2008年4月30日 星期三

Got Hard Bread and Cheese? Fondue Is for You

In the rugged mountains of 18th-century Switzerland, winters could be bitterly cold and last many months. The residents of Canton Neuchatel devised a clever way to make those difficult months a lot more delicious. At that time, most food in Switzerland was produced during the summer and fall, and large quantities of easily-preserved food like bread, cheese, and wine had to be stockpiled to be eaten during the winter months. That worked well enough,but after being stored for long periods, the cheese became rock solid, and the bread became so hard that it had to be chopped with an ax. With brick-like food and cold bodies, the Swiss would gather around a pot hanging over a stove and toss in the hard cheese with some wine and local spices. Mixing the cheese and wine over the heat produced a rich, creamy sauce. The hard bread was dipped into the sauce and quickly made soft and delicious. The word fondue comes from the French word for "to melt."

The idea spread throughout Europe, and numerous local varieties sprang up incorporating local cheeses and spices. However, people found the traditional recipe so tasty that even after modern storage techniques were invented, they continued to indulge in it. French peasants working in vineyards also created their own version. They dipped chunks of uncooked meat into boiling oil and then dipped the meat into other sauces that often included melted cheese. American tourists discovered the dish in the 1950s, and it became widely popular in the US.
Chocolate fondue is a modern adaptation in which chocolate is heated, liquefied, and sometimes cycled through a fountain. Lucky diners dip pieces of fruit in the melted chocolate for a truly delectable treat. Yummy!
-------------------
1.This artical is about the fondue .
2.
a.incorporate vt. 包含;併入
bitterly adv. 非常地;嚴厲地
stockpile vt. 貯存

b.indulge in...  沉溺於∕放縱於……
3.I chose this artical because i very like to eat hot pot. and i also like the fondue. The fruit like banana or apple throw into the melt chocolate. it really delicious.

I''ve Got to Hand It to You

n the 1930s, actresses on the silver screen looked elegant and sophisticated. What was the finishing touch to their look that made women across the Western world wish to imitate them? It was the perfect polish on their long fingernails. Manicuring and painting nails is not a new thing. The first known instances of nail care date back to China in 3000 BC when members of the royal family used a mixture of silver, gold, egg whites, and beeswax to color and protect their nails. The paint used on fingernails in the 1930s and today, however, was actually made possible as a result of innovations in the automotive paint industry.

The cosmetics company Revlon was started in 1932. Its founders used nail polishes that were pigment-based instead of dyes, and they had polishes available in a variety of colors. Up until that point, nail polish was only available in various shades of red. Revlon also brought in vogue the idea of matching nail and lip color.
During the first half of the 20th century, men would receive manicures along with a haircut, shave, and shoeshine in a package deal. Over time, manicures for men went out of fashion. Yet, in the 1990''s, men once again started to care about the appearance of their nails. Now, men and women alike can be seen in nail salons getting their nails cleaned, trimmed, polished, and even painted. From natural to acrylic, fingernails come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Getting a manicure is one way to pamper yourself and look well kept without breaking the bank.

-----------------
1.This artical is about the nail art to the women and men.
2.
a.manicure vt. 修剪(指甲)& n. 修指甲
sophisticated a. 世故的;
pigment-based a. 以顏料為底的精緻的
trim vt. 修整

b.go/be out of fashion  不流行
in vogue  蔚為風尚
break the bank  花大錢

3.I chose this artical because i love nail art. It is very beautiful. I had been nail art once. my sister bought a lot of nail polish. She is a patient person. She drow my fingernail abou one hour. and the product were very cute. But actually two days after.when i wash my hand, they were broken....

A Good Diet

Diet fads are always coming and going. Almost every month, there's a hot new way to lose weight and get in shape.In 2003, the Atkins Diet (also known as the Atkins Nutritional Approach) reached such a high popularity that almost 1 in 10 Americans was using it to lose weight.
Dr. Atkins believed that obesity had become a problem in the Western world because people were consuming too many carbohydrates. Through many trials, Dr. Atkins found that lowering carbohydrate intake helped patients lose weight and stay healthy. Atkins also claimed that too much blame was laid on fatty foods for America's obesity problems, and that the real culprits were carbohydrates.
Controversy over the real health benefits of Dr. Atkins' methods came about when some patients ended up suffering from heart disease. Elevated protein intake from fatty meats was most likely the problem. One dieter even attempted to sue Atkins after he underwent heart surgery for conditions which he believed were caused by use of the Atkins Diet.
A good diet is more than likely based on a balanced intake of food and daily exercise. It doesn't need to be complicated. Foods high in fat or sugar should only be eaten occasionally. Fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meats are excellent daily sources of the nutrition we need to lead healthy lives. People who want to avoid the need for extreme diets should exercise every day and eat a logical, healthy balance of foods.
------------------------
1. This artical is about diet. How can it become more effciently,but not to hurt people's health.
2.
a.obesity n. 肥胖
carbohydrate n. 碳水化合物
culprit n. 問題的起因;罪犯


b.come and go  來來去去;時有時無
attempt to V  企圖∕試圖(做)……
3.I chose this artical because i ever been to going a diet. i konw that is very difficul to lose weight. Although there are a lot of directions to lose weught, i think that exerciseing everyday is really a good way . because it is very healthly . So i often went to swim with my mother when i decided to go on a diet. And it's really work.

60 Tons of Paint

If you''d lived in Paris between 1889 and 1930, you would have enjoyed the sight of the world''s tallest building. La Tour Eiffel was named after its head contractor, Gustave Eiffel, and was built to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. It remained the world''s tallest structure until it was surpassed by New York City''s 319-meter-high Chrysler Building in 1931.
Today''s towers built close to the Eiffel''s height are most often used for communication. Television, radio, and cell phone companies depend on such towers to transmit their signals. But the Eiffel Tower was built before radio communication was necessary, and even before the radio was invented.
As one of the world''s most famous monuments, the tower has attracted a lot of attention, but not all Parisians welcomed its construction. The French writer Guy De Maupassant supposedly hated the structure, but ate at its restaurant every day. When asked why, he remarked that it was the only place in the city from which he couldn''t see the tower. During the years between 1925 and 1930, the tower acted as the world''s largest sign, advertising cars for the French company, Citroen. When the German army invaded Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut as Hitler''s men stormed the city. However, German soldiers still climbed all the way to the tower''s flagpole in order to fly the swastika.
Modern structures make the Eiffel Tower look small in comparison. Today''s architects design populated buildings that surpass 500 meters—nearly double the height of the Eiffel Tower. Even so, the romance continues, and the tower welcomes over 6 million visitors per year. To keep the 118-year-old structure looking fresh, 60 tons of paint are reapplied every 8 years! Through it all, the grand old tower lives on.


---------------------
1. This artical is about The Eiffel Tower in Paris.

2.
a. storm vt. 猛攻,突襲 & vi. 氣沖沖地走
centennial n. 一百年(紀念)
swastika n. 納粹黨徽(反卍字形)

b. through it all  經歷風風雨雨
in comparison  相較之下
supposedly adv. 據稱,據說

3.I chose this artical because I think the Eiffel Tower is very beautiful. I really want that one day I can go there. To see the building and eat their food and so on in Paris.