2013年12月英语四级考试试题及答案第二套2
2013年12月英语四级考试试题及答案第二套2
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British Cuisine: the Best of Old and New
British cuisine (烹饪) has come of age in recent years as chefs (厨师) combine the best of old and new.
Why does British food have a reputation for being so bad? Because it is bad! Those are not the most encouraging words to hear just before eating lunch at one of Hong Kong's smartest British restaurants, Alfie's by KEE, but head chef Neil Tomes has more to say.
There was plenty of room for improvement. The problems with the nation's cuisine can be traced back to the Second World War. Before the War, much of Britain's food was imported and when German U-boats began attacking ships bringing food to the country, Britain went on rations (配给).
They weren't looking for cured meats, organic produce or beautiful presentation; they were looking for whatever they could get their hands on, and this prioritisation of quantity over quality prevailed for decades, meaning a generation was brought up with food that couldn't compete with neighbouring France, Italy, Belgium or Spain.
Before star chefs such as Oliver began making cooking fashionable, it was hard to find a restaurant in London that was open after 9pm. But in recent years the capital's culinary (烹饪的) scene has developed to the point that it is now confident of its ability to please the tastes of any international visitor.
With the opening of Alfie's in April, and others such as The Pawn, two years ago, modern British food has made its way to Hong Kong. "With British food, I think that Hong Kong restaurants are keeping up," says David Tamlyn, the Welsh executive chef at The Pawn in Wan Chai. "Hong Kong diners are extremely responsive to new ideas or presentations, which is good news for new dishes."
Chefs agree that diners in Hong Kong are embracing the modern British trend. Some restau rants are modifying the recipes (菜谱) of British dishes to breathe new life into the classics, while others are using better quality ingredients but remaining true to British traditions and tastes.
Tamlyn is in the second camp. "We select our food very particularly. We use US beef, New Zealand lamb and for our custards (牛奶蛋糊) we use Bird's Custard Powder," Tamlyn says. "Some restaurants go for custard made fresh with eggs, sugar and cream, but British custard is different, and we stay true to that."
Matthew Hill, senior manager at the two-year-old SoHo restaurant Yorkshire Pudding, also uses better ingredients as a means of improving dishes. "There are a lot of existing perceptions about British food and so we can't alter these too much. We're a traditional British restaurant so there are some staples (主菜) that will remain essentially unchanged."
These traditional dishes include fish and chips, steak and kidney pie and large pieces of roasted meats. At Alfie's, the newest of the British restaurants in town and perhaps the most gentlemen's club-like in design, Neil Tomes explains his passion for provenance (原产地). "Britain has started to become really proud of the food it's producing. It has excellent organic farms, beautifully crafted cheeses, high-quality meats."
However, the British don't have a history of exporting their foodstuffs, which makes it difficult for restaurants in Hong Kong to source authentic ingredients.
The Phoenix, in Mid-Levels, offers the widest interpretation of "British cuisine", while still trying to maintain its soul. The gastro-pub has existed in various locations in Hong Kong since 2002. Singaporean head chef Tommy Teh Kum Chai offers daily specials on a blackboard, rather than sticking to a menu. This enables him to reinterpret British cuisine depending on what is avail able in the local markets.
Although the ingredients may not strike diners as being traditional, they can be found in dishes across Britain.
Even the traditional chefs are aware of the need to adapt to local tastes and customs, while maintaining the Britishness of their cuisine.
At Yorkshire Pudding, Hill says that his staff asks diners whether they would like to share their meals. Small dishes, shared meals and "mixing it up" is not something commonly done in Britain, but Yorkshire Pudding will bring full dishes to the table and offer individual plates for each diner. "That way, people still get the presentation of the dishes as they were designed, but can carve them up however they like," Hill says.
This practice is also popular at The Pawn, although largely for rotisseries (烤肉馆), Tamlyn says. "Some tables will arrive on a Sunday, order a whole chicken and a shoulder of lamb or a baby pig, and just stay for hours enjoying everything we bring out for them."
