Question

【题目】The “melting pot” in American cuisine(菜肴。烹饪法) is a myth, not terribly unlike the idea of a melting pot of American culture, notes chef Dan Barber. “Most cultures don’t think about their cuisine in such monolithic(统一的) terms,” he says. “French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each consist of dozens of distinct regional foods. And I think ‘American’ cuisine is moving in the same direction, becoming more localized, not globalized. ”

American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans don’t have to rely on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat (荞麦) alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature beans alongside wheat. “That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate(接受) those crops in to the culture,” says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French.

So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. “If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture,” says Barber. “The protein-centric dinner plate, whether you’re talking about a boneless chicken breast, or a 16-ounce steak, as an everyday expectation is something that America really created, and now exports to the rest of the world.”

Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to deal with both hunger and overweight issues globally. “The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us.”

【1】According to the first paragraph, American cuisine ________.

A. consists of varieties of regional foods

B. is becoming more and more globalized

C. has absorbed a lot from Chinese cuisine

D. is not as unified as its culture

【2】What has made American cuisine different from other cuisines according to the article?

A. Relying on rotating crops

B. The difficulty of planting crops

C. The US’ melting pot culture

D. The US’ agricultural wealth

【3】We can conclude from the article that _____ has become part of what it means to be American.

A. eating rice B. eating beans

C. eating white meat D. eating soba noodles

【4】 Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A. American cuisine is healthier than other cuisines.

B. American cuisine hasn’t changed much over time.

C. Americans use food as part of their celebrations.

D. Americans are quite proud of their own cuisine.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】D

【3】C

【4】C

【解析】

试题分析:文章讲述了世界各地的菜肴各有其特色，主要与自身所处的地域有关系，美国也一样，也有自己的特色。

【1】A考察细节理解题。文章第一段讲述了各国的菜肴如：法国、墨西哥、中国和意大利的都包括自己的区域性的食物，美国的菜肴发展方向也是也是一样的，所以美国的菜肴也包含了多种当地的特色，所以答案是A。

【2】D考察细节理解题。根据文意American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country可知美国的菜肴是由丰富的自然资源塑造的，所以答案是D。

【3】C考察细节理解题。根据文意So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. “If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture,” says Barber可知肉食文化是美国饮食文化的一部分，所以答案是C。

【4】C考察细节理解题。根据文意The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us可知用本民族的食物来庆祝节日时世界通用的，美国也不会例外，所以答案是C。