Opium is a strong drug that comes from a kind of poppy. People cut the still-green seed pod and a milky juice comes out; when that juice dries, it becomes a dark, sticky stuff. That is opium.

Opium鴉片 is a strong drug是一種很強的毒品，that comes from是從 a kind of poppy一種罌粟來的。People cut人們割開 the still-green seed pod還是綠色的種子莢，and然後 a milky juice comes out會流出乳白色的汁液；when that juice dries那個汁液乾掉之後，it becomes就變成 a dark, sticky stuff一種深色、黏黏的東西。That is那就是 opium鴉片。

It is not the tiny seeds you see on bread — those are not the drug.

It is not它不是 the tiny seeds you see on bread你在麵包上看到的那種小種子——those are not the drug那些不是毒品。

For a very long time doctors used opium to quiet terrible pain and to help people sleep. We still make serious hospital medicines from it, such as morphine.

For a very long time很長一段時間裡，doctors used opium醫生會用鴉片 to quiet terrible pain來緩解劇烈的疼痛，and to help people sleep也幫助人入睡。We still make現在還是會用它做出 serious hospital medicines正式的醫院用藥，such as morphine像嗎啡這種。

Used for pleasure — smoked or eaten — it is illegal in most places, and it is dangerous: the body can start to need it, and too much can stop a person breathing.

Used for pleasure如果是為了享樂而用——smoked or eaten用抽的或吃的——it is illegal in most places在大部分地方都是違法的，and it is dangerous而且很危險：the body can start to need it身體會開始離不開它，and too much can stop a person breathing用太多還可能讓人停止呼吸。

Taiwanese students often already know the history: in the nineteenth century, the trade in opium caused great harm in China.

Taiwanese students often already know台灣學生通常已經知道 the history這段歷史：in the nineteenth century十九世紀的時候，the trade in opium鴉片貿易 caused great harm in China對中國造成很大的傷害。

In English you may also hear “the opium of the people,” which is a picture, not a drug — something that keeps people calm and dreamy so they do not fight what is wrong. That use is for essays, not for everyday talk.

In English英文裡 you may also hear你可能還會聽到 "the opium of the people,"「the opium of the people」（人民的鴉片）這種說法，which is a picture, not a drug這是一種比喻，不是真的毒品——something that keeps people calm and dreamy指的是某種讓人保持平靜、恍惚的東西，so they do not fight what is wrong讓他們不會去對抗不對的事。That use這種用法 is for essays是用在文章裡的，not for everyday talk不是日常講話會用的。