Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been used in cooking for over a century to enhance flavor. It is often found in Chinese dishes and many other cuisines. Despite its common use, many people misunderstand the safety of MSG.
The bad __1__ of MSG started in the late 1960s, when a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine described symptoms like a racing heart, weakness, and numbness after the writer ate Northern Chinese food. While no specific cause was __2__, a series of questionable studies in 1968 began to point the finger at MSG.
In one such study, neurologist Herbert Schaumburg and his colleagues performed experiments that were later __3__ for their design. In the first part, two individuals who had negative reactions after dining at a Chinese restaurant ate MSG-rich soup in the same restaurant, and four others were given pure MSG. All participants reported feeling __4__. In the second part, 55 out of 56 people who __5__ pure MSG on an empty stomach reported symptoms like burning and facial pressure. The third part involved nine people with a history of headaches, who were given three bowls of chicken broth, one of which was salted to __6__ the added MSG. Only two reported headaches.
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
味精（MSG）用於烹飪來增強風味已有超過一世紀的歷史。味精經常出現在中華料理和許多其他菜餚中。儘管味精廣泛受到使用，但許多人誤解了味精的安全性。
味精的不良聲譽始於 1960 年代晚期，當時有一封寫給《新英格蘭醫學期刊》的信描述了信函作者在吃了中國北方菜以後出現的症狀，如心跳加速、虛弱和麻木。雖然沒有找出具體原因，但 1968 年一連串有問題的研究開始將矛頭指向味精。
在一項這樣的研究中，神經學家赫爾伯特．紹姆堡和同事進行了實驗，那些實驗後來因設計而遭受批評。在第一部分的實驗中，兩名在中餐廳用餐後出現不良反應的人在同一間餐廳飲用富含味精的湯，另有四人被給予純味精來食用。所有受測者皆表示感到不適。在第二部分的實驗中，空腹食用純味精的五十六人中有五十五人表示有灼熱感和臉部壓力等症狀。第三部分的實驗包含九名有頭痛病史的人，他們被給予三碗雞湯，其中一碗加了鹽來掩蓋添加的味精。只有兩人表示頭痛。
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
Word in Use
1. flavor n.（食物的）風味∕味道
The ice cream had a sweet flavor that all of us enjoyed.
那種冰淇淋有著我們所有人都喜歡的甜味。
2. misunderstand vt. 誤解，誤會
John misunderstood the instructions and made the wrong choice.
約翰誤解了指示而做出錯誤的選擇。
3. questionable a. 有問題的，可疑的
The scientist’s findings were questionable and needed more proof.
那位科學家的研究發現是有問題的，尚需更多證據。
Practical Phrases
1. get a bad rap 聲譽不佳
rap n. 看法【俚】責備；埋怨；批評【美】罪責；刑罰；刑期 T
The new restaurant got a bad rap because of some early mistakes.
那間新餐廳因為初期出了一些錯誤而名聲不佳。
2. a series of. . . 一連串∕一系列的……
series n. 系列（單複數同形）
The manager attended a series of meetings throughout the day.
經理一整天下來參加了一連串的會議。
3. point the finger at. . . 將矛頭指向……
The public began to point the finger at the government for its failure to address the crisis.
大眾開始將矛頭指向政府，指責政府未能處理好此次危機。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
Australia’s strict immigration policies have long been criticized, particularly for how they treat people with disabilities. Having been residents of Australia for years, Scottish Laura Currie and her Italian partner, Dante Vendittelli, recently experienced the impact of these immigration policies. Their son Luca, born in Australia and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, became the reason their residency application was denied due to the anticipated high healthcare costs. Had Luca been healthy, there would have been no objections to their permanent residency. This case not only highlights discrimination against disabled individuals, but also raises questions about fairness and inclusion within Australia’s immigration
A ‘Dutch angle’ is a classic camera technique that has been used in filmmaking since the 1920s, when it was introduced to Hollywood by German Expressionists. Why is it called the Dutch angle if it’s actually German? In fact, it has no __1__ to the Netherlands. The term “Dutch” is widely believed to be a misinterpretation of “Deutsch,” which means German in the German language. In any event, the name stuck, and the Dutch angle remains a popular cinematic tool to this day. This technique involves tilting the camera on its x-axis, skewing the shot to create a sense of
A: After holding nine concerts in Kaohsiung and Taipei recently, “God of Songs” Jacky Cheung will stage three extra shows later this week. B: They’re compensation for the three shows he postponed last year due to illness. A: He also canceled three more shows in Guangzhou last month. His health is worrisome. B: When touring Guangzhou, he dedicated his hit “She Is Far Away” to late singer Khalil Fong. That’s so touching. A: Online music platform KKBOX has also launched a campaign to pay tribute to Fong. I can’t believe he died so young: he was only 41. A:
A: After “God of Songs” Jacky Cheung sang for late singer Khalil Fong recently, music streaming service KKBOX also paid tribute to Fong by releasing his greatest hits online. B: The 20th KKBOX Music Awards ceremony is taking place at the K-Arena in Kaohsiung tomorrow. Fong performed at the ceremonies in the past. A: Who are the performers this year? B: The performers include Taiwanese groups 911, Wolf(s), Ozone, Singaporean pop diva Tanya Chua, and K-pop group Super Junior. A: South Korean stars actually took four spots among KKBOX’s 2024 Top 10 singles, showing that K-pop is still
RSS