【2023.2.18】六分钟英语 食品的未来 - The future of f
Introduction
With population growth and climate change, we might have to radically change our diets in the future. There are all sorts of developments going on to help feed us in the future, from growing artificial meat to developing insect-based foods. In 6 Minute English we discuss what we might be tucking into in the future and serve up some useful vocabulary.
This week's question
In which continent did tomatoes originate? Is it…
A: South America
B: Africa
C: Asia
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript
Neil
Hello. This is 6 Minute English. I'm Neil.
Sam
And I'm Sam.
Neil
Sam, have you considered the future of food much?
Sam
Well I think in the future I might have a sandwich – in about 30 minutes in the future.
Neil
Not quite what I meant! With the population of the world increasing along with the negative effects of climate change and other global issues, we might have to radically change our diets in the future.
Sam
Ah, yes I have heard about this – there are all sorts of developments from growing artificial meat to developing insect-based foods.
Neil
Mmm, tasty. Well we’ll look a little more at this topic shortly, but we start, as ever, with a question and it’s a food-based question. In which continent did tomatoes originate? Is it…
A: South America
B: Africa
C: Asia
What do you think, Sam?
Sam
No idea. I’m going to say Africa, but that’s just a guess.
Neil
OK. Well I will reveal the answer later in the programme. On a recent edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme there was an interview with Dr Morgaine Gaye. She is a futurologist.A futurologist is someone who studies and predicts the way we will be living in the future. Her particular area of expertise is the subject of food. What two things does she say she thinks about?
Dr Morgaine Gaye
As a food futurologist, I think about not just what we’re going to be eating in the future but why. Why that thing, why that trend, why will people suddenly latch onto that food, that way of eating that food at that particular time? And when I work for large companies, that’s what they want to know. There is an element of a hunch. And then proving or disproving that hunch.
Neil
So, what two things does she think about?
Sam
She says that as a food futurologist she thinks about what we will be eating in the future and also why we will be eating that food.
Neil
Yes, in particular she looks at why there are particular trends. A trend is what is popular now or what is becoming popular. For example, at the moment there is a trend for eating less red meat.
Sam
She also looks at why people latch onto particular trends. To latch onto here means to be very interested in something. So if you latch onto a particular food trend, you start to follow that trend, you might start eating that particular diet.
Neil
Information about future trends is very important for companies in the food business. How does she actually predict these trends?
Sam
She says she starts with a hunch. A hunch is a feeling you get that something is true. You don’t have any real evidence, but your experience and knowledge makes you think you might be right.
Neil
Let’s listen again.
Dr Morgaine Gaye
As a food futurologist I think about not just what we’re going to be eating in the future but why. Why that thing, why that trend why will people suddenly latch onto that food, that way of eating that food at that particular time? And when I work for large companies, that’s what they want to know. There is an element of a hunch. And then proving or disproving that hunch.
Neil
Dr Gaye goes on to talk about how on the subject of food, there are restrictions. Why is that?
Dr Morgaine Gaye
Food business of course has different restrictions around it because it’s about safety, we’re ingesting that. The supply chain and the labelling laws are very stringent especially in this country so it takes longer to get an idea from just a concept that’s discussed around a table to an actual production facility, labelled, branded, tested, marketed and put on the shelves.
Neil
So, why restrictions?
Sam
Well, it’s about safety. Because we are ingesting food, which is a way of saying we are putting it into our bodies, it has to be safe.
Neil
It can be a long process of developing a new food and getting it into the shops because of the need to be safe and meet the laws of different countries. In the UK she mentions that the food safety laws are very stringent. This means that the laws are very tough, very strict. Let’s hear Dr Gaye again.
Dr Morgaine Gaye
Food business of course has different restrictions around it because it’s about safety, we’re ingesting that, the supply chain and the labelling laws are very stringent especially in this country so it takes longer to get an idea from just a concept that’s discussed around a table to an actual production facility, labelled, branded, tested, marketed and put on the shelves.
Neil
Right, well before we review our vocabulary, let’s get the answer to the question. In which continent did tomatoes originate? Is it…
A: South America
B: Africa
C: Asia
Sam, what did you say?
Sam
I made a guess at Africa.
Neil
Well, I’m afraid that’s not right. Congratulations though to everyone who said South America. Right, let’s recap today’s words and expressions.
Sam
OK, well we started with the word futurologist. This is a noun to describe someone who studies and predicts the way we will be living in the future.
Neil
Then we had trend. This word can describe what is popular now and the way in which what is popular is changing. For example now we are seeing a trend for eating less red meat in some parts of the world.
Sam
If you latch onto something, you become interested in it and associate yourself with it – we heard that people very quickly latch onto food trends
Neil
Then there was hunch. A hunch is a feeling about something you think might be true even though you don’t have real evidence for it. Ingesting something means taking it into your body, so eating or drinking it.
Sam
And finally a stringent rule is a very strict rule, a tough rule or law which in connection to food is designed to make sure it is safe and of a suitable quality.
