Nobody likes home economics (家政学). But restoring the program could help us in the fight against obesity and chronic (慢性的) diseases today.
The home economics movement was founded on the belief that housework and food preparation were important subjects that should be studied scientifically. The first classes occurred in the agricultural and technical colleges that were built in the 1860s. When most departments of universities rejected women, home economics was a back door into higher education.
Indeed, in the early 20th century, home economics was a serious subject When few people understood germ (微生物) theory and almost no one had heard of vitamins, home economics classes offered vital information about washing hands regularly, eating fruits and vegetables and not feeding coffee to babies.
However, today we remember only the fixed ideas about home economics, forgetting the movement’s most important lessons on healthy eating and cooking. Too many Americans simply don’t know how to cook. Our diets, consisting of highly processed foods made cheaply outside the home, have contributed to many serious health problems. In the last decade, many cities and states have tried to tax junk food heavily or to ban the use of food stamps (食品券) to buy soda. Clearly, many people are doubtful about any governmental steps to promote healthy eating. But what if the government put the tools of obesity prevention in the hands of children themselves by teaching them how to cook?
My first experience with home economics happened two decades ago when I was a seventh grader in a North Carolina public school. A year later, my father’s job took our family to Wales, where I attended a large school for a few months. It was the first time I had ever really cooked anything. I remember that it was fun, and with an instructor standing by, it wasn’t hard. Those lessons stuck with me when I first started cooking for my husband and myself after college and they still do. Teaching cooking in public schools can help solve some problems facing Americans today. The history of home economics shows it’s possible.
【小题1】Home economics .A．is a subject being more and more popular with AmericansB．is often used to help fight against obesity and chronic diseasesC．once offered women a. special approach to university educationD．was first taught in the agricultural and technical colleges in the early 1900s【小题2】The third paragraph mainly tells us .A．the importance of regular hand washingB．the health benefits of fruits and vegetablesC．the contents of home economics classes in the early 20th centuryD．the significance of teaching home economics in the early 20th century【小题3】 In the opinion of the author, how should we fight against childhood obesity?A．Children should be taught how to cook.B．A heavy tax should be put on junk foodC．Healthy eating should be promoted at schoolD．Using food stamps to buy soda should be banned【小题4】What does the author imply in the last paragraph?A．Her family moved frequently in her childhood.B．Cooking classes have a far-reaching influence on her later life.C．To receive a better education, she went to a large school in Wales.D．Teaching cooking is the key to solving Americans’ health problems.C
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(答案→)C
解析：你知道家政学是什么吗？你知道它能帮助我们应对今天普遍出现的肥胖和疾病吗？科学持家和准备食物是一门学问。很多女性因此接受了高等教育，事实上，家政学要告诉我们应该健康饮食、健康烹饪。在公共学校里觉烹饪就可以解决当今美国存在的问题。家政学的历史就足以证明。
【小题1】细节理解题。 根据第二段的When most departments of universities rejected women, home economics was a back door into higher education.可知，大学拒绝女人，而家政学却给妇女解释高等教育开了后门意思与C（家政学提供给妇女一个接受高等教育的特殊方法。）一致。
【小题2】段落大意题。该段主要讲了家政学学习的重要意义：重视营养、勤洗手等。故选D。
【小题3】 推理判断题。根据But what if the government put the tools of obesity prevention in the hands of children themselves by teaching them how to cook?的意思判断，教孩子做饭可以减少孩子的肥胖。故选A。
【小题4】推理判断题。根据Those lessons stuck with me when I first started cooking for my husband and myself after college and they still do. 可知，烹饪课对她的影响深远。故选B。