第四十五篇
Some People Do Not Taste Salt Like Others
Low-salt foods may be harder for some people to like than others，according to a study by a Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences1 food scientist. The research indicates that genetic factors influence some of the difference in the levels of salt we like to eat.
Those conclusions are important because recent，well-publicized efforts to reduce the salt content in food2 have left many people struggling to accept fare that simply does not taste as good to them as it does to others3，pointed out John Hayes，assistant professor of food science，who was lead investigator4 on the study.
Diets high in salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. That is why public health experts and food companies are working together on ways to help consumers lower salt intake through foods that are enjoyable to eat. This study increases understanding of salt preference and consumption.
The research involved 87 carefully screened participants who sampled salty foods such as soup and chips，on multiple occasions，spread out over weeks5.Test subjects were 45 men and 42 women，reportedly healthy，ranging in age from 20 to 40 years. The sample was composed of individuals who were not actively modifying their dietary intake and did not smoke cigarettes. They rated the intensity of taste on a commonly used scientific scale，ranging from barely detectable to strongest sensation of any kind.
“Most of US like the taste of salt. However，some individuals eat more salt，both because they like the taste of saltiness more，and also because it is needed to block other unpleasant tastes in food. "said Hayes." Supertasters，people who experience tastes more intensely，consume more salt than nontasters do. Snack foods have saltiness as their primary flavor，and at least for these foods，more is better，so the supertasters seem to like them more.”
However，supertasters also need higher levels of salt to block unpleasant bitter tastes in foods such as cheese，Hayes noted. "For example，cheese is a wonderful blend of dairy flavors from fermented milk，but also bitter tastes from ripening that are blocked by salt," he said. "A supertaster finds low-salt cheese unpleasant because the bitterness is too pronouncedo6."
Hayes cited research done more than 75 years ago by a chemist named Fox and a geneticist named Blakeslee，showing that individuals differ in their ability to taste certain chemicals. As a result，Hayes explained，we know that a wide range in taste acuity exists，and this variation is as normal as variations in eye and hair color.
“Some people，called supertasters，describe bitter compounds as being extremely bitter，while others. called nontasters，find these same bitter compounds to be tasteless or only weakly bitter，"he said." Response to bitter compounds is one of many ways to identify biological difterences in food preference because supertasting7 is not limited to bitterness. (476)
词汇：
publicize v.引起公众对…的注意;(用广告)宣传 ferment v.(使)发酵
geneticist n.遗传学家
dietary adj.饮食的;规定食物的 acuity n.敏锐;尖锐
注释：
1.Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences：即Penn State University-College of Agricultural Sciences宾州州立大学农学院。Penn是Pennsylvania的缩写，是美国宾夕法尼亚州州名。宾州州立大学建于1855年，在全国共有24个分校。在句中，Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences用作定语，修饰food scientist。
2.well-publicized efforts to reduce the salt content in food：大力宣传减少食物含盐量的做法
3.1eft many people struggling to accept fare that simply does not taste as good to them as it does to others：使得许多人努力去接受适合其他人而不适合他们口味的食物。fare相当于food。
4.1ead investigator：研发项目负责人
5.…carefully screened participants who sampled salty foods as soup and chips，on multiple occasion，spread out over weeks：……经过仔细筛选的实验参与者，他们在几周内的不同时间里品尝了汤和薯条等含盐食物。
6.too pronounced：此处pronounced为形容词，意为very noticeable，conspicuous(明显的，显著的)。
7.supertasting：超重味感
练习：
1.In paragraph 2，John Hayes points out that
A.it is good to health to eat food without salt.
B.many people reject low-salt food completely.
C.many people accept low-salt tasteless food reluctantly
D.food with reduced salt tastes better.
2.The fourth paragraph describes briefly
A.how to select subjects and what to do in the research.
B.how to identify supertasters and nontasters.
C.why to limit the number of subjects to 87 persons.
D.why to select more male subjects than female ones.
3.The article argues that supertasters
A.1ike the taste of saltiness to block sweet tastes in food. .
B.1ike snack foods as saltiness is their primary flavor.
C.consume less salt because they don t like intensive tastes.
D.1ike to share salty cheese with nontasters.
4.Which of the following applies to supertasters in terms of bitter taste?
A.They like bitterness in foods as well as saltiness.
B.They like high-salt cheese as it has intense bitter taste.
C.They prefer high-salt cheese，which tastes less bitter.
D.They prefer high-salt cheese as it is good to health.
5.What message do the last two paragraphs carry?
A.Taste acuity is genetically determined.
B.Taste acuity is developed over time after birth.
C.Taste acuity is related to one’s eye and hair color.
D.Taste acuity is still a mysterious subject in science.
答案与题解：
1.C 根据短文的第二段内容，很多人因为食物中的含盐量降低，所以必须做出很大努力(struggling)去适应，而低盐食物对于他们来说，口味很不好(fare that simply does not taste…good to them)。选项C有accept reluctantly(勉强接受)表达了这层意思，所以是正确的选择。A、B、D三个选项均是错误的。
2.A第四段介绍了科学家是如何设计这项研究的，它包含了研究对象的人数、性别、人选条件、咸度味感分级表等。选项A概括了这方面的内容，所以是答案。而选项B、C、D所述内容均不符合该段的意思。
3.B短文的第五段提供了答案。supertaster在这里的意思是：口味重的人，在本文中，nontaster是其反义词，即，口味清谈的人。该段告诉我们，口味重的人消耗更多的盐;因为快餐食品的主要味道就是咸味，而且咸度越高，口味越好，所以口味重的人对快餐较为偏爱。选项B表达了上述内容，所以是答案。
4.C短文第六段提供了答案。该段告诉我们，奶酪发酵会产生苦味，supertasters不喜欢苦味，而高含盐量可以盖住奶酪里的苦味，这是他们偏爱高盐奶酪的原因。所以，只有C是正确选择。
5.A 文章第七段中，Hayes引用了75年前一位遗传学专家的实验。从这项实验中，Hayes得出的结论是，Taste acuity(味觉敏度)上的差异与他们头发和眼睛的颜色上的差异是同一类
现象，也就是说，都是与生俱来的。第八段又说，这是一种biological difference(生物差异)，所以A是答案。B说味觉敏度是后天形成的，显然与作者的结论相左。C说味觉敏度的差异与头发和眼睛的颜色上的差异有关，显然是错误的。D的内容在最后两段都没有提到，所以不会是答案