Foodie nation?It wasn't so long ago that Britain was as famous for its bad food as it was for its bad weather, with its visitors resigned to soggy vegetables and tasteless meals. But in the last two decades a mysterious change has come about: Britain has become a nation of "foodies," a term coined in the 1980s to mean someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food.What is the evidence for this? Consider the following. Regional food festivals and farmers' markets have sprung up in towns all over Britain, while the top supermarkets have turned into delicatessens (熟食店) offering shelf after shelf of speciality food. Restaurants in Britain, once considered dreadful, are now the envy of Europe (although this is mostly only true in London and a handful of major cities). Due to successive waves of immigration, every British town boasts at least one good Indian and Chinese restaurant, while in the big cities it is possible to eat Thai cuisine, Turkish, Iraqi, Mexican, Malaysian ... the list goes on and on. Restaurants require customers, and the British appetite for eating out is greater than ever before. Further evidence is shown by the nation's obsession with TV cookery programmes, which are watched by millions each week.But though these facts are undeniable, a look at market research throws up some fascinating contradictions to this image of Britain as a foodie nation. For example, what is to be made of the fact that there was a time when the demand for ready-made meals grew by 70 per cent, or that the British now eat more than £900 million worth of them every year?Add to this the fact that 90 per cent of British homes own a microwave, used most often to heat up pre-prepared meals. The suspicion arises: Could it be that the British don't actually cook that much? Whisper it, the answer is "Yes."Choose the best answer to each question.1 What can we learn about Britain concerning its food from Paragraph 1?A. It is as famous for its bad food as it is for its bad weather.B. It used to have a bad reputation for its bad food.C. It used to be famous for its soggy vegetables and tasteless meals.D. Its people are always known for their love of food and cooking.2 What is a "foodie"?A. Someone who likes to eat fast food.B. Someone who has studied cooking at a culinary school.C. Someone who owns a restaurant or speciality food store.D. Someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food.
Foodie nation?
It wasn't so long ago that Britain was as famous for its bad food as it was for its bad weather, with its visitors resigned to soggy vegetables and tasteless meals. But in the last two decades a mysterious change has come about: Britain has become a nation of "foodies," a term coined in the 1980s to mean someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food.
What is the evidence for this? Consider the following. Regional food festivals and farmers' markets have sprung up in towns all over Britain, while the top supermarkets have turned into delicatessens (熟食店) offering shelf after shelf of speciality food. Restaurants in Britain, once considered dreadful, are now the envy of Europe (although this is mostly only true in London and a handful of major cities). Due to successive waves of immigration, every British town boasts at least one good Indian and Chinese restaurant, while in the big cities it is possible to eat Thai cuisine, Turkish, Iraqi, Mexican, Malaysian ... the list goes on and on. Restaurants require customers, and the British appetite for eating out is greater than ever before. Further evidence is shown by the nation's obsession with TV cookery programmes, which are watched by millions each week.
But though these facts are undeniable, a look at market research throws up some fascinating contradictions to this image of Britain as a foodie nation. For example, what is to be made of the fact that there was a time when the demand for ready-made meals grew by 70 per cent, or that the British now eat more than £900 million worth of them every year?
Add to this the fact that 90 per cent of British homes own a microwave, used most often to heat up pre-prepared meals. The suspicion arises: Could it be that the British don't actually cook that much? Whisper it, the answer is "Yes."
Choose the best answer to each question.
1 What can we learn about Britain concerning its food from Paragraph 1?
A. It is as famous for its bad food as it is for its bad weather.
B. It used to have a bad reputation for its bad food.
C. It used to be famous for its soggy vegetables and tasteless meals.
D. Its people are always known for their love of food and cooking.
2 What is a "foodie"?
A. Someone who likes to eat fast food.
B. Someone who has studied cooking at a culinary school.
C. Someone who owns a restaurant or speciality food store.
D. Someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food.
题目解答
答案
解析
本题主要考查对文章细节信息的理解。解题的关键在于仔细阅读文章，准确把握每个段落所传达的信息，并将选项与原文内容进行细致比对。
第1题
- 文章第一段提到 “It wasn't so long ago that Britain was as famous for its bad food as it was for its bad weather”，这句话表明过去英国的食物和天气一样糟糕，也就是英国过去因食物差而声名不佳。
- 选项A “It is as famous for its bad food as it is for its bad weather” 中 “is” 表示现在时态，而原文强调的是过去，所以A选项错误。
- 选项C “It used to be famous for its soggy vegetables and tasteless meals” ，原文说的是游客不得不接受 soggy vegetables and tasteless meals ，并非英国以这些闻名，C选项错误。
- 选项D “Its people are always known for their love of food and cooking” 与原文中过去英国食物差的描述不符，D选项错误。
- 选项B “It used to have a bad reputation for its bad food” 准确表达了英国过去因食物差而声名不佳，符合原文意思。
第2题
- 文章第一段明确给出 “foodie” 的定义 “a term coined in the 1980s to mean someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food” 。
- 选项A “Someone who likes to eat fast food” ，原文未提及 “foodie” 与喜欢吃快餐的关系，A选项错误。
- 选项B “Someone who has studied cooking at a culinary school” ，原文没有说 “foodie” 是在烹饪学校学习过的人，B选项错误。
- 选项C “Someone who owns a restaurant or speciality food store” ，原文没有表明 “foodie” 是拥有餐厅或特色食品店的人，C选项错误。
- 选项D “Someone who has a special interest in and knowledge of food” 与原文对 “foodie” 的定义一致，D选项正确。