新聞聽力 | 我們為什么喜歡吃辣？

來源：市場資訊

（來源：WE外語教學）

我們為什么喜歡吃辣？

Why do we eat spicy food?

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常速 | 七級（偏易） | 368詞 | 3min7s

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QUESTIONS

Listen to the passage and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. What chemical compound in chili peppers is responsible for the burning sensation?

A. Capsaicin.

B. Endorphin.

C. Serotonin.

D. Glucose.

Q2. According to the passage, what happens when the body detects capsaicin?

A. The body temperature rises significantly.

B. The body releases endorphins to reduce the perceived pain.

C. The taste buds become permanently less sensitive.

D. The digestive system immediately breaks down the compound.

Q3. Why does Dr. Tamara Rosenbaum say people consciously choose to eat spicy foods?

A. They want to build tolerance to hotter flavors.

B. They associate chili with traditional cooking methods.

C. They understand the burning sensation does not actually harm them.

D. They believe it improves their digestive health.

Q4. What can be inferred about early human cultivation of chili peppers?

A. People cultivated chilies mainly to increase their sweetness.

B. Chili peppers naturally evolved without human influence.

C. Humans preferred peppers that required minimal cooking.

D. Human cultivation altered traits such as color, size, and capsaicin level.

Q5. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Capsaicin is dangerous and should be avoided in a typical diet.

B. Humans enjoy spicy food due to a combination of factors.

C. Spicy food consumption has decreased significantly in modern times.

D. Only certain cultures have historically eaten chili peppers.

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KEY

Please check your answers.

Q1.A.【解析】本題為細節題。題目出處為：“This sensation is triggered by a chemical compound found in chili peppers called ‘capsaicin’.” 意為：“這種灼燒感由辣椒中一種被稱為‘辣椒素’的化合物引起。”根據這句話可以推理，導致灼燒感的成分是capsaicin，因此答案為A。

Q2.B.【解析】本題為細節題。題目出處為：“In trying to temper the burning sensation, our bodies release endorphins which control pain and, at the same time, give a feeling of pleasure.”意為：“為了緩解灼燒感，身體會釋放控制疼痛并帶來愉悅感的內啡肽。”因此答案為B。

Q3.C.【解析】本題為細節題。題目出處為：“… this is because we are rational beings – we know that the burning sensation of chili does not physically harm us.”意為：“這是因為我們是理性生物，我們知道辣椒帶來的灼燒感并不會真正傷害身體。”由此推斷，人們選擇吃辣是因為他們明白灼燒感并不會造成實際傷害，因此答案為C。

Q4.D.【解析】本題為推理題。題目出處為：“Human intervention changed the chili pepper to suit human tastes and needs – including the pepper’s color, size, and capsaicin content.” 意為：“人類的干預改變了辣椒，使其更符合人類的口味和需求，包括其顏色、大小和辣椒素含量。”根據這句話可以推理，人類早期的栽培活動確實改變了辣椒的特性，因此答案為D。

Q5.B.【解析】本題為主旨題。文章解釋了辣椒素觸發的化學反應、人類明知無害仍追求刺激的心理機制、“良性受虐”的行為模式、辣椒的歷史起源與栽培發展脈絡等等。文章最后寫道：“Maybe we are masochistic after all.（或許我們還是有受虐傾向。）”，展示人類對于辛辣的復雜喜好。由此可見，主旨是人類對辛辣食物的喜愛由多重因素共同決定，答案為B。

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TRANSCRIPT

Review the passage. Take note of any information you might have missed earlier and enhance your comprehension.

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Why do we eat spicy food?

You know the feeling – your ears start to warm up, your tongue goes numb, you start sweating and taking deep breaths. You’ve just eaten something spicy, knowing it would be painful, and yet, you chose to do it anyway. Are humans just masochistic, or is there something else going on? The answer lies in both science and history.

masochistic adj. 有受虐傾向的

Let’s start with the science. Spicy isn’t actually a taste like salty, sweet, sour, and bitter – it’s a sensation. (Q1) This sensation is triggered by a chemical compound found in chili peppers called ‘capsaicin’. When we eat foods containing capsaicin, our bodies are tricked into thinking the temperature is actually rising. (Q2) In trying to temper the burning sensation, our bodies release endorphins which control pain and, at the same time, give a feeling of pleasure – like painkillers.

capsaicin n. 辣椒素

endorphin n. 內啡肽

This is what is happening chemically, but there is also a conscious side to choosing spicy food. Dr. Tamara Rosenbaum, Cognitive Neuroscientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, explains in an interview with the BBC that (Q3) this is because we are rational beings – we know that the burning sensation of chili does not physically harm us. Furthermore, we derive pleasure from the other ingredients chili is generally cooked and eaten with – including fat, sugar, and salt. So – like skydiving – eating chili is a form of thrill-seeking or ‘benign masochism’, where we get pleasure from a seemingly negative sensation.

masochism n. 受虐傾向

This masochistic relationship with capsaicin has been a long one, starting in the Andes of South America, where chili peppers originate. Humans were one of the few mammals on Earth that developed a taste for capsaicin. So, archaeological evidence suggests they started cultivating chili peppers about six thousand years ago. (Q4) Human intervention changed the chili pepper to suit human tastes and needs – including the pepper’s colour, size, and capsaicin content – helping to explain the many different types of chili peppers now available.

Fast-forward to today, and our love affair with the chili pepper is going strong. We eat around 57.3 million tons of peppers globally each year, and chili is a key ingredient in traditional dishes from Mexico to Korea. (Q5) Maybe we are masochistic after all.