Neil
OK, thank you, Sam. That’s all from 6 Minute English. Goodbye!
Sam
Bye!
Vocabulary
a futurologist
a person who studies and predicts how we will live in the future
a trend
a way to refer to something that is popular now or that is becoming popular
to latch onto
become very interested in
a hunch
a feeling you have based on your knowledge and experience that something might be true even though you don’t have any real evidence
ingesting
taking into your body, i.e. eating and drinking
stringent
strict, strong
双语版Transcript
Hello. This is6 Minute English. I'm Neil.
大家好。这里是六分钟英语，我是尼尔。
And I'm Sam.
我是萨姆。
Sam, have youconsidered the future of food much?
萨姆，你有考虑过未来的食物吗？
Well I think inthe future I might have a sandwich – in about 30 minutes in the future.
好吧，我觉得未来我可能会吃一个三明治——在30分钟后的未来。
Not quite whatI meant!
不完全是我想表达的意思！
With thepopulation of the world increasing along with the negative effects of climatechange and other global issues, we might have to radically change our diets inthe future.
随着世界人口的增长以及气候变化和其他全球性问题的负面影响，我们可能不得不在未来彻底改变我们的饮食。
Ah, yes I haveheard about this – there are all sorts of developments from growing artificialmeat to developing insect-based foods.
啊，是的，我听说过——从生产人造肉到开发以昆虫为原料的食品，有各种各样的发展。
Mmm, tasty.
嗯，美味。
Well we'll looka little more at this topic shortly, but we start, as ever, with a question andit's a food-based question.
好的，我们很快将会对这个话题有更多的了解，但和往常一样，我们从一个问题开始，那是一个基于食物的问题。
In whichcontinent did tomatoes originate?
西红柿起源于哪个洲？
Is it… A: SouthAmerica, B: Africa or C: Asia?
是A：南美洲，B：非洲，还是C：亚洲？
What do youthink, Sam?
你觉得呢，萨姆？
No idea.
不知道。
I'm going tosay Africa, but that's just a guess.
我会说是非洲，但那只是猜测。
OK. Well I willreveal the answer later in the programme.
好的。稍后在节目里我将揭晓答案。
On a recentedition of BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme there was an interview with DrMorgaine Gaye.
在BBC广播4频道最近一期的《美食》节目中，有一段对摩根·盖伊博士的采访。
She is afuturologist.
她是一位未来学家。
A futurologistis someone who studies and predicts the way we will be living in the future.
未来学家是研究和预测我们未来生活方式的人。
Her particulararea of expertise is the subject of food.
她的专长领域是食物。
What two thingsdoes she say she thinks about?
她说她要考虑哪两件事？
As a foodfuturologist, I think about not just what we're going to be eating in thefuture but why.
作为一名食物未来学家，我考虑的不仅是我们将来要吃什么，还有为什么要吃。
Why that thing,why that trend, why will people suddenly latch onto that food, that way ofeating that food at that particular time?
为什么要吃那个东西，为什么有那种趋势，为什么人们会突然对那种食物，对在特定时间吃那种食物的方式产生浓厚兴趣？
And when I workfor large companies, that's what they want to know.
当我在大公司工作的时候，这是他们想知道的。
There is anelement of a hunch.
就有一种预感。
And thenproving or disproving that hunch.
然后要证明或反驳这种预感。
So, what twothings does she think about?
所以她要考虑哪两件事？
She says thatas a food futurologist she thinks about what we will be eating in the futureand also why we will be eating that food.
她说作为一名食物未来学家，她要考虑的是我们将来吃什么，以及为什么我们会吃那种食物。
Yes, inparticular she looks at why there are particular trends.
是的，她专门研究为什么会有特定的趋势。
A trend is whatis popular now or what is becoming popular.
趋势就是现在流行或者将要流行的东西。
For example, atthe moment there is a trend for eating less red meat.
例如，目前有一种少吃红肉的趋势。
She also looksat why people latch onto particular trends.
她同样研究人们为什么对特定的趋势产生浓厚兴趣。
To latch ontohere means to be very interested in something.
"Tolatch onto"在这里的意思是对某事物非常感兴趣。
So if you latchonto a particular food trend, you start to follow that trend, you might starteating that particular diet.
所以如果你对一种特定的饮食趋势产生浓厚兴趣，你就会开始追随这个趋势，你可能会开始那种特定的饮食。
Informationabout future trends is very important for companies in the food business.
对食品行业的公司来说，关于未来食物趋势的信息非常重要。
How does sheactually predict these trends?
她事实上是如何预测这些趋势的呢？
She says shestarts with a hunch.
她说她一开始就有预感。
A hunch is afeeling you get that something is true.
预感是你觉得某事是真的的一种感觉。
You don't haveany real evidence, but your experience and knowledge makes you think you mightbe right.
你没有任何真实证据，但是你的经验和知识让你觉得你可能是对的。
Let's listenagain.
让我们再听一遍。
As a foodfuturologist, I think about not just what we're going to be eating in thefuture but why.
