Passage 1 The fridge is considered a necessity, it has been so since the 1960s when packaged food first appeared with the label: “Store in the refrigerator.”
(1) In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthy. The milkman came daily, the grocer, the butcher (肉商), the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered two or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus (剩余的) bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted, and we were never troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh vegetables are almost unobtainable in the country.
(2) The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food preservation. A vast way of well-tried techniques already existed—natural cooling, drying, smoking, salting, sugaring, bottling...
(3) What refrigeration did promote was marketing—marketing hardware and electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing dead bodies of animals around the globe in search of a good price.
(4) Consequently, most of the world’s fridges are to be found, not in the tropics where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mild temperatures where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of fridges hum away continuously, and at vast expenses, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled space inside an artificially-heated house—while outside, nature provides the desired temperature free of charge.
(5) The fridge’s effect upon the environment has been evident, while its contribution to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don' t believe me, try it yourself. Invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss the hamburgers (漢堡包), but at least you’ll get rid of that terrible hum.
Passage 2 Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will spoil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. (1) Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. (2) The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.
One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to obedience train (馴服) it. Obedience training doesn't solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do.
Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of “come here, sit,” it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the dog pack (群) by using extreme measures. (3) You can teach your dog its subordinate (從屬的) role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge.
Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.
