▶ 朗讀全文（中文）
一箱蘋果可以賣多少錢？在日本岩手縣，答案是 100 萬日圓。根據朝日電視台系列的 khb 東日本放送報導，岩手縣奧州市的高級品牌「江刺蘋果」（江刺りんご）11 月 13 日在盛岡市中央批發市場舉行初次競標，最高等級的「特選」一箱 28 顆，以 100 萬日圓成交。
EN How much can one box of apples sell for? In Iwate Prefecture, Japan, the answer is one million yen. According to khb Higashi Nippon Broadcasting, part of the TV Asahi network, the first auction of Esashi apples, a famous brand from Oshu City, was held at the Morioka City Central Wholesale Market on November 13. One box of 28 top-grade “tokusen” apples sold for one million yen.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
圖片來源：テレ朝NEWS（khb東日本放送）
這已經是江刺蘋果連續第 6 年在初競標拍出 100 萬日圓。當天上場的是主力品種「Sun Fuji」（サンふじ）和「Shinano Gold」（シナノゴールド），一共有 400 箱接受競標。能在這麼多箱中拿下最高價，本身就是品質的證明。
EN This is the sixth year in a row that Esashi apples have sold for one million yen at the first auction. The main varieties that day were Sun Fuji and Shinano Gold, and 400 boxes were put up for auction in total. Winning the highest price among so many boxes is proof of the apples’ quality.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
不到 1% 的蘋果才能當「特選」
江刺蘋果產自奧州市江刺地區，這裡早晚溫差大，很適合種出甜度高、香氣濃的蘋果。日本電視台系列的 TVI 岩手電視台指出，能被評為「特選」的蘋果不到全部收成的 1%，甜度、外觀和蜜的狀況都必須是最高等級，平均算下來，一顆要價超過 3 萬日圓。
EN Esashi apples are grown in the Esashi area of Oshu City, where there is a big difference between morning and night temperatures. This helps apples become sweet and full of flavor. TVI Television Iwate, part of the Nippon TV network, said that less than one percent of the harvest can be called “tokusen.” Sweetness, looks and the honey inside must all be the best, and on average, one apple costs more than 30,000 yen.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
今年的收成特別好。報導提到，夏天降雨適中、高溫的日子不多，蘋果長得又大又紅，被形容是「近年少見」的好品質。產地說，去年碰上乾旱和日照太強的問題，今年在果實長大的時期有足夠的雨水，品質和產量都是這四、五年來最好的一次。
EN This year’s harvest is especially good. Reports said there was a good amount of rain in summer and not many very hot days, so the apples grew big and red. Their quality was described as rarely seen in recent years. The growers said that last year there were problems with dry weather and too much strong sunlight, but this year there was enough rain while the fruit was growing, so both quality and amount were the best in four or five years.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
朝日電視台（ANN）的新聞影片，可以看到又大又紅的江刺蘋果：
EN TV Asahi’s ANN news video shows the big, red Esashi apples.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
影片來源：ANNnewsCH／YouTube
※ 若影片沒有中文字幕，可點播放器右下角的齒輪 → 字幕 → 自動翻譯 → 中文（繁體）。
得標的批發商：甜度比往年更高
用 100 萬日圓買下這箱蘋果的，是批發業者「ベジフル姫神」的營業推進部長中野健一。他說，今年的蘋果「比較大顆、口感也很好，甜度感覺比往年再高一點」，希望大家能親手拿起來嚐嚐看。日本電視台系列 TVI 採訪的得標批發業者則說，自己已經連續 10 年標下最高價，今年的味道大概能排進他經手江刺蘋果以來的前三名。
EN The buyer who paid one million yen for the box was Kenichi Nakano, a sales manager at the wholesale company Vegefru Himekami. He said this year’s apples are fairly large, taste great, and seem a little sweeter than usual, and he hopes people will pick them up and try them. Another winning wholesaler interviewed by TVI said he has bought the top-priced box for ten years in a row, and this year’s taste may be in his top three since he began selling Esashi apples.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
當然，100 萬日圓的特選蘋果只是少數的「祝賀價」，一般人比較有機會吃到的是正常價格的江刺蘋果。根據 TVI 報導，今年 Sun Fuji 預計出貨 10 公斤裝 10 萬 5000 箱，大約是去年的 2.6 倍，蘋果迷今年可以期待吃到更多好吃的江刺蘋果。對產地來說，每年初競標的天價也是一種宣傳，讓更多人認識這個品牌。
EN Of course, the one-million-yen apples are only a small number sold at a special celebration price. Most people will eat Esashi apples at normal prices. According to TVI, about 105,000 ten-kilogram boxes of Sun Fuji are expected to be shipped this year, about 2.6 times last year, so apple lovers can look forward to more delicious Esashi apples. For the growers, the high price at each year’s first auction also helps more people learn about the brand.
▶ 聽英文朗讀
精選單字
auction /ˈɔːkʃən/ 拍賣
wholesale /ˈhoʊlseɪl/ 批發
variety /vəˈraɪəti/ 品種
harvest /ˈhɑːrvɪst/ 收成
quality /ˈkwɑːləti/ 品質
drought /draʊt/ 乾旱
ship /ʃɪp/ 出貨、運送
celebration /ˌseləˈbreɪʃən/ 慶祝
資料來源：khb東日本放送、IAT岩手朝日テレビ、TVI テレビ岩手（日テレNEWS NNN）、TBS NEWS DIG、ANNnewsCH／YouTube
