上海新世纪英语高二全部课文（包括Additional Reading）及重点词组高二第一学期1. Food in the United StatesMany changes are taking place in food styles in the United States. The United States is traditionally famous for its very solid and unchanging diet, chiefly made up of meat and potatoes. Now people in America have many different choices: ethnic food, health food, and fast food, in addition to the traditional home-cooked meal.Ethnic restaurants and supermarkets are common in the United States. Being a country of immigrants, the United States enjoys a wide variety of ethnic food. Most American cities and towns are filled with restaurants serving international cooking. Many even have ethnic sections: Chinatown, Little Italy, or Germantown. Having vast ethnic choices, Americans can enjoy food from all over the world. Besides sections of cities, there are ethnic regions, which are well-known for certain food because of the people who have settled there. For example, in southern California, there are many Mexican restaurants.Health food became popular when people began to think more seriously about their physical well-being. Health food is fresh, natural, and unprocessed food, which does not contain preservatives to make it last longer or chemicals to make it taste or look better. People who are keen on health food are usually vegetarians. They dont eat meat, but live on beans, cheese, and eggs.Fast food restaurants are now expanding rapidly all over the country. In the United States, speed is a very important concept. People usually have a short lunch break because they just do not want to waste their time eating. Fast food restaurants are places that take care of hundreds of people in a short time. There is usually very little waiting, and the food is always cheap. Burger and pizza places are just two examples.Americans attitude toward food is changing, too. The traditional big breakfast is no longer popular. However, coming to rediscover the social importance of food, Americans find that dinner with family and friends is a very special of enjoying time together. Like so many people in other cultures, many Americans are taking time to relax and enjoy a wider variety of tastes at dinner, even if they still rush through lunch at a hamburger stand.2. The worlds best ethnic foodHow can you travel the world without leaving your own country? Visit an ethnic restaurant! Trying foods from other countries is a great way to experience different cultures. People around the world have unique and creative ways of preparing food. The ingredients they use may surprise you.So what are the worlds best ethnic foods? Everyone has his or her own personal favourites, and so do we. The following are the worlds three best ethnic foods-other than Chinese food, of course!ITALIAN When you visit an Italian restaurant, order a pasta(意大利面食) dish. The Italians have hundreds of ways of preparing this food. Pastas usually come with flavourful tomato or cream sauces, which give the dishes a powerful, rich flavour. There are also different kinds of cheese.When ordering Italian food, you choose one main dish for yourself. You may, however, order an appetizer to share with everyone at the table.MEXICAN Whats great about Mexican food? Most of it you can pick up and eat with your hands!One major Mexican food is the tortilla(尤指墨西哥人食用的玉米薄饼). Mexican chefs mold this corn or flour-based material into round, flat shapes. The tortilla then gets filled with ingredients such as cheese, meat, sour cream, beans and other vegetables. Tortilla dishes can be fried, baked or toasted. Dont forget to add hot sauce-Mexican food is great with a bit of spice!INDIAN India is the land of curries and strong flavours. You can smell a good Indian restaurant even before you walk through the door!The eating method of Indian food also takes a bit of getting used to. Peal off some flat fried bread and use this “spoon” to get food from a shared dish. You can finish the meal with Indian-style milk tea.While Chinese food is great, try something new and expand your horizons. After all, variety is the spice of life!3. The global drinkTea, the global drink, is consumed around the world more than any other drink except water. Originating in China, tea has long established itself as the national drink of this country, the nation with the biggest population on earth.A century before the birth of Christ, tea was described in Chinese texts as a health drink that made one live longer. Tea is still being regarded as such. Scientific studies have suggested that drinking five cups of tea a day can be compared to having two servings of vegetables. Both green and black teas are claimed to be effective for preventing cancer, heart disease, and many other deadly disease. There is only one point people need to be aware of when they drink tea-it should not be drunk along with meals. This is because an element contained in tea can interfere with the bodys absorption of ir