Cork: More Than Just a Bottle Stopper

Cork: More Than Just a Bottle Stopper
New uses are found for this environmentally friendly crop, even as some winemakers change to plastic or metal caps. Transcript of radio broadcast:
19 May 2008

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Cork is a light brown material harvested from the cork oak tree. Cork is lightweight, strong and resistant to water.

It is best known for keeping liquids from spilling. For thousands of years, people have used pieces of cork as closures for bottles.

Cork is made of small cells filled with air. This structure makes it elastic, so it can be pressed but later return to its full shape. It is said that no technology has been able to copy this unusual material exactly.

The cork oak tree is native to the western Mediterranean coast of Europe. The largest cork forests in the world are located in Portugal. In fact, Portugal produces more than half of the world’s cork supply.

Cork oak trees have to be at least twenty-five years old before they are ready for harvest. Harvests only happen once every nine years.

Cork is gathered by skillfully cutting off the outer layer of the tree with special knives. The harvest weakens the tree temporarily, but it soon starts to grow a new layer of bark.

Next, the cork harvest is set out in the open for six months. Then, the cork is boiled in order to clean it and make it softer. After drying, the cork is ready to be cut.

Because cork trees are not killed during harvest, they can live for as long as two hundred years. Also, used cork products can be recycled and used again. This makes cork a valuable renewable resource.

The wine industry has always been a major supporter of cork production. Wine makers say cork stoppers in their bottles let the wine age and improve over time. But now some wine producers are changing to plastic or metal closures.

Some environmentalists worry that if cork starts to lose its value, the cork oak forests of Europe will no longer be protected. These forests are rich with animal and plant life.

Cork bottle stoppers make up about sixty percent of all cork products. But many people are finding creative new uses for cork. A designer in Italy, for example, makes cloth out of cork. An American designer uses cork to make large storage containers for food. Cork can be shined and used to cover floors and walls.

Because it is fire resistant, cork has even found a use as a material in making rockets.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Dana Demange. Internet users can find transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Jim Tedder.
----------------------------Google Translate


软木：不仅仅是一个瓶塞
新用途的发现为这种环保作物，甚至一些酿酒改变塑料或金属瓶盖。全文电台广播：
2008年5月19日

这是美国之音特别英语农业的报告。

软木是一种浅棕色的物质收获从软木栎树。软木是重量轻，强抗水。

这是最有名的饲养液体从滴漏。千百年来，人们用件软木关闭樽。

软木是小细胞充满空气。这种结构使得它的弹性，因此它可以被压，但后来的回报充分发挥其形状。这是说，没有技术已能够复制这种不同寻常的材料完全相符。

该软木栎树是本土到西部地中海沿岸的欧洲。最大的软木森林，在世界上是设在葡萄牙。事实上，在葡萄牙生产的一半以上的世界软木供应。

软木橡树都必须至少二十五年岁之前，他们已经准备好收成。丰收只发生一次，九年。

软木是聚集巧妙切断外层树具有特殊的刀。收获削弱树暂时，但很快就开始成长，一层新的树皮。

其次，软木收获是载列于开放，为6个月。然后，软木是在煮沸，以清洁，并使其柔软。干燥后，软木是准备被削减。

因为软木树是不是死亡，在收获，他们可以活，只要二百年。同时，使用软木产品可以循环再用，并再次使用。这使得软木了宝贵的可再生资源。

葡萄酒业一直是一个主要的支持者，软木生产。葡萄酒制造商表示，软木塞在其瓶，让酒的年龄和改善随着时间的推移。但现在一些葡萄酒生产商正在发生变化，以塑料或金属关闭。

一些环保人士担心，如果软木开始失去其价值，软木栎林的欧洲将不再受到保护。这些森林是丰富的动物和植物的生命。

软木瓶塞子弥补约60 ％的软木产品。但很多人都找到创造性的新用途的软木。设计师在意大利，例如，使布列的软木。一位美国设计师使用软木，使大型存储容器的食物。软木可以闪耀着和用于支付地板和墙壁。

因为它是耐火，软木，甚至找到了一条利用作为一个材料，使火箭队。

这是该美国之音特别英语农业的报告，书面，由德纳demange 。互联网用户可以找到誊本， MP3和播客我们的报告在voaspecialenglish.com 。我吉姆tedder 。