ANALYTICAL ENGLISH 解析英語(常春藤)
Wait, coke and ketchup were once medicine? (2/2) 那些年，可樂與番茄醬曾是藥（下）
By 常春藤解析英語 Niall Longobardi
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日）
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang
Like Coca-Cola, ketchup has undergone serious rebranding throughout its history. Most people think of ketchup as a sweet, tangy condiment perfect for dipping fries, but this has not always been the case.
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
The origins of ketchup are often traced back to southern China. People in coastal towns made a fermented fish sauce sometimes called “kue-chiap.” Easy to store and long-lasting, it became popular with sailors, who carried it with them across the seas. By the 1700s, this sauce had spread across Europe, where people adapted recipes to suit local tastes by using ingredients such as anchovies, shallots, horseradish, and nutmeg.
Modern tomato-based ketchup was developed in the US in the early 19th century, when tomatoes were widely promoted as a healthy food with medicinal benefits. Specifically, they were believed to help treat liver problems. One American doctor promoted tomato ketchup as a cure for indigestion. Although many doctors dismissed these claims, tomato ketchup’s popularity continued to grow across the US. It wasn’t until the explosion of fast food in the mid-1900s that ketchup finally developed its current reputation as a familiar partner for fries, burgers, and hot dogs.
A drink once marketed as a cure and a sauce once associated with health benefits are now ordinary parts of daily meals. Their changing roles show how food, culture, and marketing continually reshape what people eat and drink.
Photos: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
和可口可樂一樣，番茄醬在歷史上也經歷了重大的形象轉變。大多數人認為番茄醬是一種香甜、濃郁且帶有酸味、很適合拿來沾薯條的調味醬，但情況並非一直如此。
番茄醬的起源通常可追溯至中國南方。沿海城鎮的人們會製作一種有時被稱為「?汁」的發酵魚露。其易於保存且保存期限長，因此大受水手歡迎，他們帶著這種魚露橫渡重洋。到了1700年代，這種醬已傳遍歐洲，人們開始加入鯷魚、紅蔥頭、辣根與肉豆蔻等食材，依照當地口味調整食譜。
現代以番茄為基底的番茄醬是於十九世紀初在美國出現的，當時番茄被當成一種具有藥用益處的健康食物而被廣為推廣。具體來說，人們認為它有助於治療肝臟問題。有一位美國醫師將使用番茄製作的番茄醬宣傳為治療消化不良的藥方。雖然許多醫師並不認同這些說法，但使用番茄製作的番茄醬在美國各地的人氣仍持續上升。直到1900年代中期速食文化迅速興起後，番茄醬才終於建立起今日的形象，成為薯條、漢堡與熱狗的經典搭配。
Photos: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
一種曾被當作藥品宣傳的飲料，以及一種曾與健康益處有所連結的醬料，如今都已成為日常飲食中的普通食品。它們角色的轉變顯示出食物、文化與行銷是如何持續重新塑造人們的飲食習慣。
What Did You Learn?
1. From (A) to (F) below, choose the ONES that are true for both Coca-Cola and tomato-based ketchup.（多選題）
(A) Their first formulas were created by ancient chefs in China.
(B) Sailors played a major role in spreading them around the world.
(C) Their present-day popularity is closely linked to fast-food culture.
(D) They were once promoted as products with health-related benefits.
(E) Their original ingredients have remained mostly unchanged over time.
(F) They were once widely avoided because people believed they were dangerous.
答案：C、D
2. Which word in the passage means “a substance, such as salt or a sauce, that is used to give flavor to food”?（簡答題）
答案：condiment
Words in Use
1. undergo vt. 經歷
三態為：undergo, underwent, undergone。
Sophia underwent several interviews before getting the job.
蘇菲亞在得到這份工作前經歷了好幾場面試。
2. adapt vt. 調適∕改造（以適合……） Jenny adapted her daily schedule to balance work and family life.
珍妮調整了每日行程，以兼顧工作與家庭生活。
3. recipe n. 食譜
Grandma shared her secret cookie recipe with Carol.
奶奶和卡蘿分享了她的祕密餅乾食譜。
4. specifically adv. 確切地說
Specifically, our clients think we need to improve our services.
確切地說，客戶認為我們的服務有待改善。
5. indigestion n. 消化不良
Mandy suffered from indigestion after eating too quickly.
曼蒂因吃得太快而消化不良。
Practical Phrases
1. be perfect for. . . 非常適合……
These shoes are perf ect for walking long distances comfortably.
這雙鞋非常適合舒服地長距離行走。
2. be the case 情況∕情形正是如此
If that is the case, we should change our original plan immediately.
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