英语听力精选进阶版 6402

Public trust in the food industry has been shaken recently after it came to light that some processed meat sold in British and Irish supermarkets as beef was actually horsemeat.

The Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "At the moment this appears to be an issue of fraud and mislabelling." He's promised an investigation¹.

Food fraud is nothing new. Once upon a time, it might have been watered down beer or bread adulterated with sawdust.

Today, rising food prices, long supply chains and high mark ups on some foods have made deception² easier and more profitable, according to BBC reporters Tom de Castella and Brian Wheeler, who've been covering the scandal.

Hundreds of tonnes of fraudulent food were seized in raids across Europe in December 2011. Operation Opson targeted ports, airports and businesses in 10 countries, including the UK.

Among the products seized were 13,000 bottles of substandard olive oil, 30 tonnes of fake tomato sauce and about 77,000 kg of counterfeit³ cheese.

More recently, a rise in fraud has made high value products like organic and free range particularly vulnerable. In one case, an Italian gang were jailed for selling organic soya beans which were found to have been treated with pesticides⁴.

Stuart Shotton, of Food Chain Europe, which advises food manufacturers in compliance⁵ with safety laws, says: "As long as there are premium⁶ prices to pay for certain products, there will always be people out there looking to make a fast buck⁷."

DNA⁸ testing has been useful in confirming if a product is authentic⁹. But experts suggest that there might always be some doubt if a product is really what it claims to be.

Quiz 测验

1. What is making people in Britain and the Republic of Ireland suspicious of food?

Some beef products found in supermarkets were actually made of horsemeat.

2. What was done to beer and bread in the past?

Beer had extra water added in and sawdust was mixed into bread.

3. Is this statement true, false or non-applicable? Organic products can't be the object of fraud.

False. It is mentioned in the text that a gang in Italy sold organic soya beans that had actually been treated with pesticides.

4. Which expression means that something was revealed?

To come to light.

5. Which expression means to sell something for a higher price?

A mark up.

Glossary 词汇表

trust 信任，信赖

to come to light 显露出来fraud欺骗

the mislabelling 错贴标签

to water down 掺水，冲淡

to adulterate （在食物中）掺入杂质，掺假

a mark up 加价，抬价

deception 骗局，欺诈

fraudulent 欺诈的

to seize 没收

a raid 突击搜捕，搜查

substandard 不合格的，劣质的

fake 假的，冒充的

counterfeit 假冒的

organic 有机的

free range 自由放养的

compliance 遵守，服从

to make a fast buck （不择手段，弄虚作假）挣快钱，快速致富

authentic 真的

to claim 声称

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 deception   

n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计

参考例句：

• He admitted conspiring to obtain property by deception.他承认曾与人合谋骗取财产。
• He was jailed for two years for fraud and deception.他因为诈骗和欺诈入狱服刑两年。

3 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

4 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

6 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

7 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

8 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

9 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。