英国学生科学读本 第95期:面粉与面包(3)

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　　To make bread, we must mix the flour with some water, to which yeast² or barm has been added, and a little salt. 在制作面包时, 需要在面粉中加入一些水、酵母以及少量盐分。

　　When these are all kneadedtogether with the hands, they form a tough and elastic³ mass of dough⁴. 我们用手和面, 将这些食材均匀混合在一起, 就成为了结实而很有弹性的生面团。

　　This dough is left in a warm place for about twenty minutes, to give it time to swell⁵ or rise. 然后, 我们将生面团放在温热的地方大约二十分钟, 让它能够膨胀或者“发起来”。

　　Then it is cut into pieces, each big enough for one loaf, and these loaves are baked for about two hours in a hot oven.  随后, 将面团切割成块, 每一块都是一块面包的尺寸, 然后将它们放入烤箱中烘烤两个小时左右。

　　Have you noticed how porous⁶ or spongy good bread is? 你有没有注意过, 面包烤得好, 就能呈现非常明显的海绵状结构?

　　This is due to the fact that the yeast produces a kind of gas, called carbonic acid gas, inside the dough. 这是因为酵母在面团内部生成了一种名叫碳酸气的气体。

　　The heat of the oven drives this gas out of the bread; 烤箱中的热量将气体排出面包之外,

　　and as it makes its way out, it forms little holes and passages or pores in the bread.  于是, 面包中便形成了气孔或气道。

　　Yeast is a very curious substance. 酵母是一种非常有趣的物质。

　　It is really a cluster of plants; but each plant is so small that we cannot see it without the help of a microscope. 实际上, 它是一簇植物群；然而, 每种植物都太过微小, 借助显微镜才能看到。

　　These plants grow very fast in the dough; 这些植物在面团中迅速生长,

　　and as they grow they produce a great deal of carbonic acid gas, which makes the dough rise. 在这个过程中, 它们会生成很多碳酸气。面团之所以能够发起来, 原因就在于此。

　　When you eat the bread, what good does it do you ? 吃面包有什么好处呢?

　　The gluten goes to form your muscles or flesh, 小麦淀粉能够形成你的肌肉,

　　the lime hardens your bones, and the starch⁷ warms your body and gives you strength for your work. 碳酸盐可以加固你的骨骼, 而淀粉则带来了身体所需的热量与体能。

　　So bread, you see, is a good food, as it contains nearly everything that you need to nourish your body. 因此, 面包是一种很好的食物, 因为它几乎包含我们身体所需的各类营养。

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