蔬菜對健康有益 — 這是一個眾人皆知的道理。然而，我們有時候會因為偏愛其它食物的口味而對吃青菜感到很不情願。本集《隨身英語》探討一項旨在提倡人們多吃青菜的研究，並介紹一些商傢用來吸引顧客購買蔬菜的銷售技巧。
課文內容
Vocabulary: food 詞匯: 食物
As a child, I was always told to ‘eat my greens‘. These were the unappealing vegetables that sat on the edge of my plate. Peas, broccoli and green beans, all looked and tasted disgusting. Let’s face it, when there were so many other edible treats to enjoy, why eat boring veg?
Since then my taste buds have developed and I’m also fully aware of the health benefits of eating fresh vegetables. But we still need reminding of the amazing goodness these green superfoods give us. In the UK, a campaign based on advice from the World Health Organization has been running for several years to encourage us to eat our ‘5 A Day’ – five portions of fruit and vegetables. That’s because evidence has shown there are significant health benefits to getting at least five 80g portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
But I struggle trying to fit these five portions into my daily diet, partly because I have a sweet tooth and vegetables are, well, tasteless. Researchers have been looking at how to make eating vegetables more attractive. They analysed the psychology behind our food choices and found that most of us are motivated by taste. Brad Turnwald from Stanford University says that “studies show that people tend to think of healthier options as less tasty for some reason.”
His team carried out an experiment in the university cafeteria where they gave vegetables seductive names and found sales increased by 25 per cent. They got rid of healthy labels such as ‘wholesome‘ and gave identical dishes names like ‘sizzlin’ beans’, ‘dynamite beets’ and ‘twisted citrus-glazed carrots’. It seems that these indulgent names tempted diners to fill their plates. Brad Turnwald says that “labels really can influence our sensory experience, affecting how tasty and filling we think food will be.”
In Europe, a project called VeggieEAT has also been trying to find ways to get people to eat more veg. Project leader, Professor Heather Hartwell believes in “health by stealth“, subtly nudging people into eating the right things. One idea has been to put a picture of a tasty looking fruit on a supermarket trolley as a hint about buying something from the fruit aisle. She says, “Choice is a really complex thing. But this study suggests that giving vegetables an indulgent tag can help raise their hierarchy.”
Certainly, eating ‘twisted citrus-glazed carrots’ does sound tempting, even if it just tastes like a carrot, but if it makes us eat more vegetables then that can only be a good thing for our health.
詞匯表
greens 青菜、綠葉菜（多用作復數）
edible 可食用的，可以吃的
taste buds 味蕾（多用作復數）
benefit 好處
superfood 對健康有益的“超級食品”
‘5 A Day’ “每天五份果蔬”，這是由世界衛生組織為增強健康飲食意識而發起的每日至少食用400g（相當於）水果或蔬菜的宣傳活動。
significant 非常重要的，效果顯著的
diet 日常飲食
sweet tooth 愛吃甜食
psychology 心理
motivated 被…驅使
seductive 誘人的
wholesome 對健康有益的
indulgent 任由（消費者）放縱的，易上癮的
sensory 感官的
stealth 不知不覺的行動，隱性手段
nudge 勸說
hierarchy 等級，地位
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Name one of the greens mentioned in the article.
2. Why have people in the UK been encouraged to eat five portions of fruit and vegetable every day?
3. In the research at Stanford University, what encouraged students to eat more vegetables?
4. According to research, in general, what types of food do people think are less tasty?
5. Which word used in the article means ‘find it difficult’?
2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. It could be bad news for people with a ______ – as some chocolate boxes have been reduced in size ahead of Christmas.
sweet-toothed sweet teeth sweet tooth sweat tooth
2. Shops have been criticised for being too fussy, causing farmers to throw away perfectly ______ fruit and veg.
seductive edible sensory indulgent
3. I felt very ______ sleeping until 9 o’clock and having breakfast in bed!
motivated significant indulgent seductive
4. ______ artwork featuring the “pungent smell of decaying rubber, seaweed, wooden planks and oil drums” has gone on display at an art gallery in the city.
Sensory Sensuous Censored Sensoring
5. The radio presenter on the late night show is great; his voice is smoky and ______.
wholesome edible significant seductive
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. Name one of the greens mentioned in the article.
Peas, broccoli or green beans.
2. Why have people in the UK been encouraged to eat five portions of fruit and vegetable every day?
Because evidence has shown there are significant health benefits to getting at least five 80g portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
3. In the research at Stanford University, what encouraged students to eat more vegetables?
By giving vegetables more ‘seductive’ names.
4. According to research, in general, what types of food do people think are less tasty?
Brad Turnwald from Stanford University says that “studies show that people tend to think of healthier options as less tasty for some reason.“
5. Which word used in the article means ‘find it difficult’?
Struggle.
2.請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. It is bad news for people with a sweet tooth – as some chocolate boxes have been reduced in size ahead of Christmas.
2. Shops have been criticised for being too fussy, causing farmers to throw away perfectly edible fruit and veg.
3. I felt very indulgent sleeping until 9 o’clock and having breakfast in bed!
4. Sensory artwork featuring the “pungent smell of decaying rubber, seaweed, wooden planks and oil drums” has gone on display at an art gallery in the city.
5. The radio presenter on the late night show is great; his voice is smoky and seductive.
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