【英语趣味课堂】美国的食物-Food in America

Todd: So Layla, you're from France and now you live in America. I thought we would talk about food in the two countries. What do you think about food in America?

 

Layla: Personally, I don't like food here in America. I prefer food in my country because here it's very different. Like for lunch people can eat just like it's a snack and it's not a consistent¹ plate with a vegetable or meat. For the kids sometimes they eat peanut² butter and jelly³ sandwich for lunch and we never do that in France. And, yeah, the bread is very different. The bread is harder than in France. Not soft like there. There is a lot of fast food here, and in France we don't have a lot like here.

 

Todd: Yeah, actually, one thing that bothers me about America is all the chain restaurants, so we have lots of fast food and chain restaurants everywhere and we don't really have small, independent restaurants which I think is really sad, so in France do you have lots of small, independent restaurants?

 

Layla: Yes, we have a lot of small and independent restaurants and these restaurants are the best place to go eat because it's just people who cook like they cook in house and it's typicallyFrench, so yeah.

 

Todd: One thing that people say, or foreigners say about American food is the our portions⁵ are really, really big. Do you think the portions are big?

 

Layla: Yeah, like when I go to McDonalds or another, we can just buy cup and we can go in the fountain⁶ and drink, drink, drink. Drink like five cups and we pay the same price, and in France we cannot do that. Like we have a small cup and we can have it just once and we pay for it.

 

Todd: What about the portions of food on the plate? Like are the portions about the same? Bigger or smaller?

 

Layla: Bigger. When I just came two day after in the U.S. I ordered a pizza and the size was very, very big, like for two people.

 

Todd: So is there anything about American food that you like? Is there anything that's good about American food?

 

Layla: Yeah, I like one thing. It's the ice-cream. There is one place called Yougurt Land. And I think it's the best thing to go to eat ice-cream here in the U.S.

 

Todd: So what kind of flavor⁷ do you like?

 

Layla: I like vanilla⁸ and strawberry and we can add some caramel or chocolate. You can do your own ice-cream.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

Personally

 

 

Personally, I don't like food here in America.

 

The word personally expresses that the view of the speaker might be different from others, but it also expresses that the speaker expects others to have a different opinion. Notice the following:

 

Personally, I thought is was a good film.

Personally, I like to sit in the back of the room where it is quiet.

consistent

 

 

It's not a consistent plate with a vegetable and meat.

 

When something is consistent that means⁹ it is the same over time. It does not change much. Notice the following:

 

Golfers need to be consistent with their swing.

People who consistently¹⁰ get eight hours sleep tend to be healthier than those who don't.

bothers

 

One thing that bothers me is the chain restaurants.

 

When something bothers someone it makes them unhappy or uncomfortable. Notice the following:

 

The sound of the TV bothered me so I moved to another room.

It bothers me when people talk on the phone on the train.

typically

 

 

They cook the meals in house and it's typically French.

 

When something is typical that means it is common or usual. Typically is the adverb of typical. Notice the following:

 

I typically eat three meals a day.

Students are typically late on days with bad weather.

portions

 

Our portions are really, really big.

 

A portion⁴ is the amount of food given on a plate. Portions are usually categorized by small, medium and large portions.

 

We were given a large portion of rice.

That restaurant has really small portions considering the price.

1 consistent   

adj.坚持的，一贯的，一致的，符合的

参考例句：

• He has been a consistent friend to the Chinese people.他是中国人民始终如一的朋友。
• His action is always consistent with his words.他始终言行一致。

2 peanut   

n.花生

参考例句：

• We don't have peanut oil in our family.我们家不吃花生油。
• The peanut develops below the ground.花生在地下结果。

3 jelly   

n.冻，果子冻，胶状物

参考例句：

• We had toast and jelly at breakfast.我们早餐吃的是烤面包和果冻。
• The medicine was a clear jelly.这种药是透明的胶状物。

4 portion   

n.部分，份，命运；v.将...分配，分配

参考例句：

• You are paid your portion not later than a week. 不会晚于一周你就可以得到你那一部分报酬。
• Three thousand dollars is no more than a portion.3000美元只不过是一部分。

5 portions   

一部分( portion的名词复数 )； 一份遗产（或赠与的财产）； 分享的部份； 嫁妆

参考例句：

• Three portions of fish and chips, please. 请来三份炸鱼薯条。
• supersize portions of fries 超大份炸薯条

6 fountain   

n.喷泉，源泉，储水容器，泉水；v.使像喷泉一样流

参考例句：

• At the centre of the park there is a fountain.公园正中有一个喷泉。
• Ancient Greece was a fountain of wisdom and philosophy.古希腊是智慧和哲学的发源地。

7 flavor   

n.味，滋味，味道；风味；vt.调味，加味于

参考例句：

• I like the flavor of chocolate.我喜欢巧克力的味道。
• Each flavor was totally unique.每一种味道都是独一无二的。

8 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。

9 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

10 consistently   

ad.一贯地，一直

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。
• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law. 部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。