A
(2021·云南模拟)
When our ancestors were peasants in the earliest days of agriculture, the daily schedule was: work in the field all day, eat midday meal in the field, continue working in the field.Today, after centuries of human advancement, it goes something like: work in coffee shop all day, buy and eat lunch there, continue toiling away on laptop until the sun sets.Though it may seem like the tech boom and gig economy(临时工经济) led the way in this modern mobile work style, working and dining have always been intertwined.In major cities like New York, Washington D. C. , Sydney and Hong Kong, restaurants are changing into official co-working spaces during off-peak hours.
Dr.Megan Elias, director of the gastronomy program at Boston University, says food and business have been linked since as far back as the ancient Sumer (who established civilization as we know it around 4000 B. C. ) “What we think of as street food has always been part of human civilization, ” she says.“There have always been marketplaces where humans came together to conduct some kind of business — like trading grain, trading animals or building houses.As long as there have been marketplaces, people have been eating at them while also doing business. ”
The first example of a brick-and-mortar “restaurant” came during the merchant economy in the 15th and 16th centuries, according to Elias.During this stage in European, African, and East and South Asian history, inns allowed merchant businessmen to rest — and of course, eat — throughout their travels.During the colonial era of the 1600s and 1700s, concrete examples of American restaurants emerged as “Coffee Houses”.Coffee Houses were places that had newspapers, which at the time were very small and commercial, author and social historian Jan Whitaker explains.
Coffee houses remained tradesman staples throughout the early 19th century, with simple menu items like rolls and meat pies.More “grand meals, ” as Elias calls them, were still taking place within homes for non-traveling folk.But, when the U. S.began industrializing in the 1840s and people stayed near workplaces during the day, eating establishments popped up around factories.
“Industrialization of the city is also restaurantization of the city, ” Elias says.“Places sprung up to serve a business lunch crowd and an after-work dining crowd again, still doing business. ”
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了餐馆的演变历史。
1. How does the author mentioned our ancestors in Paragraph 1?
A. To make comparisons.
B. To present figures.
C. To raise questions.
D. To give examples.
【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据第一段中: 在农业发展初期, 我们的祖先还是农民的时候, 每天的日程: 整天在田间劳作, 中午在田间吃饭, 继续在田间劳作。今天, 经过几个世纪的人类进步, 它是这样的: 整天在咖啡馆工作, 在那里买和吃午饭, 继续用笔记本电脑工作, 直到太阳下山。可知, 作者是通过比较农业发展初期和今天的工作方式来提到我们的祖先的。故选A项
2. When did restaurants begin to provide not only eating but sheltering?
A. Around 4000 B. C.
B. In the 15th and 16th centuries.
C. During the 1600s and 1700s.
D. In the early 19th century.
【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第三段中: 据Elias说, 第一个实体“餐馆”出现在15和16世纪的商业经济时期。在欧洲、非洲、东亚和南亚历史的这一阶段, 客栈允许商人在旅途中休息——当然, 也可以吃饭。可知, 餐馆是在15和16世纪开始不仅提供吃饭, 而且提供住宿。故选B项。
3. What can we learn about Coffee Houses?
A. Newspapers were produced there first.
B. The food served there was limited at first.
C. They were especially popular around factories.
D. It was a perfect place for entertainment and eating.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据第四段中: 在整个19世纪早期, 咖啡馆一直是商家的主要部分, 菜单上的菜品很简单, 比如面包卷和肉饼。更多的“大餐”, 正如Elias所说, 仍在家里为不旅行的人准备。可知, 咖啡馆起初供应的食物有限。故选B项。
4. What can be the best title of the text?
A. The function of eating out.
B. The slow formation of the modern city.
C. The evolution of the restaurant.
D. The age of more work, less eating.
【解析】选C。主旨大意题。根据第一段中: 在纽约、华盛顿特区、悉尼和香港等大城市, 餐馆在非高峰时间变成了正式的联合办公区。第三段中: 据Elias说, 第一个实体“餐馆”出现在15和16世纪的商业经济时期。以及通读全文, 可知本文主要讲述了餐馆的历史演变, 因此本文的最佳标题选项C“餐馆的演变”符合题意。故选C项。
【知识拓展】 【词汇积累】
schedule n. 计划(表); 时间表 v.安排, 预定; 将……列入计划表或清单
advancement n.前进, 进步; 提升
according to 按照
