High 3 · Reading series
Lesson 35 · The Meal behind the Number
Audio track 35
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
The cafeteria placed a number beside each lunch set. My friend immediately chose the smallest one, saying a lower number must mean a better meal. I asked what the number measured. It was an estimate of energy for one serving, not a score for health.
We spoke with the cafeteria staff about how portions were planned and how students could ask questions about ingredients. Our days were not identical: one of us had practiced sports that morning, while the other had been sitting in exams. Neither could decide a suitable meal from the single number alone.
We suggested that the display explain its units and serving size clearly. The staff added a short note and kept information available for students with specific dietary needs to discuss privately with appropriate adults. We did not turn the lunch line into a place for judging one another's choices.
The number was useful once we knew what it described. It became less useful when we asked it to decide everything about a person and a meal.
Sentence practice
Play any sentence in Dicvo’s Jenny English voice. Before playing all, choose how many times each sentence plays. A practice pause about as long as the sentence follows each play, including before the next sentence. The complete reading remains above.
Choose a sentence to begin.
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The cafeteria placed a number beside each lunch set.
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My friend immediately chose the smallest one, saying a lower number must mean a better meal.
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I asked what the number measured.
-
It was an estimate of energy for one serving, not a score for health.
-
We spoke with the cafeteria staff about how portions were planned and how students could ask questions about ingredients.
-
Our days were not identical: one of us had practiced sports that morning, while the other had been sitting in exams.
-
Neither could decide a suitable meal from the single number alone.
-
We suggested that the display explain its units and serving size clearly.
-
The staff added a short note and kept information available for students with specific dietary needs to discuss privately with appropriate adults.
-
We did not turn the lunch line into a place for judging one another's choices.
-
The number was useful once we knew what it described.
-
It became less useful when we asked it to decide everything about a person and a meal.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
食堂给每份午餐套餐标了一个数字。朋友立刻选了数字最小的，认为越低就越健康。我问这个数字测量的是什么：它是每份食物能量的估计值，不是健康评分。
我们向食堂员工了解份量怎样制定，以及学生如何询问食材。我们的日子并不相同：一个人早上参加了体育训练，另一个人一直坐着考试。谁也不能只凭一个数字选定适合自己的午餐。
我们建议显示牌写清单位和份量。员工加上简短说明，也让有特殊饮食需要的学生能够私下与合适的成年人讨论。我们没有把取餐队伍变成评价彼此选择的场所。
知道数字描述什么之后，它很有用；若要它决定一个人与一顿饭的一切，它的用处就小得多。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- cafeteria
- 食堂；套餐旁标有数字。
- estimate
- 估计值；不是精确诊断。
- energy
- 能量；数字所衡量的内容。
- serving
- 每份；须说明计算范围。
- portions
- 份量；由食堂规划。
- ingredients
- 食材；学生可以询问。
- identical
- 相同的；每人活动情况不同。
- dietary
- 饮食的；特殊需要应私下讨论。
- privately
- 私下地；避免公开评判。
- judging
- 评判；取餐时不评价他人。
Background notes (Chinese)
套餐数字只是每份能量的估计值，不能直接给餐食或个人选择打健康分；还应说明单位与份量。