Recording 32

录音32

In my talk today, I'm going to be looking at plants that have had an impact on our world and our history.

今天我将讲讲对我们整个世界和历史产生影响的植物。

Let's start with the potato.

先从土豆讲起。

It was originally one of the staple foods of Central and South America and when Spanish explorers traveled to the Americas some time in the 16th century, the potato found its way into Europe.

最初土豆是中美洲和南美洲人们的其中一种主食，在16世纪的某时，西班牙探险家去往美洲，土豆就这样进入了欧洲。

This had several important consequences.

其重要影响不止一个。

In particular, it almost totally altered people's diet in many European countries.

尤为重要的是，这几乎彻底改变了多数 欧洲国家人民的日常饮食。

The potato is also believed to have been responsible for the start of a new trend — that of migrating to America.

人们也相信，土豆是一个新潮流开始的原因——移居美洲。

So you could say that the humble potato actually allowed many people to change their lives.

所以，你可以这么说，不起眼的土豆真的让许多人改变了生活。

However, there were also problems associated with this crop, largely in Ireland, where the poor were very much reliant on the success of the crops.

不管怎样，这种作物也带来了一些问题，主要是在爱尔兰，那儿的穷人极度依赖土豆这种作物的丰产。

Sadly, a disease in the crop spread rapidly across the country and led to widespread potato crop failures in the mid- l800s.

不幸的是，一种作物疾病很快感染了全国，导致19世纪中期土豆普遍欠收。

This meant that millions suffered from starvation as a result.

这意味着上百万人要忍饥挨饿的结局。

Let's move on to look at another plant from the same part of the world, the tobacco plant.

我们接着看另一种植物，来自同一个地方，烟草。

This originated in the Americas and had an enormous influence on the way North America developed in the 1800s.

烟草起源于美洲，对19世纪北美洲的发展有极重大的影响。

It's famed for being the original cash crop there and for funding a great deal of the development that occurred during this time.

烟草因其为美洲最初的经济作物而著名，给那段时间大多数的发展提供了资金。

On the downside, the success of this crop resulted in a greater demand for slaves to work the crops and this eventually led to war breaking out between the Northern States and those in the South.

而往不好的方面看，这种作物的成功也导致了对种植作物的奴隶需求更大，最终导致（美国）南北战争的爆发。

Now, the next plant I'd like to mention is one known and used all around the world—tea.

我要提到的下一种作物是全世界都知道且在使用——茶。

It originated in China and in terms of its historical significance, it played a large part in the US independence from Great Britain.

茶起源于中国，说到其历史地位，美国脱离英国独立，茶起了重要作用。

This came about because the British government declared that the colonies had to pay a tax on the produce brought into America.

发生这一切的原因是英国政府宣布，所有的殖民地都要为引入美洲的农作物交税。

It was because of the protest against these taxes that the American Revolution came about.

正是对这些赋税的反抗引发了美国独立战争。

The final plant I'll look at today is the White Mulberry.

今天我要讲的最后一种作物是桑树。

Again it originated in China and had an enormous influence on development in this part of the world, in particular in establishing trade between the East and the West.

同样，桑树起源于中国，也对此地发展产生了重要影响，特别是建立起东西方贸易。

Sadly, the increase in trade brought with it the spread of disease and weapons.

不幸的是，随着贸易增长，疾病和武器也传播开来。