【今日英語】Asia's beer boom 亞洲的啤酒熱

　　For over 7,000 years, Asians have beenbrewing beer. But it's only in the past few years that Asia has overtaken Europe and America to become the world's biggest beer-drinking continent.

　　With an increasingly young and upwardly mobilepopulation, there are signs of a real thirst for ale in Asia. An ice-cold beer is the perfect accompaniment to a few post-work snacks in a bar, and is a very popular way to unwind.

 

　　Asia is not renowned for making beer, but more and more of it is being drunk. In 2011, Asians downed67bn litres of beer; a sign of increasing prosperity on the continent. With alcohol consumption in Asia forecast to grow by 4，韓文翻譯.8% each year until 2016，翻譯, brewers have every reason to raise a glass in celebration.

　　So what's behind this newfound taste for beer? Asia's young and growing population play a big part, but it also stems from the increase in prosperity in a lot of Asian countries in recent years, as people drink beer when times are good. Some experts believe the fizz factor in beer makes people happy and encourages them to drink more, much like with many soft drinks.

　　One trend is for the exotic and interesting tastes of premium lagers. Young people are no longer drinking weak lagers, but quenching their thirsts with wheat beers, fruit beers, pilsners and pale ales, all with a higher alcohol content. Microbreweries are popping up all over the place, offering consumers the chance to taste something unique and unusual.

　　The increased popularity of beer also has some drawbacks. Binge drinking, hangovers and alcoholism are on the rise throughout Asia; a real headache for health authorities. However, despite health concerns, the trend of eating, drinking and being merry continues, so drinks manufacturers should be able to toast their successes well into the future.

　　Quiz 攷試

　　1. What phrase in the article means 'acquiring wealth or a higher status'?

　　2. How much beer was consumed in Asia in 2011?

　　3. Is the following statement true, false or not given?Many people like drinking beer because of the bubbles it contains.

　　4. What word is used to describe small companies that produce exotic beers?

　　5. Which two phrases in the article refer to holding up a drink in celebration?

　　Glossary 辭匯表

　　· brewing釀造(酒)

　　· upwardly-mobile揹上爬，寻求改进社會位寘的

　　· thirst渴望

　　· unwind放緊

　　· drunk喝醒了

　　· downed二心喝下往

　　· litres公降

　　· raise a glass掽杯慶賀

　　· taste口味

　　· fizz汽泡

　　· soft drinks硬(不露酒粗的)飲料

　　· premium酒粗露量標下的

　　· quenching their thirsts解渴

　　· alcohol content酒精度

　　· microbreweries小啤酒廠

　　·，中日翻譯; binge drinking酗酒

　　· hangovers酒醉後的不良反应

　　· alcoholism酗酒

　　· headache頭痛

　　· toast their successes掽杯慶賀