作为一名食物未来学家，我考虑的不仅是我们将来要吃什么，还有为什么要吃。
Why that thing,why that trend, why will people suddenly latch onto that food, that way ofeating that food at that particular time?
为什么要吃那个东西，为什么有那种趋势，为什么人们会突然对那种食物，对在特定时间吃那种食物的方式产生浓厚兴趣？
And when I workfor large companies, that's what they want to know.
当我在大公司工作的时候，这是他们想知道的。
There is anelement of a hunch.
就有一种预感。
And thenproving or disproving that hunch.
然后要证明或反驳这种预感。
Dr Gaye goes onto talk about how on the subject of food, there are restrictions.
盖伊博士接着谈到了在食物的问题上如何有一些限制。
Why is that?
这是为什么呢？
Food businessof course has different restrictions around it because it's about safety, we'reingesting that.
食品行业当然有不同的限制，因为它关乎安全，我们要摄取食物。
The supplychain and the labelling laws are very stringent especially in thiscountry, so it takes a lot long to get an idea from just a concept that'sdiscussed around a table to an actual production facility, labelled, branded,tested, marketed and put on the shelves.
供应链和标签法律非常严格，尤其是在这个国家，所以需要花费很长时间才能从一个在桌子上讨论的概念到实际生产设施，贴上标签，品牌化，测试，营销和上架。
So, whyrestrictions?
所以为什么有限制？
Well, it'sabout safety.
好吧，它关乎安全。
Because we areingesting food, which is a way of saying we are putting it into our bodies, ithas to be safe.
因为我们在摄取食物，也就是说我们在把食物咽进肚子里，所以食物必须是安全的。
It can be along process of developing a new food and getting it into the shops because ofthe need to be safe and meet the laws of different countries.
开发一种新食物并让它在商店上架可能是一个漫长的过程，因为它需要是安全的并符合不同国家的法律。
In the UK shementions that the food safety laws are very stringent.
她提到在英国食品安全法非常严格。
This means thatthe laws are very tough, very strict.
这指的是法律非常严格。
Let'shear Dr Gaye again.
让我们再听听盖伊博士所说的。
Food businessof course has different restrictions around it because it's about safety, we'reingesting that.
食品行业当然有不同的限制，因为它关乎安全，我们要摄取食物。
The supplychain and the labelling laws are very stringent especially in thiscountry, so it takes a lot long to get an idea from just a concept that'sdiscussed around a table to an actual production facility, labelled, branded,tested, marketed and put on the shelves.
供应链和标签法律非常严格，尤其是在这个国家，所以需要花费很长时间才能从一个在桌子上讨论的概念到实际生产设施，贴上标签，品牌化，测试，营销和上架。
Right, wellbefore we review our vocabulary, let's get the answer to the question.
好的，在我们复习词汇之前，让我们揭晓问题的答案。
In whichcontinent did tomatoes originate?
西红柿起源于哪个洲？
Is it… A: SouthAmerica, B: Africa, C: Asia?
是A：南美洲，B：非洲，C：亚洲？
Sam, what didyou say?
萨姆，你说是什么？
I made a guessat Africa.
我猜是在非洲。
Well, I'mafraid that's not right.
好吧，恐怕那不对。
Congratulationsthough to everyone who said South America.
不过，还是要恭喜所有选择南美洲的人。
Right, let'srecap today's words and expressions.
好的，让我们来回顾一下今天的单词和短语。
OK, well westarted with the word futurologist.
好的，我们从"未来学家"这个单词开始。
This is a nounto describe someone who studies and predicts the way we will be living in thefuture.
这是一个名词，用来描述研究和预测我们未来生活方式的人。
Then we hadtrend.
然后我们学了"趋势"。
This word candescribe what is popular now and the way in which what is popular is changing.
这个词可以描述现在流行的东西，以及流行的东西所改变的方式。
For example nowwe are seeing a trend for eating less red meat in some parts of the world.
例如，现在我们在世界的一些地方看到一种趋势——少吃红肉。
If you latchonto something, you become interested in it and associate yourself with it – weheard that people very quickly latch onto food trends.
如果你对事物产生浓厚兴趣，你就会对它感兴趣，并将自己与之联系起来——我们听说人们很快就会对食物的趋势产生浓厚兴趣。
Then there washunch.
然后是"预感"。
A hunch is afeeling about something you think might be true even though you don't have realevidence for it.
预感是你认为某事可能是真的的一种感觉，即使你没有真正的证据。
Ingestingsomething means taking it into your body, so eating or drinking it.
摄取某种东西指的是把它咽进肚子里，所以是吃或者喝。
And finally astringent rule is a very strict rule, a tough rule or law which in connectionto food is designed to make sure it is safe and of a suitable quality.
最后严格的规定是非常严格的规定，与食品相关的严格规定或法律旨在确保食物是安全的，且质量适合。
OK, thank you,Sam.
好的，谢谢你，萨姆。
That's all from6 Minute English.
以上就是今天六分钟英语的全部内容。
Goodbye!
再见！
Bye-bye!
