Ice Cream Taster Has Sweet Job John Harrison has what must be the most wanted job in the United States. He’s the official taster for Edy’s Grand Ice Cream, one of the nation’s best-selling brands. Harrison’s taste buds are insured for $1 million. ___1___ And when he isn’t doing that, he travels, buying Edy’s in supermarkets all over the country so that he can check for perfect appearance, texture, and flavor. After I interviewed Harrison, I realized that the life of an ice cream taster isn’t all Cookies ’n Cream — a flavor that* he invented, by the way. No, it’s extremely hard work, which requires discipline and selflessness. For one thing, he doesn’t swallow on the job. Like a coffee taster, Harrison spits. Using a gold spoon to avoid “off” flavors, he takes a small bite and moves it around in his mouth to introduce it to all 9,000 or so taste buds. ___2___ Then he breathes in gently to bring the aroma up through the back of his nose. Each step helps Harrison evaluate whether the ice cream has a good balance of dairy, sweetness, and added ingredients 一 the three-flavor components of ice cream. Then, even if the ice cream tastes heavenly, he puts it into a trash can. A full stomach makes it, impossible to judge the quality of the flavors. During the workweek, Harrison told me that he has to make other sacrifices, too: no onions, garlic, or spicy food, and no caffeine. Caffeine will block the taste buds, he says, so his breakfast is a cup of herbal tea. ___3___ Harrison’s family has been in the ice cream business in one way or another1 for four generations, so Harrison has spent his entire life with it2. However, he has never lost his love for its cold, creamy sweetness. ___4___ On these occasions3, he does swallow, and he eats about a quart (0.95 liters) each week. By comparison4, the average person in the United States eats 23.2 quarts (21. 96 liters) of ice cream and other frozen dairy products each year. Edy’s ice cream is available in dozens of flavors. So what flavor does the best-trained ice-cream taster in the country prefer? Vanilla! In fact, vanilla is the best-selling variety in the United States. ___5___ “It’s a very complex flavor,” Harrison says. 词汇： taste bud 味蕾 texture /'tekst /a/ n. 质地 aroma / 'r um / n. 芳香 vanilla /v 'ml / n. 香草 注释： 1. in one way or another：以某种方式,用这样或那样的方式 2. has spent his entire life with it：为此他已付出一生。spend.…with sth.：花(时间等)在某事上 3. on these occasions：在这种场合下 4. by comparison：相比之下 练习： A However, you should never call it plain vanilla. B He even orders ice cream in restaurants for dessert. C Next he smack-smack-smacks his lips to get some air into the sample. D This is a small price to pay for what he calls the world’s best job. E In his younger days, he would help out at the ice cream factory his uncle owned. F He gets to sample 60 ice creams a day at Edy’s headquarters in Oakland, California.
1. F 文中第一段讲了Harrison的工作情况。后文提到他休假时的情况，所以此处应为对他工作状态的介绍。 2. C 第二段主要介绍了他工作时品尝冰淇淋的过程。前文介绍了刚入口中的情况，此处应该是后续介绍。 3. D 第四段讲了他为此工作做出的牺牲。 4. B 此处前文讲到他仍然爱吃冰淇淋，所以此处B选项最符合原文。 5. A 根据后文讲“香草是一种复杂的口味”可以推断此处应为A选项。 冰淇淋品尝师一一一份甜蜜的职业 约翰·哈瑞森拥有一份可能是美国人最想要的工作。他是一名职业的冰淇淋品尝师，供职于美国最畅销的冰淇淋品牌之一Edy’s Grand Ice Cream。哈瑞森已经给味蕾投保了100万美元。他每天要在位于加州奥克兰的Edy’s总部尝试60种冰淇淋样品。休假时，他会去旅行，并且到全国各地的超市买来Edy’s产品，以便检査外观，质地和口味是否完美。 在采访完哈瑞森之后，我发现一个冰淇淋品尝师的生活并不像他发明的奶油曲奇味雪糕那样甜。这是一个需要克制和无私的艰难工作。 首先，工作时他不能咽下冰淇淋，只能像咖啡品尝师那样吐出。为了避免其他味道的混入，他用金制的汤匙舀取冰淇淋，咬一小口在口中搅动，让大约9 000个味蕾全部都能感觉到味道，然后他不断咂嘴唇好让空气进入口中。接着，他轻轻吸一口气，让冰淇淋的芳香窜入鼻中。每一个步骤都有助于哈瑞森判断出这款冰淇淋的牛奶、甜度和添加剂这三种成分是否已达到完美的平衡。即使这个冰淇淋尝起来极其美味，他接下来也会把它扔到垃圾桶里。饱腹感是不可能判断出口味的品质的。 哈瑞森告诉我说，在工作周，他也不得不做出很多牺牲：不能吃洋葱、大蒜或辣的食物以及含咖啡因的食物。因为咖啡因会限制味蕾，所以他早饭时只喝一杯花草茶。这只是他为了自己口中世界上最好的工作所付出的一个小代价。 哈瑞森的家族中已经有四代人以这样或那样的方式在冰淇淋行业工作，所以他已经为此付出了一生。但他并没有失去对这种凉爽油腻的甜品的爱。他甚至会在餐厅中点冰淇淋作为甜品。在这些时候，他会咽下它们，他每周大概会吃掉一夸脱（0.95升）的冰淇淋。而美国普通人平均每年要吃掉23.2夸脱（21. 96升）的冰淇淋和其他冰冻奶制品。 Edy’s的冰淇淋有几十种口味。哪种口味才是这个国家最有经验的冰淇淋品尝师的最爱呢 香草味的！事实上，香草口味是全美最畅销的。但是，你不能称它是纯香草口味。“这是个很复杂的口味，”哈瑞森说道。
