考研英语04-经济学人.docx

经济学人Part1But labelling is not enough; the food firms know they must also offer healthier fare. McDonalds has introduced salads and fruit to its menus. Kraft and others have brought out low-carbohydrate ranges. Last year, McDonalds even announced a sporty makeover for Ronald McDonald, its mascot clown, in a bid to encourage children to be more active. But some in the industry suspect that consumers are keener on seeing lighter, healthier meals on the menu than they are on actually buying and eating them; such products are not what the industry calls business builders. That said, some of Nestles more nutritional products, like its Power Bar range for athletes, enjoy higher margins and growth than its traditional fare.词汇Fare 食物low-carbohydrate 低碳水化合物sporty 运动的makeover 翻新mascot clown 吉祥小丑物in a bid to 为了be keener on 更渴望margins 利润不过，标注还不够；食品公司清楚，他们还必须生产出更加健康的食品。麦当劳公司已将沙拉和水果引入了它的点餐单之中，Kraft跟其它公司也制造出了一系列低碳水化合物食品。去年，麦当劳甚至还宣布要对它的小丑吉祥物-麦当劳叔叔进行翻新改造，使其具有运动型外表，以鼓励孩子们更为活泼。但是某些业内人士对此提出质疑，认为消费者更渴望在点餐单上看到不加色素、比较健康的膳食，而不会真地去买来吃；这类食品并非是产业中所谓的商业增洁剂。这么说来，雀巢公司生产的某些更富营养的食品，比如运动员专用的Power Bar系列，要比其传统食品能带来更高的利润及增长。Part.2Wobbling all over the world全球食品业正经受震荡The pressure on the industry is most acute in America, which leads the world in obesity. The proportion of Americans characterized as overweight has risen steadily from 47% (（5）bad enough in itself) in the late 1970s to around two-thirds, including over 30% who are clinically obese. Fast-food chains American sales grew from about $6 billion in 1970 to an estimated $134 billion in 2005. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, an influential book attacking the industry, has pointed out that Americans spend more on fast food than they do on higher education, PCs or new cars-worrying, when a single meal at a KFC of less than a pound-weight of food plus a large Pepsi can top 1,600 calories, not far short of the daily intake recommended by the government for adults doing only light physical activity.词汇Acute 严重的Proportion 比例Clinically 临床的Estimated 大约的Influential 有影响力的Plus 加上Top 达到Recommended 推荐的light physical activity 轻体力活动肥胖人数居世界首位的美国食品业承受的压力最大。上世纪70年代末期，美国人中超重人口所占比例从47%（这个数字本身已经糟糕透了）逐步增长到大约三分之二，其中包括30%以上临床肥胖症患者，而美国快餐连锁店的销售额则从1970年的60亿美元增加到2005年的大约1340亿美元。旨在抨击快餐业、颇具影响力的快餐国度一书作者埃里克-施罗瑟曾指出，美国人吃快餐花的钱要比花在高等教育、个人电脑或者买新汽车上的钱多。令他感到担忧的是，在肯德基快餐店光吃一顿不到一磅重的餐点，再喝一大杯百事可乐，摄入热量就可能超过1600卡路里，这比美国政府为仅从事轻度体力活动的成人所推荐的每日摄取量并不低多少。（言下之意，一餐就摄取如此多热量，况乎一日三餐？）Part.3 Where the United States leads, others are following. In the European Union, up to 27% of men are considered to be obese, and almost a quarter of all children are deemed overweight. Britain, with its love of burgers and packaged meals, is seen as following closest on Americas heels, but the rate of obesity has started to swell on the continent too. Some 11% of the adult population of France were obese in 2003, up from 8% in 1997 (the actual level may be higher still since the figures are based on polls asking people if they are fat, and self-reporting produces underestimates). France has latched on to the fast-food culture: it is one of the biggest and most profitable European markets for McDonalds.词汇a quarter 四分之一deemed 被认为closest 最接近的heels 脚踝swell 膨大polls 民意调查self-reporting 自己说自己underestimates 低估profitable 最赚钱的凡是有美国带头的地方，别国都会亦步亦趋。在欧盟国家，高达27%的男性被认为患有肥胖症，几乎四分之一的儿童则被认