2006年VOA标准英语-Specialty Grocer Caters to Muslim Americans

By Odil Ruzaliev
Washington, DC
09 November 2006
 
watch Halal Grocer report

Shoppers inside of the Halal store   
  
The continuing influx¹ of immigrants to the United States has meant a proliferation of shops, restaurants and other businesses catering² to specific ethnic³ clienteles. For producer Odil Ruzaliev, VOA's Jim Bertel has more on businesses reaching out to Muslims living in the U.S.

There are believed to be between five and seven million Muslims living in the United States. One of the challenges they face is reconciling their identities as both Muslims and Americans. This dual⁴ identify affects their lives in many ways from praying to buying groceries.
 

Mohammad Abdul-Mateen, founder⁵ and owner of Halalco Supermarket  
  
Islamic dietary laws provide a set of rules as to what Muslims may eat. As the number of Muslims in the U.S. has grown, so have the number of stores catering to their needs. These stores are known as Halal stores.  Halal means lawful⁶ in Arabic, which in turn means meat sold in the stores comes from animals slaughtered⁷ according to Islamic practice. The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America says there are close to 1,000 Halal stores and restaurants in the United States.

Among these is the Halalco Supermarket near Washington, D.C.  Muhammad Abdul-Mateen is the owner. "We have, maybe, everyday about 200 to 300 customers."

One woman we spoke⁸ with shops here regularly. "I come here often, every week and buy meat (and) some other stuff, (like) Islamic food," she says. "We come here to even buy clothes, Islamic books and CDs."

Halal goat meat for stew⁹ with Halalco brand packaging  
  
Generally, Halal meats are more expensive than meat sold at regular markets, but Abdul-Mateen says his customers do not seem to mind. "Supply and demand (are) what make the beef costly¹⁰ or less costly."

To ensure the meat sold under the Halal label adheres to Islamic rules, at least eight U.S. states have laws against mislabeling.  Abdul-Mateen says his market buys meat from slaughterhouses they know and trust.

The same is true with the 200 Halal restaurants across the United States. Adiba Faraz is an immigrant from Afghanistan. She opened a restaurant with her husband. "We wanted to serve our Islamic community, because we sell Halal food and we are confident about it. We built everything from the ground up," she says.

Muhammad Abdul-Mateen sees the Halal restaurant business as a growing trend and hopes to open his own Halal restaurant near his store sometime next year.

1 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

2 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

5 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

6 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

7 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。