What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice-cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream — as well as for developing over 75 flavors (味道).
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job, after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No — there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12℉. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors, and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy — working at one cool job.
1.What is John Harrison’s job?
A. An official. B. An ice-cream taster.
C. A chemist. D. An ice-cream manufacturer.
2.According to John Harrison, to be qualified in the “cool field”, it is helpful to ______.
A. keep a diary of work B. have a degree in related subjects
C. have new ideas every day D. find out new flavors each day
3.What does Harrison do first when testing ice cream?
A. He stirs the ice cream. B. He examines the color of the ice cream.
C. He tastes the flavor of the ice cream. D. He lets the ice cream warm up.
4.Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage?
A. Tasting with Eyes B. Flavors of Ice Cream
C. John Harrison’s Life D. One Cool Job
Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
(A)
Being alone in outer space can be frightening. That is one reason why astronauts on solo (单独的) space flights were given plenty of work to keep them 1. They were also constant communication with people on the earth. 2, being with people from whom you cannot get away might be even harder than being alone. This is what happens on long submarine (潜水艇) voyages. It will also happen on 3space flights in the future. Will there be special problem of adjustment under such conditions?
Scientists have studied the reactions of men to one another during long submarine voyages. They have found that the longer the voyage lasts, the more serious the problem of 4is. When men are 5together for a long period, they begin to feel uneasy. Everyone has little habits of speaking and behaving that are ordinarily acceptable. In the limited space over a long period of time, however, these little habits may become very 6.
Apparently, although no one wants to be 7all the time, everyone needs some degree of privacy. When people are enclosed together, they are in what is called a stress situation. That means that they are under an unusual amount of 8or stress.
People who are well-adjusted are able to 9stress situations better than others. That is one reason why so much care is taken in 10our astronauts. These men undergo a long period of testing and training. One of the things tested is their behavior under stress.
11A. tired B. asleep C. conscious D. busy
12A. So far B. After all C. However D. Therefore
13A. long B. fast C. dangerous D. direct
14A. fuel B. entertainment C. adjustment D. health
15A. shut up B. held up C. brought up D. picked up
16A. pleasing B. annoying C. common D. valuable
17A. noisy B. alone C. personal D. sociable
18A. emphasis B. conflict C. power D. pressure
19A. handle B. create C. affect D. investigate
20A. becoming B. choosing C. ordering D. promoting
(B)
One topic is rarely mentioned in all the talk of improving standards in our schools: the almost complete failure of foreign-language teaching. As a French graduate who has taught for more than twenty-five years, I believe I have some idea of why the failure is so total. 1.the faults already found out in the education system as a whole — such as child-centred learning, the “discovery” method, and the low expectations by teachers of pupils — there have been several serious 2.which have a direct effect on language teaching.
The first is the removal from the curriculum (课程) of the thorough teaching of English 3.. Pupils now do not know a verb from a noun, the subject of a sentence from its object, or the difference between the past, present, or future.
Another important error is mixed-ability teaching, or teaching in ability groups so 4.that the most able groups are 5.and are bored while the least able are lost and 6.bored. Strangely enough, few head teachers seem to be in favour of mixed-ability school football teams.
Progress depends on memory, and pupils start to forget immediately they stop having 7.lessons. This is why many people who attended French lessons at school, even those who got good grades, have forgotten it a few years later. 8.they never need it, they do not practice it.
Most American schools have accepted what is inevitable and 9.modern languages, even Spanish, from the curriculum. Perhaps it is time for Britain to do the same, and stop 10.resources on a subject which few pupils want or need.
11.A. Due to B. In addition to C. Instead of D. In spite of
12.A. errors B. situations C. systems D. methods
13.A. vocabulary B. culture C. grammar D. literature
14.A. wide B. similar C. separate D. unique
15.A. kept out B. turned down C. held back D. left behind
16.A. surprisingly B. individually C. equally D. hardly
17.A. extra B. traditional C. basic D. regular
18.A. Although B. Because C. Until D. Unless
19.A. restored B. absorbed C. prohibited D. withdrawn
20.A. wasting B. focusing C. exploiting D. sharing
John was dismissed last week because of his ______ attitude towards his job.
A. informal B. casual C. determined D. earnest
My morning ______ includes jogging in the park and reading newspapers over breakfast.
A. drill B. action C. regulation D. routine
Since Tom ______ downloaded a virus into his computer, he can not open the file now.
A. readily B. horribly C. accidentally D. irregularly
At minus 130℃, a living cell can be ______ for a thousand years.
A. spared B. protected C. preserved D. developed
