Level 2 Reading 7A

Ch.13

第13章

Reading 7A THE FLOWER TRADE When you purchase fresh-cut flowers, do you think about where they came from? You might assume they were grown somewhere nearby. The reality, though, is that the cut flower trade is increasingly international. Today, thanks to airplanes and high-tech cooling systems, even the most delicate flower can be exported and sold in a florist thousands of kilometers from where it was grown. The Cut Flower Leader The Netherlands has dominated the world cut flower trade since the 1970s. It handles about 50 percent of the world's cut flowers. And its auction houses are very large indeed— Aalsmeer, near Amsterdam, is an auction house in the sense that Tokyo is a city. About 120 soccer fields would fill its main building. Twenty million flowers are sold here on an average day, including roses, lilies, and—of course—tulips. The Netherlands is also a world leader in developing new flower varieties. Dutch companies and the government invest a considerable amount of money in flower research. Their scientists look for ways to lengthen a flower's vase life, to strengthen flowers to prevent them from being damaged while traveling, and also to strengthen the flowers' natural fragrance.

阅读7A 花卉贸易 当你购买新鲜切花时，你会考虑它们是从哪里来的吗？ 你可能会认为它们生长在附近的某个地方。 然而，现实情况是，切花贸易越来越国际化。 今天，由于飞机和高科技冷却系统， 即使是最精致的花，也可以在距离种植地数千公里的花店出口和销售。 切花领袖 自20世纪70年代以来，荷兰一直主导着世界切花贸易。 它处理了世界上约50%的切花。 而且它的拍卖行确实很大-- 阿姆斯特丹附近的奥尔斯梅尔是一家拍卖行，因为东京是一个城市。 大约120个足球场将填满其主楼。 这里平均每天售出2000万朵花，包括玫瑰、百合，当然还有郁金香。 荷兰也是开发新花卉品种的世界领导者。 荷兰公司和政府在花卉研究方面投入了大量资金。 他们的科学家正在寻找延长花朵花瓶寿命的方法， 加强花朵，防止它们在旅行中受损，并增强花朵的天然香味。

The Benefits of Climate Despite the Netherlands' dominance of the flower market, there are many places with a better climate for growing flowers. The climate of Ecuador, for example, is almost perfect. Mauricio Dávalos is the man responsible for starting Ecuador's flower industry, which has grown quickly over recent years. "Our biggest edge is nature," he claims. "Our roses are the best in the world." With predictable rainy periods and 12 hours of sunlight each day, Ecuador's roses are known for their large heads and long, straight stems. Every year, Ecuador sells about 500 million flowers to the United States alone. The industry has brought employment opportunities and a stronger economy to regions of the country. "My family has TV now. There are radios," says Yolanda Quishpe, 20, who picked roses for four years. To others, the increasingly international nature of the flower trade is very bad news. In recent years, local growers in the United States faced huge competition from international flower companies; many have even lost their businesses. Lina Hale, an independent rose grower in California, said her father predicted the situation in the 1980s. "I see a freight train coming down the track," he warned her, "and it's coming straight towards us." Her father's prediction—sadly—has largely come true. In a globalized world, what happens in one place often has far-reaching effects.

气候的好处 尽管荷兰在花卉市场占据主导地位，但有许多地方的气候更适合种植花卉。 例如，厄瓜多尔的气候几乎是完美的。 Mauricio Dávalos是厄瓜多尔花卉产业的创始人，该产业近年来发展迅速。 他声称：“我们最大的优势是自然。”。“我们的玫瑰是世界上最好的。” 厄瓜多尔的玫瑰有可预测的雨季和每天12小时的阳光，以其大头和长而直的茎而闻名。 厄瓜多尔每年仅向美国出售约5亿朵花。 该行业为该国各地区带来了就业机会和更强劲的经济。 20岁的约兰达·奎什佩（Yolanda Quishpe）摘了四年玫瑰，她说：“我家现在有电视。有收音机。”。 对其他人来说，花卉贸易日益国际化是一个非常坏的消息。 近年来，美国当地种植者面临着来自国际花卉公司的巨大竞争； 许多人甚至失去了生意。 加利福尼亚州的独立玫瑰种植者Lina Hale说，她的父亲在20世纪80年代就预测到了这种情况。 “我看到一列货运列车正沿着轨道驶来，”他警告她，“它正径直向我们驶来。” 她父亲的预言——可悲的是——在很大程度上实现了。 在全球化的世界里，一个地方发生的事情往往会产生深远的影响。

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