1、The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, is a large evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Until the late 18th century, _1_ only grew in one place in the world: a small group of islands in the Banda Sea, part of the Moluccas or Spice Islands in northeastern Indonesia. The tree is thickly _2_(branch) w
2、ith dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves, and produces small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers and pale yellow pear-shaped _3_(fruit). The fruit is encased in a _4_(flesh) husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves _5_ a ridge running the length of the fruit. Inside is a pur
3、ple-brown shiny seed, 23 cm long by about 2 cm across, _6_(surround) by a lacy red or crimson covering called an aril. These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former _7_(produce) from the dried seed and the latter from the aril.1. it 2.branched 3.fruits 4.fleshy 5.along 6.surrou
4、nded 7.being producedNutmeg was a highly _1_(prize) and costly ingredient in European cuisine in the Middle Ages, and was used _2_ a flavouring, medicinal, and preservative agent. Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive _3_(import) of the spice to Europe. They sold nutmeg for high price
5、s to merchants _4_(base) in Venice, but they never revealed the exact _5_(locate) of the source of this extremely valuable commodity. The Arab-Venetian _6_(dominant) of the trade finally ended in 1512, _7_ the Portuguese reached the Banda Islands and began exploiting its precious resources. 1. prize
6、d 2.as 3.importers 4.based 5.location 6.dominance 7. Whennutmeg ntme肉豆蔻(尤用作调味料);Myristica肉豆蔻;fragrans桂花; 香花枇杷; 香鳞毛蕨;Banda班达Moluccas摩鹿加群岛; 马鲁古Spicespasn.(调味)香料; 额外的趣味(或刺激等);v.在中加香料; 给增添趣味; 使变得刺激;Indonesiandni印度尼西亚; 马来群岛; 印度尼西亚共和国（首都为Jakarta）foliage flid树叶; 枝叶; (植物的)叶;encasednkest把装箱(或围住、包起);(过去式，过去分词
7、)fleshyflei多肉的; 肥胖的; 肉质的; huskhskV.去壳; 去皮; 去荚; n.(尤指谷类、果实和种子的)外壳，外皮;ridgerdn.山脊; 山脉; 隆起; 脊; 垄; (大气层的)高压脊，高压带; v.使隆起; 使形成脊状;lacylesi网眼状的; 蕾丝的; 似蕾丝的;crimsonkrmznAdj.深红色的; 暗红色的; n.深红色; v.变为深红色; 脸红;macemes权杖; 狼牙棒(古代兵器); 肉豆蔻干皮，肉豆蔻种衣(烹调香料);arilrl【植】假种皮Always in danger of competition from neighbouring Spai
8、n, the Portuguese began subcontracting their spice _1_(distribute) to Dutch traders. Profits began to flow into the Netherlands, and the Dutch commercial fleet _2_(swift) grew into one of the largest in the world. The Dutch quietly gained _3_(control) of most of the shipping and trading of spices in
9、 Northern Europe. Then, in 1580, Portugal fell _4_ Spanish rule, and by the end of the 16th century the Dutch found themselves locked out of the market. _5_ prices for pepper, nutmeg, and other spices soared across Europe, they decided to fight back.In 1602, Dutch merchants _6_(found) the VOC, a tra
10、ding corporation better known as the Dutch East India Company. By 1617, the VOC was the richest commercial _7_(operate) in the world. The company had 50,000 employees worldwide, with a private army of 30,000 men and a fleet of 200 ships. At the same time, thousands of people across Europe were dying
