英语听力精选进阶版 13820

Calorie counting menus

Summary

6 July 2012

Restaurants in Ireland are to be given six months to voluntarily implement¹ calorie menu labelling which will allow diners to see exactly how healthy their food choices are. The country's health minister has said if restaurants don't comply² with the voluntary scheme, he may bring forward legislation³ on the matter.

Reporter:

Ruth McDonald

Report

Ireland has a proud tradition of producing good quality food, which is enjoyed at home and abroad. But like many developed countries, it's also battling obesity⁴ - nearly forty per cent of adults here are overweight. 

On Wednesday the country's health minister backed a report calling for calorie labelling, which would mean that Irish restaurants, like this one, and fast food outlets⁶ would have to show exactly how many calories are in the dishes that they serve. 

The health minister said the country's food businesses have six months to introduce calorie menu labelling, or else face the possible introduction of a compulsory⁷ scheme.

Some fast food chains here already label their menus, allowing customers to make healthier choices if they wish. But the country's restaurant association has claimed it will cost each outlet⁵ around seven thousand dollars to implement calorie labelling. 

The move is supported, however, by the findings of the report, which show that most people here support calorie labelling in food outlets. This is a country with a track record of acting⁸ on public health - Ireland was one of the first places in the world to implement a blanket smoking ban in public places, for example.

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 comply   

v.遵照，照做，应允，顺从，服从

参考例句：

• She was told to pay the fine,but refused to comply.她被通知交纳罚款，但她拒不服从。
• Candidates must comply strictly with these instructions.候选人必须严格遵守这些指示。

3 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。

4 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

5 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

6 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

8 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。