If a tree could speak in riddles, this evergreen tree might say—

　　“My branches are not good for climbing or for swinging. The blossoms that bloom among my leaves are not very fragrant (芬芳的), and my seeds are bitter (苦的). But children like me. What kind of tree am I ?”

　　Did you guess that this is a chocolate tree? That doesn't mean it is made out of chocolate—not even its bark (树皮), which is the color of chocolate. And chocolate syrup (糖浆) will not drip out of its trunk,if someone taps a hole in it. But this tree does grow chocolate.

　　The chocolate is in the pods (茧子) that grow out of its trunk. Inside the pods are rows of seeds called cocoa beans. Each is about the size and shape of a big fingernail. It is from these cocoa beans that we get one of the world's flavors chocolate.

　　The cocoa bean tree grows only in very hot, wet countries, but luckily the beans can be shipped easily to places all over the world. Then, in chocolate factories, the beans are roasted and ground into a thick syrup.

　　Taste it, Ugh—it's bitter. But after it is mixed with sugar and other tasty things, it is used in many delicious drinks and candies and desserts that we know about.

　　(文/汪伦； 英语辅导报高二普及版 04~05学年度第24期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)