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  3. Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food. Fergus Clydesdale, head of

Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food. Fergus Clydesdale, head of

admin2013-02-16  92
问题     Many Americans harbor a grossly distorted and exaggerated view of most of the risks surrounding food. Fergus Clydesdale, head of the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, says bluntly that if the dangers from bacterially contaminated chicken were as great as some people believe, "the secrets would be littered with people lying here and there:"
    Though the pubic increasingly demands no-risk food, there is no such thing. Bruce Ames, chairman of the biochemistry department at the University of California, Berkeley, points out that up to 10% of a plant’s weight is made up of natural pesticide. Says he, "since plants do not have jaws or teeth to protect themselves, they employ chemical warfare." And many naturally produced chemicals, though occurring in tiny amounts, prove in laboratory tests to be strong carcinogens — a substance that can cause cancer. Mushrooms might be banned if they were judged by the same standards that apply to food additives. Declares Christina Stark, a nutritionist at Cornell University: "We’ve got far worse natural chemicals in the food supply than anything man-made."
    Yet the issues are not that simple. While Americans have no reason to be terrified to sit down at the dinner table they have every reason to demand significant improvements in food and water safety. They unconsciously and unwillingly take in too much of too many dangerous chemicals. If food already contains natural carcinogens, it does not make much sense to add dozens of new man-made ones. Though most people will withstand the small amounts of contaminants generally found in food and water, at least a few individuals will probably get cancer one day because of what they eat and drink.
    To make good food and water supplies even better, the Government needs to tighten its regulatory standards, stiffen its inspection program and strengthen its enforcement policies. The food industry should modify some long-accepted practices or turn to less hazardous alternatives. Perhaps most importantly, consumers will have to do a better job of learning how to select and cook food properly. The problems that need to be tackled exist all along the food-supply chain, from fields to processing plants to kitchens.
What is the message the author wants to convey in the passage?
选项 A、Immediate measures must be taken to improve food production and processing.
B、Eating and drinking have become more hazardous than before.
C、There is reason for caution but no cause for alarm with regard to feed consumption
D、Healthy food is not a dream in modern society
答案C
解析 本题为主旨分析题。从文章第一段可知，作者认为大多数美国人夸大了食物可能存在的风险。后来分析了这个危险存在的原意，以及从政府到企业再到人民应该怎样应对这一问题。C选项概述了全文的中心思想。A选项是文章最后一段的主题，但并非全文的中心思想。作者并没有说饮食存在的风险比之前更大，B选项属无中生有。D选项范围过于宽泛。作者只是说不用过于担心食品安全的问题。因此，C选项正确。
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