《新概念英语》One Man's Meat is Another Man's Poison 朗读正文
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Welcome to today's New Concept English lesson. We'll explore the famous idiom 'One Man's Meat is Another Man's Poison.' This saying captures a fundamental truth about human nature - that people have vastly different tastes, preferences, and opinions. What brings joy and satisfaction to one person might be completely unappealing or even harmful to another. This idiom reminds us to respect diversity in opinions and understand that our personal preferences are not universal truths.
Now let's prepare for reading by reviewing essential vocabulary from the text. First, 'poison' - pronounced with stress on the first syllable. 'Delicacy' refers to fine or special food. 'Appetite' means the desire for food. 'Disgust' expresses strong dislike. 'Preference' indicates a choice or favor. 'Beneficial' means helpful or advantageous. 'Harmful' means causing damage. And 'perspective' refers to a particular viewpoint. Understanding these words will help you follow the text more easily.
People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten. If you lived in the Mediterranean, you would consider octopus a great delicacy. You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive. On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat.
The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives. No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail. Cooked in wine, snails are a great delicacy in France. There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food.
My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised. As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own. For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him. The idea never appealed to me very much, but one day, after heavy rain, I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants. This story perfectly demonstrates how one man's meat is truly another man's poison.