Use of English (2020)

Even if families don’t sit down to eat together as frequently as before, millions of Britons will nonetheless have got a share this weekend of one of that nation’s great traditions: the Sunday roast. [1] a cold winter’s day, few culinary pleasures can [2] it. Yet as we report now, the food police are determined that this [3] should be rendered yet another guilty pleasure [4] to damage our health.

The Food Standards Authority (FSA) has [5] a public warning about the risks of a compound called acrylamide that forms in some foods cooked [6] high temperatures. This means that people should [7] crisping their roast potatoes, reject thin-crust pizzas and only [8] toast their bread. But where is the evidence to support such alarmist advice? [9] studies have shown that acrylamide can cause neurological damage in mice, there is no [10] evidence that it causes cancer in humans.

Scientists say the compound is [11] to cause cancer but have no hard scientific proof. [12] the precautionary principle, it could be argued that it is [13] to follow the FSA advice. [14], it was rumoured that smoking caused cancer for years before the evidence was found to prove a [15].

Doubtless a piece of boiled beef can always be [16] up on Sunday alongside some steamed vegetables, without the Yorkshire pudding and no wine. But would life be worth living? [17], the FSA says it is not telling people to cut out roast foods [18], but to reduce their lifetime intake. However, its [19] risks coming across as being pushy and overprotective. Constant health scares just [20] with no one listening.

[A]In

[B]Towards

[C]On

[D]Till

[A]match

[B]express

[C]satisfy

[D]influence

[A]patience

[B]enjoyment

[C]surprise

[D]concern

[A]intensified

[B]privileged

[C]compelled

[D]guaranteed

[A]issued

[B]received

[C]ignored

[D]cancelled

[A]under

[B]at

[C]for

[D]by

[A]forget

[B]regret

[C]finish

[D]avoid

[A]partially

[B]regularly

[C]easily

[D]initially

[A]Unless

[B]Since

[C]If

[D]While

10.

[A]secondary

[B]external

[C]conclusive

[D]negative

11.

[A]insufficient

[B]bound

[C]likely

[D]slow

12.

[A]On the basis of

[B]At the cost of

[C]In addition to

[D]In contrast to

13.

[A]interesting

[B]advisable

[C]urgent

[D]fortunate

14.

[A]As usual

[B]In particular

[C]By definition

[D]After all

15.

[A]resemblance

[B]combination

[C]connection

[D]pattern

16.

[A]made

[B]served

[C]saved

[D]used

17.

[A]To be fair

[B]For instance

[C]To be brief

[D]In general

18.

[A]reluctantly

[B]entirely

[C]gradually

[D]carefully

19.

[A]promise

[B]experience

[C]campaign

[D]competition

20.

[A]follow up

[B]pick up

[C]open up

[D]end up

答案与解析 (Answers)

1. [C] On. 解析：表示在具体某一天（a cold winter's day）用介词 on。

2. [A] match. 解析：几乎没有什么烹饪乐趣能“比得上（match）”它。其他选项：express表达，satisfy满足，influence影响。

3. [B] enjoyment. 解析：代指上文的“culinary pleasures（烹饪乐趣）”，对应 enjoyment（享受/乐趣）。

4. [D] guaranteed. 解析：被“注定（guaranteed）”会损害我们的健康。因为“食品警察”已经下定决心，所以是被断定/注定有害的。

5. [A] issued. 解析：issue a warning 意为“发布警告”。FSA发布了一项公共警告。

6. [B] at. 解析：at high temperatures 固定搭配，意为“在高温下”。

7. [D] avoid. 解析：既然高温烤会有丙烯酰胺，人们应该“避免（avoid）”把土豆烤脆。

8. [A] partially. 解析：与烤脆相对，面包只应该“部分地/稍微（partially）”烤一下。

9. [D] While. 解析：前后分句构成让步转折。“尽管（While）”研究表明会导致老鼠神经损伤，但没有确凿证据表明会导致人类癌症。

10. [C] conclusive. 解析：没有“确凿的/决定性的（conclusive）”证据证明致癌。

11. [C] likely. 解析：科学家说这种化合物“可能（likely）”致癌，但没有科学证据。

12. [A] On the basis of. 解析：“基于（On the basis of）”预防原则。

13. [B] advisable. 解析：遵循FSA的建议是“明智的/可取的（advisable）”。

14. [D] After all. 解析：“毕竟（After all）”，在发现证据之前，吸烟致癌也谣传了多年。

15. [C] connection. 解析：证明吸烟和癌症之间的“联系/因果关系（connection）”。

16. [B] served. 解析：serve up 意为“端上桌/提供（食物）”。一块水煮牛肉总能端上桌。

17. [A] To be fair. 解析：“公平地说/平心而论（To be fair）”，FSA说并不是让人完全不吃。

18. [B] entirely. 解析：不是让人“完全（entirely）”戒掉烤制食品，而是减少摄入。

19. [C] campaign. 解析：指代FSA的这项“宣传活动/运动（campaign）”。

20. [D] end up. 解析：end up with... 意为“最终以...告终”。不断的健康恐慌最终只会导致没人听。

核心长难句精解 (Highlighted Sentences)

1. 让步状语与插入语结构：
"Even if families don’t sit down to eat together as frequently as before, millions of Britons will nonetheless have got a share this weekend of one of that nation’s great traditions: the Sunday roast."
 【解析】Even if 引导让步状语从句。主句中 nonetheless（尽管如此）强化了转折语气。冒号后是对“伟大传统”的具体解释。 
【翻译】即使家庭不再像以前那样频繁地坐在一起吃饭，数以百万计的英国人这周末依然会分享这个国家的伟大传统之一：周日烤肉。 
2. 宾语从句与动词搭配：
"Yet as we report now, the food police are determined that this enjoyment should be rendered yet another guilty pleasure guaranteed to damage our health."
 【解析】are determined that 引导宾语从句。render 意为“使成为”。guaranteed to 过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰 pleasure。 
【翻译】然而正如我们现在所报道的，食品卫生官员已下定决心，要将这种享受渲染成又一种注定会损害我们健康的“有罪的快乐”。 
3. 让步与对比结构：
"While studies have shown that acrylamide can cause neurological damage in mice, there is no conclusive evidence that it causes cancer in humans."
 【解析】While 在句首表示“尽管/虽然”，引导让步状语从句。主句中的 that 引导同位语从句解释 evidence。该句通过老鼠与人类的对比，指出证据的局限性。 
【翻译】尽管研究表明丙烯酰胺会导致小鼠神经损伤，但没有确凿的证据表明它会导致人类患癌。 