Question

    Chicken is America’s most popular meat. Many people assume chicken follows a simple rule-of-thumb: Pink chicken turned white means “done.” It’s similar to how we cook other meats. But is this true? To study how cooks at home follow safety recommendations, researchers filmed 75 households in five European countries. From a random but nonrepresentative sample, they also conducted an online survey of nearly 4,000 households in the same countries that say they cook chicken.

Worried that chicken would dry out, most home cooks determined doneness by color and texture (口感) inside the meat, they found. Few bothered with thermometers (温度计), claiming they took too much time, were too complicated to use, didn’t fit in the chicken or weren’t necessary (although easy-to-use thermometers are inexpensive and widely available).

In additional lab experiments, the scientists injected raw chicken breast with bacteria (细菌), which cause millions of sicknesses, thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths each year in the United States. They cooked the breasts until they reached core temperatures ranging from 122 to 158 Fahrenheit, and they discovered something surprising. At 158 degrees, but not lower, bacteria inside the chickens’ cores was reduced to safe levels, and when cut open its flesh appeared dull and fibrous, not shiny like raw chicken. But meat began changing from pink to white far below this, and most color change occurred below 131 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes, the chicken’s core would be safely cooked, but unsafe levels of bacteria still existed on surfaces that hadn’t touched the grill plate.

So what are you supposed to do?

Dr. Bruno Goussault, a scientist and chef, recommends buying and cooking breasts and legs separately. Bring the breast’s core to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, he said, and the leg to between 168.8 and 172.4 Fahrenheit. If you really want to safely measure temperature for a whole chicken, insert a pop-up thermometer into the thickest part of the leg before roasting it, Dr. Goussault suggests. By the time it pops, the breasts will have long cooked. They will likely be dry and far from his standards of culinary (烹饪的) perfection. But you’ll be sure to, as Dr. Goussault says in French, “dormir sur ses deux oreilles,” or, figuratively, “sleep peacefully.”

1.Why didn’t home cooks measure temperature with a thermometer?

A.They could not afford it. B.It affected the taste of the meat.

C.It was not available in supermarkets. D.They thought it was too much trouble.

2.In lab experiments, when the temperature reached 158 Fahrenheit, the meat         .

A.was free of bacteria B.still remained pink

C.appeared to dry out D.was reduced in size

3.What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A.The meat does not taste best when bacteria free.

B.The leg becomes fully cooked before the breast.

C.A whole chicken requires a higher temperature.

D.The thermometer should be placed inside the breast.

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A.Food safety. B.Simple lifestyle.

C.Cooking skills. D.Kitchen equipment.

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文，文章通过描述科学家所做的鸡胸和鸡腿的烹饪温度的测量实验，说明如何烹饪鸡肉才是安全的。

1.细节理解题。由文章第二段Few bothered with thermometers (温度计), claiming they took too much time, were too complicated to use,didn’t fit in the chicken or weren’t necessary.很少有人为温度计费心，宣称他们花费了太多的时间，太复杂而不能使用，不适合鸡肉也没必要。可知，人们会觉得用温度计比较麻烦，与选项D内容相符，故选D项。

2.细节理解题。由文章第三段At 158 degrees, but not lower, bacteria inside the chickens’ cores was reduced to safe levels, and when cut open its flesh appeared dull and fibrous, not shiny like raw chicken.在158度时，但不是更低，鸡核心的细菌降到了安全水平，当被切开时，鸡肉显得枯燥和纤维状，不像生鸡肉肉质那么光滑。可知，到了158度时，鸡肉会显得干燥和纤维状，与选项C内容相符，故选C项。

3.推理判断题。由最后一段Bring the breast’s core to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, he said, and the leg to between 168.8 and 172.4 Fahrenheit.鸡胸的核心温度要达到165度，他说，鸡腿的温度要达到168.8度和172.4度之间。和They will likely be dry and far from his standards of culinary (烹饪的) perfection.他们可能会干燥，而且与完美的烹饪标准也相去甚远。可知，鸡胸和鸡腿的安全烹饪温度分别为165度，168.8度和172.4度之间，这时细菌几乎被杀死了，所以食用是比较安全的，但此时口感和味道却不那么好了。与选项A内容相符，故选A项。

4.主旨大意题。由文章第一段To study how cooks at home follow safety recommendations, researchers filmed 75 households in five European countries.为了研究在家烹饪如何遵守安全的建议，研究者们在5个欧洲国家拍摄了75个家庭的烹饪情况。可知，文章讲述的是在家烹饪时的食品安全问题，与选项A内容相符，故选A项。