Some British traditions are too sacred (神圣的) to mess with, however, Tomes says. "I'd never change a full English breakfast."
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
1. What is British food generally known for?
A) Its unique flavour. C) Its special cooking methods.
B) Its bad taste. D) Its organic ingredients.
2. The Second World War led to in Britain.
A) an inadequate supply of food C) an increase in food import
B) a decrease of grain production D) a change in people's eating habits
3. Why couldn't Britain compete with some of its neighbouring countries in terms of food in the post-war decades?
A) Its food lacked variety. C) It was short of well-trained chefs.
B) Its people cared more for quantity. D) It didn't have flavourful food ingredients.
4. With culinary improvement in recent years, London's restaurants are now able to appeal to the tastes of .
A) most young people C) all kinds of overseas visitors
B) elderly British diners D) upper-class customers
5. What do Hong Kong diners welcome, according to Welsh executive chef David Tamlyn?
A) Authentic classic cuisine. C) New ideas and presentations.
B) Locally produced ingredients. D) The return of home-style dishes.
6. While using quality ingredients, David Tamlyn insists that the dishes should .
A) benefit people's health C) be offered at reasonable prices
B) look beautiful and inviting D) maintain British traditional tastes
7. Why does Neil Tomes say he loves food ingredients from Britain?
A) They appeal to people from all over the world.
B) They are produced on excellent organic farms.
C) They are processed in a scientific way.
D) They come in a great variety.
8. Tamlyn says that besides importing ingredients from Britain once a week, his restaurant also buys vegetables from _______.
9. The Phoenix in Mid-Levels may not use British ingredients, but presents its dishes ______.
10. Yorkshire Pudding is a restaurant which will bring full dishes to the table but offer plates to those diners who would like to _______.
参考答案：
1. B. Its bad taste
解析：题干中generally known for 对应原文a reputation for，根据原文第一句Why does British food have a reputation for being so bad? Because it is bad! 可知关键词为bad，故选B。
2. A. an inadequate supply of production
解析：由题干关键词the Second World War可以定位到原文第四段，二战之前，英国的食品都是进口的，二战之后，食品供应船只遭到攻击，只能依靠配给。故选A，食品供给不足。
3. B. Its people cared more for quantity
解析：由compete with some of its neighbouring countries可以定位到原文第6段，they weren't looking for…, they were looking for…, this prioritization of quantity over quality prevailed for decades. 可见他们对数量的追求高于质量，因此选B。
4. C. all kinds of overseas visitors
解析：由题干关键词culinary定位到原文第7段，根据最后一句…its ability to please the tastes of any international visitor. 而any international visitor就等同于答案all kinds of overseas visitors。故选C.
5. C. New ideas and presentations
解析：问题是按照David Tamlyn的观点，香港的饮食者喜欢什么。先根据David Tamlyn这个人名定位到原文第八段，再根据最后一句话Hong Kong diners are extremely responsive to new ideas or presentations,…这里的are extremely responsive to在意思上等于题干中的welcome。
6. D. maintain British traditional tastes
解析：一些饭店修改菜谱，采用新样式，而另外一些则保留英式口味，再根据Tamlyn is in the second camp，可知Tamlyn属于后者，即保留原汁原味。故答案选D。
7. B. They are produced on excellent organic farms
解析：由Neil Tomes定位到原文第12段，根据最后两句话…It has excellent organic farms, beautifully crafted cheeses, high-quality meats可选出答案B，Neil Tomes喜欢英国原料的原因就在于原料产于优秀的有机农场。
8. the local markets
解析：根据原文，… which means we take our vegetables from the local markets, …即除了从英国直接进口，还有部分蔬菜从本地市场购买的。
9. in a British way
解析：先定位到The Phoenix那一段，再找到下一段，We use a lot of ingredients that people wouldn't perhaps associate as British, but are presented in a British way.
10. share their meals
解析：At Yorkshire Pudding, Hill says that his staff asks diners whether they would like to share their meals.餐厅之所以在上菜之后再供应碟子，原因就在于可能会有人愿意和别人分享食物。