# Food flavor - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 1） - 最近考试：2026.8.23太原理工学院 - 题目数：13 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/e55ee687-2eb2-46b2-819e-faff67036392（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 A Look at the labels on the food in your kitchen. You'll find 'flavor' in almost every list of ingredients. These additives give processed food most of its taste. Research has demonstrated that people usually buy a food item the first time because of its packaging or appearance, but flavor determines whether they buy it again. The canning, freezing, and dehydrating techniques used in processing food destroy most of its flavor and so a vast industry has arisen to make processed food attractive to eat. B Scientists believe that human beings acquired the sense of taste to avoid being poisoned. Edible plants generally taste sweet, harmful ones bitter. The taste buds on our tongues can detect the presence of half a dozen basic tastes, but they offer a limited means of detection compared with the human sense of smell, which can perceive thousands of different aromas. Indeed, what we commonly perceive as 'flavor' is primarily the smell of gases produced by the chemicals we've just released by chewing our food. Flavor in previous centuries C The human desire for flavor has been a largely unacknowledged force in history, but for millennia royal empires have been built and unexplored lands 'discovered' in the search for flavor enhancers such as spices. In 1492, Christopher Columbus, usually credited with the European discovery of the Americas, set sail with the primary goal of finding a more direct way to the East Indies, the source of popular natural seasonings. Today, the rise and fall of corporate empires of soft-drink makers, snack-food companies, and fast-food chains – is often determined by the flavor of their products. D The flavor industry emerged in the mid-19th century as processed food began to be manufactured on a large scale. The food processing industry soon recognized the need to add more taste to their products and turned to the great perfume houses of England, France and the Netherlands. These companies used their long experience of working with essential oils and volatile aromas to develop and supply the industry with flavor additives. In the early 20th century, Germany took the technological lead in flavor production, owing to its powerful chemical industry. In the late 1940s, much of the fashion industry shifted from Europe to the USA, and the fragrance and flavor industries also moved in the same direction soon afterwards. The invention of gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers scientific instruments capable of detecting low levels of the volatile gases used to create flavors – vastly increased the number of flavors that could be created artificially. Humans versus machines E Today, improved models of these sophisticated instruments can provide detailed analyses of food's flavor components, detecting chemical aromas present in amounts as low as one part per billion. The nose, however, is even more sensitive. A nose can detect aromas present in amounts of a small number of parts per trillion. The smell of strawberries comes from about 350 chemicals that are present in minute amounts. Complex aromas, such as those of coffee and roasted meat, are composed of volatile gases from nearly a thousand chemicals. Color and taste F Many flavor companies also manufacture color additives used to make food look appealing. Food coloring is often made from the same basic color compounds as those used for making other, surprisingly different, products. A case in point is titanium dioxide, which gives many processed foods, such as candies, a bright white color, and is also a common ingredient in women's cosmetics, as well as in many oil paints. G Studies have found that the color of a food greatly affects how its taste is perceived. Brightly-colored foods frequently seem to taste better than paler-colored foods, even when the flavor compounds are identical. Humans have probably always relied on visual cues to help determine what is edible. The color of fruit suggests its ripeness, the color of meat its freshness. It is not uncommon for flavor researchers to employ colored lights to modify visual cues. During one such experiment, people were served an oddly-colored meal of steak and fries that appeared normal under these lights. Everyone thought the meal tasted fine until the lighting was changed and it became apparent that the steak was blue and the fries were green, at which point some people became ill. Food ingredients H Consumers seem to prefer foods containing flavors labeled as 'natural', but the distinction between 'artificial' and 'natural' flavors is inconsistent and somewhat absurd, depending on whether the flavor has been derived from its contents. Amyl acetate, for example, provides the dominant ingredient of the banana flavor. When it is distilled from bananas with a solvent, it is classified as 'natural'. When produced by mixing vinegar with amyl alcohol and adding sulphuric acid as a catalyst, amyl acetate is considered 'artificial'. Either way, it smells and tastes exactly the same. The North American flavor industry I The North American flavor industry now has annual revenues of billions of dollars. Approximately 10,000 new processed food products are introduced every year in the USA and almost all of them require flavor additives. In fact, nine out of ten of these new product introductions end in failure. But the potential profits are huge for those companies producing the products which do succeed. As the flavor additives are often less expensive than the food's packaging, food companies are only too happy to try out a variety of new flavors. Even in soft drinks, which contain a larger percentage of flavor additives than most other products, the flavor adds a relatively minor amount to the expense of production. ## 题目与答案 ### 1. 1 The brain determines which aromas we are aware of. 1 The brain determines which aromas we are aware of. