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--- lesson 23 One man's meat is another man's poison |
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--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below. |
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--- What was it about snails that made the writer collect them for his friend on that day in particular? |
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People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten. |
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If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy. |
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You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive. |
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On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat -- the normally accepted practice in many northern countries. |
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The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives. |
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No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail. |
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Cooked in wine, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world. |
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There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food. |
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My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised. |
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As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own. |
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For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him. |
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The idea never appealed to me very much, |
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but one day, after heavy shower, |
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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. |
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Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paper bag, and took them to Robert. |
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Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift. |
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I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living room where we talked for a couple of hours. |
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I had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner. |
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Snails would, of course, be the main dish. |
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I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room. |
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To our dismay, we saw that there were snails everywhere: |
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they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall! |
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I have never been able to look at a snail since then. |