Are you looking for a detailed breakdown of the Frozen Food reading passage from Cambridge 20? This passage falls under the “Historical Development” category, chronicling the fascinating journey of the frozen food industry.
To help you master this passage effectively, the article below provides comprehensive information, including the passage text, questions, a summary, vocabulary analysis, and—most importantly—the answer key with detailed explanations. Let’s walk through each section with IZONE!
Frozen Food IELTS Reading Passage Information
Passage Text
A US perspective on the development of the frozen food industry
At some point in history, humans discovered that ice preserved food. There is evidence that winter ice was stored to preserve food in the summer as far back as 10,000 years ago. Two thousand years ago, the inhabitants of South America’s Andean mountains had a unique means of conserving potatoes for later consumption. They froze them overnight, then trampled them to squeeze out the moisture, then dried them in the sun. This preserved their nutritional value-if not their aesthetic appeal.
Natural ice remained the main form of refrigeration until late in the 19th century. In the early 1800s, ship owners from Boston, USA, had enormous blocks of Arctic ice towed all over the Atlantic for the purpose of food preservation. In 1851, railroads first began putting blocks of ice in insulated rail cars to send butter from Ogdensburg, New York, to Boston.
Finally, in 1870, Australian inventors found a way to make ‘mechanical ice’. They used a compressor to force a gas-ammonia at first and later Freon-through a condenser. The compressed gas gave up some of its heat as it moved through the condenser. Then the gas was released quickly into a low-pressure evaporator coil where it became liquid and cold. Air was blown over the evaporator coil and then this cooled air passed into an insulated compartment, lowering its temperature to freezing point.
Initially, this process was invented to keep Australian beer cool even in hot weather. But Australian cattlemen were quick to realize that, if they could put this new invention on a ship, they could export meat across the oceans. In 1880, a shipment of Australian beef and mutton was sent, frozen, to England. While the food frozen this way was still palatable, there was some deterioration. During the freezing process, crystals formed within the cells of the food, and when the ice expanded and the cells burst, this spoilt the flavor and texture of the food.
The modern frozen food industry began with the indigenous Inuit people of Canada. In 1912, a biology student in Massachusetts, USA, named Clarence Birdseye, ran out of money and went to Labrador in Canada to trap and trade furs. While he was there, he became fascinated with how the Inuit would quickly freeze fish in the Arctic air. The fish looked and tasted fresh even months later.
Birdseye returned to the USA in 1917 and began developing mechanical freezers capable of quick-freezing food. Birdseye methodically kept inventing better freezers and gradually built a business selling frozen fish from Gloucester, Massachusetts. In 1929, his business was sold and became General Foods, but he stayed with the company as director of research, and his division continued to innovate.
Birdseye was responsible for several key innovations that made the frozen food industry possible. He developed quick-freezing techniques that reduced the damage that crystals caused, as well as the technique of freezing the product in the package it was to be sold in. He also introduced the use of cellophane, the first transparent material for food packaging, which allowed consumers to see the quality of the product. Birdseye products also came in convenient size packages that could be prepared with a minimum of effort.
But there were still obstacles. In the 1930s, few grocery stores could afford to buy freezers for a market that wasn’t established yet. So, Birdseye leased inexpensive freezer cases to them. He also leased insulated railroad cars so that he could ship his products nationwide. However, few consumers had freezers large enough or efficient enough to take advantage of the products.
Sales increased in the early 1940s, when World War II gave a boost to the frozen food industry because tin was being used for munitions. Canned foods were rationed to save tin for the war effort, while frozen foods were abundant and cheap. Finally, by the 1950s, refrigerator technology had developed far enough to make these appliances affordable for the average family. By 1953, 33 million US families owned a refrigerator, and manufacturers were gradually increasing the size of the freezer compartments in them.
1950s families were also looking for convenience at mealtimes, so the moment was right for the arrival of the ‘TV Dinner’. Swanson Foods was a large, nationally recognized producer of canned and frozen poultry. In 1954, the company adapted some of Birdseye’s freezing techniques, and with the help of a clever name and a huge advertising budget, it launched the first ‘TV Dinner’. This consisted of frozen turkey, potatoes and vegetables served in the same segmented aluminum tray that was used by airlines. The product was an instant success. Within a year, Swanson had sold 13 million TV dinners. American consumers couldn’t resist the combination of a trusted brand name, a single-serving package and the convenience of a meal that could be ready after only 25 minutes in a hot oven. By 1959, Americans were spending $2.7 billion annually on frozen foods, and half a billion of that was spent on ready-prepared meals such as the TV Dinner.
Today, the US frozen food industry has a turnover of over $67 billion annually, with $26.6 billion of that sold to consumers for home consumption. The remaining $40 billion in frozen food sales come through restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and schools, and that represents a third of the total food service sales.
Questions
Questions 1-7 Complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
The history of frozen food
2,000 years ago, South America
People conserved the nutritional value of 1……………….., using a method of freezing then drying.
1851, USA
2……………….. was kept cool by ice during transportation in specially adapted trains.
1880, Australia
Two kinds of 3……………….. were the first frozen food shipped to England.
1917 onwards, USA
Clarence Birdseye introduced innovations including:
quick-freezing methods, so that 4……………….. did not spoil the food.
packaging products with 5……………….. so the product was visible.
Early 1940s, USA
Frozen food became popular because of a shortage of 6…………………
1950s, USA
A large number of homes now had a 7…………………
Questions 8 – 13 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- The ice transportation business made some Boston ship owners very wealthy in the early 1800s.
