Passage　2

The　food　we　eat　seems　to　have　profound　effects　on　our　health.　Although　science　has　made　enormous　steps　inmaking　food　more　fit　to　eat,it　has,at　the　same　time,made　many　foods　unfit　to　eat.Some　research　has　shown　that　perhaps　eighty　percent　of　all　human　illnesses　are　related　to　diet　and　forty　percent　of　cancer　is　related　to　the　diet　as　well,especially　cancer　of　the　colon¹.Difficult　cultures　are　some　prone²　to　contract　certain　illnesses　because　of　the　food　that　is　characteristic　in　these　cultures.That　food　is　related　to　illness　is　not　a　new　discovery.In　1945,government　researchers　realized　that　nitrates　and　nitrites,commonly　used　to　preserve　color　in　meats,and　other　food　additives³,caused　cancer.Yet,these　carcinogenic　additives　remain　in　our　food,and　it　becomes　more　difficult　all　the　time　to　know　which　things　on　the　packaging　labels　of　processed　food　are　helpful　or　harmful.The　additives　which　we　eat　are　not　all　so　direct.Farmers　often　give　penicillin⁴　to　beef　and　poultry⁵　and　because　of　this,penicillin　has　been　found　in　the　milk　of　treated　cows.Sometimes　similar　drugs　are　administered(given)　to　animals　not　for　medicinal　purposes,　but　for　financial　reasons.The　farmers　are　simply　trying　to　fatten⁶　the　animals　in　order　to　obtain　a　higher　price　on　the　market.Although　the　Food　and　Drug　Administration　has　tried　repeatedly　to　control　these　procedures,the　practices　continue.


How　has　science　done　a　disservice　to　manmind?_____.[ANSWER]
A)Because　of　science,disease　caused　by　contaminated　food　has　been　virtually　done　away　with
B)It　has　caused　a　lack　of　information,concerning　the　value　of　food
C)As　a　result　of　scientific　intervention,some　potentially　harmful　substances　have　been　added　to　our　food
D)The　scientists　have　preserved　the　color　of　meats,but　not　of　vegetables　


What　are　nitrates　used　for?_____.[ANSWER]
A)They　preserve　flavor　in　packaged　foods
B)They　preserve　the　color　of　meats
C)They　are　the　objects　of　research
D)They　cause　the　animals　to　become　fatter


What　does　FDA　mean　as　an　organization?_____.[ANSWER]
A)Food　Direct　Additives
B)Final　Difficult　Analysis
C)Food　and　Drug　Administration
D)Federal　Dairy　Additives


The　word　carcinogenic　means　most　nearly　the　same　as　_____.[ANSWER]
A)trouble-making
B)color-retaining
C)money-making
D)cancer-causing


Which　of　the　following　statements　is　not　true?_____.[ANSWER]
A)Drugs　are　always　given　to　animals　for　medical　reasons
B)Some　of　the　additives　in　our　food　are　added　to　the　food　itself　and　some　are　given　to　the　living　animals
C)Researchers　have　known　about　the　potential　hazards　of　food　additives　for　over　thirty-five　years
D)Food　may　cause　forty　percent　of　cancer　in　the　world