你喜歡喝茶還是喝咖啡？茶和咖啡都是廣受歡迎的提神飲品，一些科學家認為，在適量飲用的前提下，這兩種飲品也許對健康有益。哪種才是飲料界的冠軍？本期 “隨身英語” 節目圍繞兩者的好處展開討論。

詞匯：lifestyle 生活方式

Let’s face it – most of us can’t resist a cup of tea or coffee sometimes. They’re a perfect pick-me-up and comforter. But there are alternative beverages, so why have we chosen these as our go-to drinks to soothe our hectic lives? And which one is superior?

Let’s start with tea – it’s the second most consumed drink in the world. For many – especially the British – having a ‘cuppa’ is a daily ritual. The caffeine contained in it helps wake you up in the morning, and throughout the day we’ll make a brew to distract us from our work or to be sociable. And according to some scientists, habitual tea consumption can have some health benefits. Andrew Steptoe, a professor from University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, told BBC Food that drinking black tea “may speed up recovery from the daily stresses in life… but we do not know what ingredients of tea were responsible for these effects on stress recovery and relaxation”.

Coffee is tea’s ‘trendier’ rival. Its popularity has grown over the years, and this is reflected in the number of coffee shops we see around – places to hang out, do business or catch up with friends. Coffee can taste great and can be served in many ways, but it’s sometimes how you have it that can be seen as a status symbol or the preserve of hipsters! Of course, it gives you a strong caffeine hit – roughly double of that contained in tea. However, too much can lead to anxiety. Sleep scientist Matt Walker told the BBC that caffeine can decrease the amount of restorative deep sleep you have.

But some scientists say drinking coffee – and green tea – can also be good for us. Researchers at Osaka University linked drinking a daily cup of coffee with a lower risk of death among both stroke survivors and healthy people, while drinking seven or more cups of green tea was associated with a lower risk of death among both heart attack and stroke survivors. So, whether we turn to coffee or tea for its taste, its image or as a lifestyle choice, it could be a lifesaver!

詞匯表

pick-me-up 提神的東西
hectic 忙碌的，繁忙的
ritual 習慣，日常活動
sociable 合群的，喜歡社交的
habitual 慣常的，習慣性的
health benefit 給健康帶來的好處
stress 精神壓力
relaxation 放松
hang out （與某人）消磨時光，“泡” 在某個地方
catch up 敘舊，嘮家常
status symbol 社會地位的象征
hipster 潮人
anxiety 焦慮
lifestyle choice 生活方式選擇
lifesaver 幫上大忙的事物或人

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is believed to be the second most consumed drink in the world?

2. Which type of tea is thought to help us recover from stress?

3. Where is a good place to hang out with friends and drink coffee?

4. In what way might drinking coffee help stroke survivors?

5. True or false? You get less restorative sleep if you consume too much caffeine.

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. My morning _______ always involves having a shower.

hectic                   ritual                      anxiety                   habitual

2. Our neighbours are very _______ – they keep popping round to chat!

hipsters                relaxation               sociable                  hang out

3. Thanks for finding my smartphone – you are a _______!

lifesaver               lifesaving                saverlife                  lifesavers

4. I haven’t seen you for ages, so let’s _______ over a coffee later.

pick-me-up           catch up                 stress                     sociable

5. For _______, I go to yoga – it really helps me clear my mind.

relaxable              relaxing                  relaxation               relaxed

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。 

1. What is believed to be the second most consumed drink in the world?
Tea is thought to be the second most consumed drink in the world.

2. Which type of tea is thought to help us recover from stress?
Andrew Steptoe, a professor from University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, told BBC Food that drinking black tea “may speed up recovery from the daily stresses in life.”

3. Where is a good place to hang out with friends and drink coffee?
A coffee shop is a good place to hang out with your friends and drink coffee.

4. In what way might drinking coffee help stroke survivors?
Researchers at Osaka University linked drinking a daily cup of coffee with a lower risk of death among both stroke survivors and healthy people.

5. True or false? You get less restorative sleep if you consume too much caffeine.
True. Sleep scientist Matt Walker, told the BBC that caffeine can decrease the amount of restorative deep sleep you have.

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. My morning ritual always involves having a shower.

2. Our neighbours are very sociable – they keep popping round to chat!

3. Thanks for finding my smartphone – you are a lifesaver!

4. I haven’t seen you for ages, so let’s catch up over a coffee later.

5. For relaxation, I go to yoga – it really helps me clear my mind.