First, get the powder of oxhooves, some burnt eggshells , and pumice . Mix them together, take a small tree branch, and start brushing. No, it’s not a witch’s spell. That’s what you would have done to clean your teeth if you were an Egyptian in 5000 BC or so. Over thousands of years, different cultures used different ingredientsfor their tooth powders and pastes, such ascrushedtree bark, oystershells, chalk, and charcoal. Charcoal is still a common ingredient for particular brands of toothpaste today.
Starting from the 1800s, tooth powders were gradually replaced by the kind of toothpaste that we are familiar with. Early toothpaste included soap or chalk. Colgate, one of the most popular brands today, first sold toothpaste in jars in 1873. Later, it introduced its toothpaste in a tube that is similar to the modern one.
Standard toothpaste today has advanced greatly beyond the earliest powders. Typical toothpaste has an abrasive agent to remove plaque, fluoride to make teeth stronger, and a foaming agent to spread the toothpaste for better cleaning effects. Let’s be thankful we are past the point of brushing our teeth with strange ingredients.
單字片語整理
Words in Use
●
powder
[ˋpaʊdɚ]
vt. 灑粉
n. 粉末
Slowly grind these ingredients into a powder.
慢慢地將這些原料磨成粉末。
Mary went to the restroom to powder her face.
瑪莉去洗手間補妝。
高中 Level 3
●
replace
[rɪˋples]
vt. 取代
I’m considering replacing my old PC with a notebook.
我正考慮把舊的個人電腦換成一臺新的筆記型電腦。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
jar
[dʒɑr]
n. 罐（尤指玻璃罐）
=
container
I bought a jar of peanut butter at the supermarket.
我在超市買了一罐花生醬。
高中 Level 3
●
advance
[ədˋvæns]
vt. 促進
vi. 前進，行進
n. 進步；預付款
The government has put a lot of effort to advance research on computer science.
政府花了很多心力促進電腦科學的研究。
The officer told the soldiers to advance.
那名軍官下令士兵前進。
We have not made great advances in the fight against AIDS.
我們在對抗愛滋病方面，並沒有很大的進步。
The boss gave me an advance on my next month’s salary.
老闆讓我預支下個月的薪水。
Sean booked the hotel six months in advance.
尚恩提前 6 個月訂飯店。
高中 Level 2
●
remove
[rɪˋmuv]
vt. 移開，除去
I removed a coffee stain from the shirt with a special cleanser.
我用一種特別的清潔劑把襯衫上的咖啡漬去掉了。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 2
●
thankful
[ˋθæŋkfəl]
a. 感謝的，感激的
=
grateful
I’mreally thankful to you for all the support you gave me and my family.
我真的很感激你對我和我家人的支持。
高中 Level 3
●
ox
[ɑks]
n. （去勢的）公牛
=
bull
My sister was born in the Year of the Ox.
我妹妹是牛年出生的。
高中 Level 3
●
hooves
[ˋhuvz]
n. 蹄（複數形）
英檢中高
●
eggshell
[ˋɛg͵ʃɛl]
n. 蛋殼
●
pumice
[ˋpʌmɪs]
n. 輕石;浮石
●
ingredient
[ɪnˋgridɪənt]
n. （食品）成分；（成功的）要素
=
component
What are the ingredients of the cake?
這個蛋糕的成分是什麼？
Trust is an important ingredient in a successful relationship.
信任在一段成功的關係裡是很重要的要素。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
crushed
[krʌʃt]
a. 壓碎的
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
oyster
[ˋɔɪstɚ]
n. . 牡蠣，蠔
My stomach began to feel funny after I gulped
down some oysters.
我大口吞下幾枚生蠔之後胃開始覺得怪怪的。
Mary is young, beautiful, and talented. The world is her oyster. 瑪麗年輕貌美又有才華。世界是她的舞臺，任由她翱翔。
高中 Level 6
●
chalk
[tʃɔk]
vt. 用粉筆寫 / 畫
n. 粉筆（不可數）、白堊(岩)
The little boy drew a picture on the blackboard with a piece of chalk.
小男孩用一根粉筆在黑板上畫圖。
The teacher chalked the new words in this unit on the blackboard.
老師在黑板上用粉筆寫了這個單元的新字。
Before Ross knew he was sick, he chalked his discomfort up to fatigue.
在知道自己患病之前，羅斯以為身體不適是因為太累。
高中 Level 2
●
charcoal
[ˋtʃɑr͵kol]
n. 木炭
英檢中高
Practical Phrases
●
such as...
例如……
Roger has many hobbies, such as hiking and stamp collecting.
羅傑有很多嗜好，例如健行和集郵。
●
be replaced by...
被⋯⋯取代
The seriously ill actor was replaced by another one.
這位重病的演員被另一個人取代了。
●
be similar to sth
和⋯⋯相似
Your taste in clothes is similar to mine.
你的穿著品味和我很相似。
