，是盐进口促使意大利发展成为一个重要的贸易大国。

Four. Salt also took on a great deal of symbolic⁴ value. There's a reason it is mentioned so many times in the Bible ("salt of the earth," "a pillar of salt," "a covenant⁵ of salt").

盐也有很大的象征价值。盐在圣经中多次被提到是有原因的（“地球之盐”，“一根盐柱”，“不可背弃的盐约”）。

Its preservative⁶ properties made it an apt metaphor⁷ for permanence and conviction.

它的防腐特性使它成为永久和信念的恰当隐喻。

Five. Most people know about the health risks associated with sodium⁸, but reducing your intake⁹ isn't always easy.

很多人都知道跟钠有关的健康风险，但是减少摄入并不总是容易的事情。

More than 75 percent of the sodium Americans eat comes from processed foods; bread, cured meats, and canned soup top the list.

美国人摄入的超过75%的钠来自加工食品；面包、腌肉和汤品罐头位居榜首。

Even foods that don't taste salty may contain it. Instant oatmeal with maple¹⁰ and brown sugar, for instance, contains 170 milligrams of sodium per ounce—a little more than a small bag of potato chips.

甚至，吃起来不咸的食物也可能含有它。例如，含枫糖和红糖的速溶燕麦片每磅含有170毫克的钠——比一小袋薯片多一点。

Six. Even French fries aren't necessarily the biggest culprit.

甚至，炸薯条也不一定是罪魁祸首。

A 2012 study that examined sodium levels of fast-food menu items from different countries found that pizza and burgers contained more sodium than french fries, because they come in larger serving sizes.

2012年的一项研究检测了不同国家的快餐菜单食品的钠的水平，研究发现，比萨和汉堡比薯条含有更多的钠，因为它们的分量更大。

1 amethyst   

n.紫水晶

参考例句：

• She pinned a large amethyst brooch to her lapel.她在翻领上别了一枚大大的紫水晶饰针。
• The exquisite flowers come alive in shades of amethyst.那些漂亮的花儿在紫水晶的映衬下显得格外夺目。

2 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

4 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

5 covenant   

n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约

参考例句：

• They refused to covenant with my father for the property.他们不愿与我父亲订立财产契约。
• The money was given to us by deed of covenant.这笔钱是根据契约书付给我们的。

6 preservative   

n.防腐剂；防腐料；保护料；预防药

参考例句：

• New timber should be treated with a preservative.新采的圆木应进行防腐处理。
• Salt is a common food preservative.盐是一种常用的食物防腐剂。

7 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

8 sodium   

n.（化）钠

参考例句：

• Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面，全城的钠光灯都亮了。
• Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。

9 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

10 maple   

n.槭树，枫树，槭木

参考例句：

• Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。
• The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。