- A disadvantage of the freezing process invented in Australia was that it affected the taste of food.
- Clarence Birdseye travelled to Labrador in order to learn how the Inuit people froze fish.
- Swanson Foods invested a great deal of money in the promotion of the TV Dinner.
- Swanson Foods developed a new style of container for the launch of the TV Dinner.
- The US frozen food industry is currently the largest in the world.
Summary of the Frozen Food Passage
The passage describes the development of the frozen food industry, primarily from a US perspective.
- Early stages: Humans have known how to use ice to preserve food for thousands of years, from storing winter ice to the unique Andean method of preserving potatoes.
- 19th Century: Transporting natural ice by ship and rail became common. Later, Australian inventors created “mechanical ice,” allowing for frozen meat exports, though quality was initially compromised by ice crystal formation.
- The Clarence Birdseye Turning Point: In the early 20th century, Clarence Birdseye was inspired by the Inuit method of quick-freezing fish, leading him to develop techniques that reduced food damage. He also introduced key packaging innovations, such as cellophane.
- Obstacles and Opportunities: The industry faced initial hurdles due to a lack of freezers in stores and homes. However, World War II boosted sales because canned goods were rationed (tin was needed for munitions).
- The Boom (1950s): Refrigerators became common in American homes. Capitalizing on the demand for convenience, Swanson Foods launched the “TV Dinner,” which was an instant success and shaped new consumer habits.
- Present Day: The US frozen food industry has grown into a massive market with tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue.
Key Vocabulary and Structures
- Preserve (v): To keep something in its original state.
Example: At some point in history, humans discovered that ice preserved food.
- Nutritional value (noun phrase): The quantity and quality of nutrients in food.
Example: This preserved their nutritional value-if not their aesthetic appeal.
- Palatable (adj): Pleasant to taste.
Example: While the food frozen this way was still palatable, there was some deterioration.
- Deterioration (n): The process of becoming progressively worse.
Example: While the food frozen this way was still palatable, there was some deterioration.
- Innovate (v): To make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods.
Example: …his division continued to innovate.
- Obstacles (n): Things that block one’s way or prevent progress.
Example: But there were still obstacles.
- Munitions (n): Military weapons, ammunition, and equipment.
Example: …tin was being used for munitions.
- Turnover (n): The amount of money taken by a business.
Example: Today, the US frozen food industry has a turnover of over $67 billion annually…
- Useful Structure: “A was responsible for B” (A is the person or entity that caused or created B).
Example: Birdseye was responsible for several key innovations that made the frozen food industry possible.
This is a formal way to acknowledge someone’s contribution or role in an invention or event.
Answer Key with Detailed Explanations
Questions 1-7
1. Answer: potatoes
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 1, sentence 3: “…the inhabitants of South America’s Andean mountains had a unique means of conserving potatoes for later consumption.”
2. Answer: butter
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 2, final sentence: “In 1851, railroads first began putting blocks of ice in insulated rail cars to send butter from Ogdensburg, New York, to Boston.”
3. Answer: meat
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 4, sentences 2-3: “…they could export meat across the oceans. In 1880, a shipment of Australian beef and mutton was sent…” Beef and mutton are both types of meat.
4. Answer: crystals
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 7, sentence 2: “He developed quick-freezing techniques that reduced the damage that crystals caused…”
5. Answer: cellophane
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 7, sentence 3: “He also introduced the use of cellophane, the first transparent material for food packaging, which allowed consumers to see the quality of the product.”
6. Answer: tin
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 9, sentences 1-2: “…World War II gave a boost to the frozen food industry because tin was being used for munitions. Canned foods were rationed to save tin for the war effort…”
7. Answer: refrigerator
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 9, final sentence: “By 1953, 33 million US families owned a refrigerator…”
Questions 8-13
8. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: Paragraph 2 mentions that Boston ship owners towed ice across the Atlantic, but the text provides no information regarding whether they became “very wealthy” as a result.
9. Answer: TRUE
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 4, final sentence: “…this spoilt the flavor and texture of the food.” “Flavor” is synonymous with “taste.”
10. Answer: FALSE
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 5, sentence 2: “…Clarence Birdseye… went to Labrador in Canada to trap and trade furs.” His purpose for the trip was fur trading, not learning how to freeze fish. His fascination with the Inuit method was incidental.
11. Answer: TRUE
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 10, sentence 2: “…and with the help of a clever name and a huge advertising budget, it launched the first ‘TV Dinner’.” A “huge advertising budget” aligns with “invested a great deal of money in the promotion.”
12. Answer: FALSE
Location & Explanation: Paragraph 10, sentence 3: “This consisted of frozen turkey, potatoes and vegetables served in the same segmented aluminum tray that was used by airlines.” Swanson adapted existing airline trays, they did not develop a new style of container.
13. Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The final paragraph mentions the massive scale of the US frozen food industry ($67 billion annually), but the text makes no comparison to other countries. We do not know if it is “the largest in the world.”
Through this detailed guide, we hope you have gained a comprehensive understanding of how to approach Note Completion and True/False/Not Given questions. Mastering the logic of locating information and matching keywords is the key to achieving a high score.
Continue applying this analytical method to other passages in the Cambridge 20 series and your other prep materials to sharpen your skills. Good luck with your studies and achieving your target IELTS band score!
Khai giảng Khóa học Hè cực HOT.
No comments yet!