11、 of the plague, a highly contagious and _8_(dead) disease. Doctors were desperate for a way to stop the spread of this disease, and they decided nutmeg _9_(hold) the cure. Everybody wanted nutmeg, and many were willing to spare no expense to have it. Nutmeg bought for a few pennies in Indonesia coul
12、d be sold for 68,000 times its original cost on the streets of London. The only problem was the short supply. And thats _10_ the Dutch found their opportunity. 1. distribution 2.swiftly 3.control 4.under 5.As 6.founded 7.operation 8.deadly 9.held 10.wherepreservativeprzrvtvn.防腐剂；保护剂 adj.(能)保存的；储藏的；防
13、腐的 (from； against)exclusiveksklusvn.独家报道；独家新闻；独家专文 adj.独有的；排外的；不愿接收（较低社会阶层）新成员的；高档的subcontractingsbkntrkt转包分包合同；转包工程distribution dstrbju()n分布；分配；分发；分销fleetflitn.舰队；车队；海军；捕鱼船队 adv.浅 v.掠过；【航】(船员)变换位置；消磨(时间)；【航】变换(位置) adj.跑得快的；快速的soars(r)v.翱翔；暴腾；(思想等)向上；【航】滑翔 n.翱翔；上升高度；高飞范围plagueplen.瘟疫；死亡率高的传染病；祸患 v.困
14、扰；折磨；给造成长时间的痛苦（或麻烦）；使受煎熬contagiousknteds疾病）接触传染的；患接触性传染病The Banda Islands were ruled by local sultans _1_ insisted on maintaining a neutral trading policy towards foreign powers. This allowed them to avoid the presence of Portuguese or Spanish troops _2_ their soil, but it also left them _3_(protect
15、) from other invaders. In 1621, the Dutch arrived and took over. Once _4_(secure) in control of the Bandas, the Dutch went to work protecting their new investment. They concentrated all nutmeg production into a few easily _5_(guard) areas, uprooting and destroying any trees outside the plantation zo
16、nes. _6_ caught growing a nutmeg seedling or carrying seeds without the proper authority was severely punished. In addition, all exported nutmeg was covered with lime _7_(make) sure there was no chance a fertile seed which could be grown elsewhere would leave the islands. There was only one obstacle
17、 _8_one of the Banda Islands was under the control of the British. _9_decades of fighting for control of this tiny island, the Dutch and British arrived at a compromise _10_(settle), the Treaty of Breda, in 1667.1. who 2.on 3.unprotected 4.securely 5.guarded 6.Anyone 7.to make 8.that 9.After 10.sett
18、lementsultanslt()n苏丹（某些国家穆斯林统治者的称号）uprootprut将连根拔起；（使）离开家园（或熟悉的地方等）plantationplnte()n种植园；木材林地；人造林limelamn.【食】酸橙；(生)石灰；绿黄色；酸橙汁 v.用石灰处理；撒(刷,涂上,加)石灰；浸在石灰水中；涂黏鸟胶obstaclebstk()l障碍；障碍物；阻碍；绊脚石Intentntentn.意图；目的；意向 adj.专注；专心；热切的；专注的secureskjrV.保护；取得；保卫；抵押 adj.安心的；有把握的；可靠的；牢靠的Amsterdammstdm阿姆斯特丹 monopolymnpl
19、in.v.垄断；独占；专利；专营服务In 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully_1_ (smuggle) nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius, an island _2_ the coast of Africa. Some of these were later _3_(export) to the Caribbean _4_ they thrived, especially on the island of Grenada. Next, in 1778, a volcanic _5_(eru
20、pt) in the Banda region caused a tsunami _6_ wiped out half the nutmeg groves. Finally, in 1809, the British returned to Indonesia and seized the Banda Islands by force. They returned the islands to the Dutch in 1817, but not _7_ transplanting hundreds of nutmeg seedlings to plantations in several _8_(location) across southern Asia. The Dutch nutmeg monopoly was over. 1. smuggled 2.off 3.exported 4.where 5. eruption 6.that 7.before 8. locationssmugglesm()l偷运；走私；私运Mauritiusmrs毛里求斯；毛里求斯共和国；毛里求斯(毛里斯)thriverav繁荣；茁壮成长；蓬勃发展；兴旺发达volcanic vlknk火山的；火山引起的；火山产生的groverv小树林；树丛；果树林；果园seizesiz抓住；捉拿；夺；没收