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：The taste buds on our tongues can detect the presence of half a dozen basic tastes, but they offer a limited means of detection compared with the human sense of smell, which can perceive thousands of different aromas. Indeed, what we commonly perceive as 'flavor' is primarily the smell of gases produced by the chemicals we've just released by chewing our food 同义替换：「aromas」↔「aromas」；「determines which aromas we are aware of」↔「」 ### 10. · to test the effects of visual cues on taste, researchers use 10_____ to change the appearance of foods. · to test the effects of visual cues on taste, researchers use 10_____ to change the appearance of foods. **答案**：coloured lights 原文定位：It is not uncommon for flavor researchers to employ colored lights to modify visual cues 同义替换：「researchers」↔「flavor researchers」；「use」↔「employ」；「change the appearance of foods」↔「modify visual cues」 ### 11. Food ingredients ·ingredients described as natural tend to appeal buyers ·amyl acetate, which provides the main flavour of 11_____ , can either be produced from the original source or created artificially Food ingredients ·ingredients described as natural tend to appeal buyers ·amyl acetate, which provides the main flavour of 11_____ , can either be produced from the original source or created artificially **答案**：banana 原文定位：Amyl acetate, for example, provides the dominant ingredient of the banana flavor. When it is distilled from bananas with a solvent, it is classified as 'natural'. When produced by mixing vinegar with amyl alcohol and adding sulphuric acid as a catalyst, amyl acetate is considered 'artificial 同义替换：「amyl acetate」↔「amyl acetate」；「main flavour」↔「dominant ingredient」；「original source」↔「natural」 ### 12. The flavour industry in the USA ·the use of distinctive flavours is considerable, although trials of most new food products result in 12_____ The flavour industry in the USA ·the use of distinctive flavours is considerable, although trials of most new food products result in 12_____ **答案**：failure 原文定位：Approximately 10,000 new processed food products are introduced every year in the USA and almost all of them require flavor additives. In fact, nine out of ten of these new product introductions end in failure 同义替换：「new food products」↔「new processed food products」；「most」↔「nine out of ten」 ### 13. ·the proportion of flavour added to 13_____ is higher than for most other products. ·the proportion of flavour added to 13_____ is higher than for most other products. **答案**：soft drinks 原文定位：Even in soft drinks, which contain a larger percentage of flavor additives than most other products, the flavor adds a relatively minor amount to the expense of production 同义替换：「proportion」↔「percentage」 ### 2. 2 The sense of taste is as efficient as the sense of smell. 2 The sense of taste is as efficient as the sense of smell. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：The taste buds on our tongues can detect the presence of half a dozen basic tastes, but they offer a limited means of detection compared with the human sense of smell, which can perceive thousands of different aromas 同义替换：「sense of taste」↔「sense of taste」；「sense of smell」↔「sense of smell」；「as efficient as」↔「limited means of detection compared with the human sense of smell」 ### 3. 3 Personal tastes in food are developed in infancy. 3 Personal tastes in food are developed in infancy. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 同义替换：「Personal tastes」↔「」；「developed in infancy」↔「」 ### 4. 4 Christopher Columbus found many different spices on his travels. 4 Christopher Columbus found many different spices on his travels. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：In 1492, Christopher Columbus, usually credited with the European discovery of the Americas, set sail with the primary goal of finding a more direct way to the East Indies, the source of popular natural seasonings 同义替换：「Christopher Columbus」↔「Christopher Columbus」；「spices」↔「natural seasonings」 ### 5. 5 In the mid-1880s, man-made flavors were originally invented on purpose. 5 In the mid-1880s, man-made flavors were originally invented on purpose. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：The flavor industry emerged in the mid‑19th century as processed food began to be manufactured on a large scale. The food processing industry soon recognized the need to add more taste to their products and turned to the great perfume houses of England, France and the Netherlands. These companies used their long experience of working with essential oils and volatile aromas to develop and supply the industry with flavor additives 同义替换：「man‑made flavors」↔「flavor additives」 ### 6. 6 The flavour industry followed the fashion industry from Europe to the USA in the late 1940s. 6 The flavour industry followed the fashion industry from Europe to the USA in the late 1940s. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：TRUE 原文定位：In the late 1940s, much of the fashion industry shifted from Europe to the USA, and the fragrance and flavor industries also moved in the same direction soon afterwards 同义替换：「fashion industry」↔「fashion industry」；「flavour industry」↔「flavour industry」；「followed」↔「moved in the same direction soon afterwards」 ### 7. 7 The precision instruments used to create huge numbers of flavours were invented in the USA. 7 The precision instruments used to create huge numbers of flavours were invented in the USA. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：The invention of gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers scientific instruments capable of detecting low levels of the volatile gases used to create flavors – vastly increased the number of flavors that could be created artificially 同义替换：「huge numbers of flavours」↔「vastly increased the number of flavours」；「were invented in the USA」↔「」 ### 8. Food flavour Colour and taste ·chemical colour compounds e.g 8_____ , are used in foods and other unrelated products Food flavour Colour and taste ·chemical colour compounds e.g 8_____ , are used in foods and other unrelated products **答案**：titanium dioxide 原文定位：A case in point is titanium dioxide, which gives many processed foods, such as candies, a bright white color, and is also a common ingredient in women's cosmetics, as well as in many oil paints ### 9. · it is likely that people have always used the appearance of food to find out whether it is 9_____ or not. · it is likely that people have always used the appearance of food to find out whether it is 9_____ or not. **答案**：edible 原文定位：Humans have probably always relied on visual cues to help determine what is edible 同义替换：「have always used」↔「have probably always relied on」；「appearance of food」↔「visual cues」；「find out」↔「determine」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。