For those who have been wishing for real-life chocolate mountains, your dream is about to come true! Just kidding. The chocolate look-alike mounds (土丘) in Bohol, Philippines have absolutely nothing to do with chocolate aside from the fact that during one particular time of the year, they appear to look similar to chocolate.
During the wet season and anytime outside of the dry season, the Chocolate Hills maintain a green color. What attracts people’s attention is the shape of these mounds, as they look as though they were placed there by design, but none of these fields are man-made.
With regard to the origin of the Chocolate Hills, while experts have their own opinions, it’s the Filipinos who have drawn their own conclusion about the Chocolate Hills. According to a popular legend, these hills were a result of two giants (巨人) who ended up throwing mounds of earth at one another during a heated argument. As the fight heated up, they began throwing things such as rocks and sand, which is said to be what created the surrounding area. While some locals believe the legend and some don’t, it is an interesting story nevertheless and fun to think about.
However, the real story lies in the composition (成分) of the hills and this is where experts have a bit more of a scientific reason for the hills being there than just giants. With the help of heavy rainfall and erosion (侵蚀), it’s believed that limestone (石岩) was broken down over time and it’s this dissolution (分解) that created the Chocolate Hills.
The dry season in the Philippines is the only time to see these hills in all their chocolatey glory, and that falls between late November and May. However, since it is just the predicted dry season, it’s recommended that visitors check the weather before planning anything.
【小题1】What is the color of the Chocolate Hills in the wet season?| A．Yellow. | B．Green. | C．Brown. | D．Grey. |
| A．A legend about the Chocolate Hills. |
| B．Locals’ opinions about the Chocolate Hills. |
| C．Who created the Chocolate Hills. |
| D．What the Chocolate Hills are made up. |
| A．the dissolution of limestone | B．the lack of rainfall |
| C．human activities | D．the extreme dry climate |
| A．Early November. | B．Mid-July. |
| C．Late September. | D．Early January. |
