In South China we eat rice every day. Sometimes we eat it two or three times a day, for breakfast, lunch and supper. We usually eat it with fish, meat and vegetable.

The Japanese eat rice, too. They also eat a lot of fish. They sometimes eat raw (未加工的)fish. In Africa, maiz (玉米)is the most important food. People there make maize into flour (面粉）.From this flour they make different kinds of bread and cakes.

In Western countries such as Britain, Australia and the U.S.A., the most important food is bread or potatoes. People there usually make their bread from wheat (小麦)flour. They cook the potatoes in different ways. In England the most popular food is fish and chips. Sometimes people cook this food at home, but usually they buy it at the shop. They eat this food at home, in their work place, in the part or on the road. People call it “take-away” food.

阅读短文，判断正 (T)误 (F)

1.The passage is about ways of life.

2.People in Japan sometimes eat fish when it isn’t cooked.

3.The most important food for African people is maize.

4.One of the countries in Africa is called “a Western country”.

5.People eat “take-away” food only on their way to work.

For 99% of human history, people took their food from the world around them. They ate all that they could find, and then moved on. Then around 10,000 years ago, about 1% of human history, people learned to farm the land.
The kind of food we eat depends on which part of the world we live in, or which part of our country we live in. For example, in the south of China they eat rice, but in the north they eat noodles. In European countries near the sea, people eat a lot of fish. In central Europe, away from the sea, people don’t eat so much fish, but they eat more meat. For example, in Germany and Poland, there are hundreds of different kinds of sausages.
In North America, Australia, and Europe, people eat with knives and forks. In China, people eat with chopsticks. In parts of India and the Middle East, people use their fingers to pick up food.
Nowadays it is possible to transport food easily from one part of the world to another. We can eat whatever we like, at any time of the year. In Britain, bananas come from Africa; rice comes from India or the U.S.A.; strawberries come from Chile or Spain. Food is a very big business. But people in poor countries are still hungry while people in rich countries eat too much.
【小题1】10,000 years ago, people ______ .

Sometimes people are not clear about what kind of food is healthy, and what kind of food may do harm to our health. The USDA has prepared a food guide to help people learn about which kind of food is the healthiest to eat. The food guide describes six main food groups: meat (like fish and chicken), dairy (like milk and cheese),grains (like bread and rice), fruit and vegetables. The last group is fats and sweets. The USDA also suggests how much of each food group is healthy to eat daily. Though this guide was prepared by the US government, it is very useful for people all over the world.
As a result of years of study, we know that too much animal fat is bad for our health. For example, Americans eat a lot of meat and only a small amount of grains, fruit and vegetables. Because of the way they eat, they have a high rate of cancer and heart disease. In Japan, people eat large amounts of grains and very little meat. The Japanese also have a very low rate of cancer and heart disease. The Japanese live longer than anyone else in the world. However, when Japanese people move to the US, the rate of heart disease and cancer goes up as their eating habit changes. And as hamburgers, ice creams and other high-fat foods become popular in Japan, the rate of heart disease and cancer is going up there as well. People are also eating more meat and dairy food in other countries, in which the disease rate is going up along with the change of the way people eat. Doctors everywhere suggest people eat more grains, fruit and vegetables and less meat and dairy food.
Eating healthily is important for children as well as their parents. When parents have poor eating habits, their children usually do, too. After all, children eat in the same way as their parents. When parents eat healthy food, the children will learn to enjoy it, too. Then they will develop good eating habits. Doctors suggest parents give their children healthier food such as fruit, vegetables and juice.
Everyone wants to live a long, healthy life. We know that the food we eat affects us in different ways. For example, doctors believe that fruit and vegetables can really protect people from many different diseases. On the other hand, animal fat can cause diseases. We can change our eating habits now and enjoy many years of healthy living.
【小题1】What is the USDA in the passage?