Italian
Espresso Expands Into Space
VOA News
Last updated on: November 27, 2014 12:19 AM (source)
Zlatica Hoke
November 27, 2014 12:19 AM
WASHINGTON—
Italian-style
espresso coffee has devotees
around the world, with a growing number of people abandoning a regular
cup of coffee for the thicker brew.
Now, Italian coffee machine makers are working to create a device that
will be able to produce espresso in weightless
conditions on the International Space Station.
全球有不少義式濃縮咖啡(espresso)愛好者
(devotee),越來越多人捨棄了一般咖啡,轉向這更為濃郁的口味(brew)。義大利的咖
啡機製造商現在想要設計一款機器,能在無
重力狀態(in weightless conditions)的國際航空站中沖製義式濃縮咖啡。
Many
people cannot imagine life without coffee, and for most Italians,
coffee means espresso, a thick brew prepared in a special coffee
machine.
So, when Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti headed for the
International Space Station earlier this month, her compatriots worried how she would
survive there for six months, drinking only instant coffee.
很多人無法想像沒有咖啡的日子。而對義大利人來說,用特製咖
啡機調理出的義式濃縮咖啡就是咖啡的同義字。
Samantha
Cristoforetti是來自義大利的太空人(astronaut)。
當她這個月初前往(head
for)國際太空站時,她的義大利同胞們(compatriots)擔
心她很難熬過這只能喝即溶咖啡
(instant coffee)的六個月。
"I believe that when working as an astronaut, a job in which you have
to reason a lot, reflect, and be attentive, espresso is definitely very
important," said one Italian.
To help Cristoforetti and other espresso lovers in orbit, the famed Turin-based coffee
maker Lavazza and engineering firm Argotec, which specializes in making
space food, joined forces to
produce a coffee machine that would work at zero gravity.
"We had to figure out how to make coffee on the station exactly like we
make it on earth. The other difficulty was complying with safety measures in
order to qualify the machine as 'On-Board software' on the
International Space Station," said Alberto Cabilli, R&D manager for
Lavazza.
The machine, called ISSpresso, overcomes the absence of gravity by
firing pressurized water
through capsules of coffee. Cristoforetti took it with her for testing
when she blasted off into
orbit on November 23.
總部在義大利杜林的(Turin-
based)的知名咖啡廠Lavazza與專門製作太空食物的工程公司Argotec一起合作(join forces),
要製造在零重力狀況下(at
zero gravity)運作的咖啡機,好幫Cristoforetti還有其它太空站軌道上(in orbit)的
濃縮咖啡愛好者解癮。
Lavazza的研發部經理(R&D
manager)表示,「我們必須想出一個方法,讓太空站可以跟地球上一樣沖泡咖啡,其困難處還包括要合乎(comply with)安
全規範標準(measure),
讓機器能合格成為國際太空站的“機上軟體”。」
這台名為ISSpresso的機器克服了零重力狀況,能射出加壓水(pressurized)給
咖啡膠囊(capsule)。Cristoforetti
於11月23日搭著火箭發射
(blast off)上太空時,把機器也帶去測試了。
"The concept of this machine was for an experiment, so we started as a
technology demonstration experiment, but NASA was very much interested
in getting this machine and keeping it on the station most likely for a
long time, not just to make a few coffees. So this means that most
likely, if everything goes well, after this technology demonstration
the machine will be kept at the International Space Station and be
available for all the astronauts rotating on the station," said David
Avino, Argotec’s managing director.
Italians consider themselves great connoisseurs
of coffee, perhaps with good reason.
太空食物公司Argotec的常務董事(managing
director)說:「這個機器的構想是用來做實驗的,所以一開始我們是當作科技的技術展演的實驗。但美國太空總署(NASA)對這台機
器很感興趣,很想要把這台機器留在太空站上久一點,而不只是實驗性地煮幾杯咖啡而已。所以,這個機器如果試煮幾杯咖啡後一切正常,很有可能就留在太空站
上,之後所有上太空軌道跟著地球轉(rotate)的
太空人都可以用的到。」
義大利人常自詡為頂級的咖啡鑑賞家(connoisseur)。
由此看來,或許名符其實,相當合理
(with good reason)。
"We are very proud, not only as Italians but also as residents of Turin
- the first espresso machine was created in Turin in 1884, so about 130
years ago. And today in 2014, another two Turin-based realities -
Lavazza and Argotec - developed a machine that will bring espresso -
not only across the world, but even in space," said Marcello Arcangeli,
the head of Lavazza’s training center network.
Besides espresso, the ISSpresso machine is capable of preparing tea and
clear soup.
Language Notes
devotee (n) 熱心之士;愛好者;. . .迷 *有-ee結尾的自重音都會在最後
weightless (a) 無重量的;無重力的
brew (n) (釀製飲料的)質地,口味
*brew除了用來指酒精類飲料的發酵與釀造的製造過程之外,也可用來指茶類與咖啡類的沖泡過程;此新聞中是當名詞用,指咖啡依照不同沖製手法所具有的特
別口味與口感;brew亦常做動詞,指「釀製(酒類)」、「沖泡(咖啡、茶)」的意思,例句:Every beer on the menu was
brewed locally. (菜單上的啤酒都是當地釀造的。)
compatriot (n) 同國人,同胞
orbit (n) 運行軌道
join forces (v phr) 協力合作
comply with . . . (v phr) 遵守
measure (n) 準則;標準
pressurize (v) 加壓
blast off (v phr) (太空梭、火箭等)發射升空 *blast當動詞使用時常見的意思還有「把. .
.炸裂」、「嚴厲批評」、「. . . 發出巨大聲響」等意思
connoisseur (n) 鑑賞家,行家
rotate (v) 旋轉,轉動
Check your vocabulary!
Fill
in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary
changes. After you finish, select the text above to reveal the hidden
answers.
1. Once in space, the spacecraft will go into orbit around the Earth.
2. Local schools have joined forces
with each other to share facilities.
3. This wine is brewed from rice.
4. There are serious penalties for failure to comply with the regulations.
5. Lord Burlington was a great collector and connoisseur of paintings.
6. He's a devotee of old Hollywood
movies.
編譯:簡嘉呈
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