點外賣是一種很好的享受，既省時，又省事。現在，用智能手機點外賣比以往任何時候都要容易。這也許就是為什么有越來越多的人選擇美味的外賣快餐。但對于經常吃外賣的人來說，不光是金錢，身體健康可能也要付出代價。

詞匯：eating 飲食

Feeling hungry? If you’re feeling peckish or famished, what’s the easiest way to satisfy your hunger? Many of us will reach for a takeaway menu and order some delicious – but possibly unhealthy – food.  And our increasingly busy and hectic lives add to our need to buy ready-made food on the go or delivered to home.

Eating options are endless, and new technology means we can feed our cravings at the push of a button. Takeaway delivery apps make ordering food quick and convenient, and during the recent coronavirus crisis, it provided a lifeline to those stuck at home with nothing to cook or who lacked the skills to prepare a meal for themselves. It’s estimated that in the UK alone, people eat three million takeaway meals a day, and the three biggest delivery apps together offer a choice of 100 cuisines from 60,000 restaurants.  Amelia Brophy, Head of UK Data Products at YouGov, told the BBC that its research “suggests that the frequency of takeaways ordered is expected to increase in the future.”

It’s no wonder we are tempted to skip the grocery shopping, bypass the kitchen, and tuck into something that someone else has prepared.  But ordering a deep crust pizza, a spicy curry or a box of noodles, can come at a price both financially and to our health. Eating too much processed and unhealthy fast food has some effect on obesity and the risk of developing certain metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. A few years ago, The BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that most people ate fast food on average two days per week. But, in the 16 to 20-year-old category, one in six ate fast food at least twice a day.

Of course, reducing salt, sugar and fat is one way to make takeaway food healthier, as well as offering smaller portion sizes. But the best advice you might want to take away from this Takeaway English is to find a recipe book and try making your own nutritious meal. And if you haven’t got time, try ordering a healthier alternative from the menu.  

詞匯表

peckish 有點餓的，微餓的
famished 非常饑餓的
hunger 饑餓感
menu 菜單
ready-made 現成的，預先做好的
craving 難以抑制的渴求
cook 做飯
meal 餐食，一頓飯
cuisine 美食
grocery 食品雜貨
tuck into 盡情地吃，痛快地吃
deep crust pizza 深盤比薩
spicy 辣的
curry 咖喱
noodles 面條
processed 經過加工的
obesity 肥胖
fast food 快餐
portion （食物）一份
recipe book 食譜
nutritious 有營養的

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What has helped make ordering and delivering takeaway food easy?

2. True or false: It’s estimated around 60,000 takeaway meals are eaten in the UK every day.

3. Why might someone choose to order a takeaway meal?

4. What increases the risk of developing certain metabolic and cardiovascular diseases?

5. According to the article, how can you make the food you eat healthier?

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I have a _______ for chocolate so I’ve bought a whole box to last me the weekend!

tempted                         peckish                           craving                      portion

2. How long is it until dinner? I’ve been working in the garden all day and I am _______.

famish                            famished                        famishing                  famishes

3. I’m trying to be healthy so I have a _______ of green beans with my meal.

ready-made                    nutritious                       portion                      menu

4. I’m going to be late home tonight so I’ll heat up a _______ meal from the freezer.

ready-make                    ready-making                made-ready              ready-made 

5. I’m feeling a bit _______ so I’ll have a banana to keep me going until dinner time.

peckish                           craving                          nutritious                   processed

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。  

1. What has helped make ordering and delivering takeaway food easy?
New technology such as takeaway delivery apps makes ordering food quick and convenient.

2. True or false: It’s estimated around 60,000 takeaway meals are eaten in the UK every day.
False. It’s estimated that in the UK alone, people eat three million takeaway meals a day.

3. Why might someone choose to order a takeaway meal?
They might not have time to cook or they might lack the skills to cook their own food.

4. What increases the risk of developing certain metabolic and cardiovascular diseases?
Eating too much processed and unhealthy fast food has some effect on obesity and the risk of developing certain metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

5. According to the article, how can you make the food you eat healthier?
Making your own nutritious meal or ordering a healthier alternative from a takeaway menu will make what you eat healthier.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I have a craving for chocolate so I’ve bought a whole box to last me the weekend!

2. How long is it until dinner? I’ve been working in the garden all day and I am famished.

3. I’m trying to be healthy so I have a portion of green beans with my meal.

4. I’m going to be late home tonight so I’ll heat up a ready-made meal from the freezer.

5. I’m feeling a bit peckish so I’ll have a banana to keep me going until dinner time.