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Can Thunderstorms Spoil Milk?

人们曾经认为闪电可以使甜牛奶变酸。
人们 REN-men people
曾经 CENG-jing once
认为 REN-wei thought
闪电 SHAN-dian Lightning
可以 KE-yi could
使 SHI turn
甜牛奶 tian NIU-nai sweet milk
变酸。 bian SUAN sour.
1858年，一位法官和科学家试图证明这一点。
1858年， yi ba wu ba NIAN In 1858,
一位 YI-wei a
法官 FA-guan judge
和 HE and
科学家 ke-XUE-jia scientist
试图 SHI-tu tried to
证明 ZHENG-ming prove
这一点。 zhe yi DIAN this.
他用电线让电流通过牛奶。
他 TA He
用 YONG used
电线 DIAN-xian wires
让 RANG to make
电流 DIAN-liu electricity
通过 TONG-guo through
牛奶。 NIU-nai milk.
牛奶没有变坏。
牛奶 NIU-nai The milk
没有 MEI-you didn’t
变坏。 bian HUAI go bad.
其他人对暴风雨使牛奶变质的原因有不同的看法。
其他人 qi-ta REN Other people
对 DUI about
暴风雨 BAO-feng-yu storms
使 SHI made
牛奶 NIU-nai milk
变质 bian ZHI spoiled
的 de of
原因 YUAN-yin reasons
有 YOU had
不同的 bu-TONG de different
看法。 KAN-fa ideas.
有些人归咎于气压或天空中的气体。
有些人 YOU-xie-ren Some
归咎于 gui-JIU-yu blamed
气压 QI-ya air pressure
或 HUO or
天空 TIAN-kong sky
中的 ZHONG-de in the
气体。 QI-ti gases.
科学家后来发现牛奶中的微生物是原因。
科学家 ke-XUE-jia Scientists
后来 HOU-lai later
发现 FA-xian found out
牛奶 NIU-nai milk
中的 ZHONG-de in
微生物 wei-SHENG-wu tiny living things
是 SHI were
原因。 YUAN-yin the cause.
这些微小的生物在温暖潮湿的环境下生长得更快。
这些 ZHE-xie These
微小的 wei-XIAO-de tiny
生物 SHENG-wu beings
在 ZAI in
温暖 WEN-nuan warm
潮湿的 CHAO-shi-de wet
环境下 HUAN-jing-xia conditions
生长得 sheng-ZHANG-de grow
更快。 geng KUAI faster.
暴风雨常常带来这种天气。
暴风雨 BAO-feng-yu Storms
常常 CHANG-chang often
带来 DAI-lai bring
这种 zhe-ZHONG this kind of
天气。 TIAN-qi weather.
保持牛奶冷藏和清洁可以防止它快速变质。
保持 BAO-chi Keeping
牛奶 NIU-nai milk
冷藏 LENG-cang cold
和 HE and
清洁 QING-jie clean
可以 KE-yi can
防止 FANG-zhi prevent
它 TA it
快速 KUAI-su quickly
变质。 bian ZHI from going bad.
在有冰箱之前，人们会加糖吃酸掉的牛奶。
在 ZAI Before
有冰箱 you BING-xiang fridges
之前， zhi-QIAN existed,
人们 REN-men people
会 HUI would
加糖 jia TANG with sugar
吃 CHI eat
酸掉的 SUAN-diao-de soured
牛奶。 NIU-nai milk.

Sources:

Test your comprehension

What did people once believe lightning could do to sweet milk?

  • 使甜牛奶变酸
  • 使甜牛奶变甜
  • 使牛奶变坏
  • 使牛奶变稀

What was the role of the judge and scientist in 1858?

  • 他们让牛奶变坏
  • 他们试图证明闪电可以使牛奶变酸
  • 他们发明了冰箱
  • 他们研究了气压

What did scientists later discover to be the reason for milk spoiling?

  • 气压
  • 微生物
  • 天空中的气体
  • 暴风雨

What did people do with sour milk before refrigerators existed?

  • 加糖吃酸掉的牛奶
  • 倾倒掉
  • 再加工成奶酪
  • 喷洒在植物上

Grammar cards for this story

Past Tense Usage

  • Example: “人们曾经认为闪电可以使甜牛奶变酸.”
  • Explanation: The phrase “曾经” indicates that the belief in the past is being referenced, and the verb “认为” (to think) is in the past tense, showing that this was a belief held previously.

Conditional Sentences

  • Example: “保持牛奶冷藏和清洁可以防止它快速变质.”
  • Explanation: This sentence uses a conditional structure, where keeping the milk cold and clean is presented as a condition that leads to the result of preventing it from spoiling quickly.

Passive Voice

  • Example: “牛奶没有变坏.”
  • Explanation: The phrase uses a passive construction indicating that the milk was not affected by external factors, without focusing on who or what would typically cause it to spoil.

Comparative Structure

  • Example: “这些微小的生物在温暖潮湿的环境下生长得更快.”
  • Explanation: The phrase uses a comparative structure “更快” (faster) to compare the growth rate of microorganisms in different environments, emphasizing the conditions that favor their growth.
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