阅读理解。
MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a food additive (食品添加剂), which has been widely used by many
food factories all over the world since it appeared first in Japan in 1909.
MSG is a substance that is added to some food to improve its original (原先的) taste and colour. It is
used in foods around the world such as cakes, bread, frozen meats, fish and vegetables. In the beginning,
people thought MSG was safe just like salt and sugar. However, in 1968 some people reported they seemed
to have bad reactions (反应) to MSG after having had a meal at a restaurant. They included headaches and
quick heartbeat (心跳). It was also reported that MSG excited a person's brain and caused his death in Japan.
Scientists think that MSG may lead to many neurological disorders (神经紊乱). In mice studies done by a
university, the evidence showed the mice didn't want to eat the food including MSG.
Today many food companies"hide" MSG on food labels (标签) by using different names. If you see
"natural flavorings", "hydrolyzed protein" and "spices" in a food label, you are probably seeing a hidden way
to "report" MSG in a food label. Every time we have a meal in a restaurant, we always feel the food very
delicious to taste, but sometimes it is dangerous for our health because some poisonous food additives have
been added to the food.
To protect people's health, our governments, from central to local, are taking actions to stop factories
producing poisonous food additives.
1. Monosodium Glutamate is _______.
A. a food
B. an additive
C. a factory
D. a country
2. MSG is often used in _______.
A. frozen meats
B. cups
C. clothes
D. book covers
3. The examples in the second paragraph tell us ________.
A. the food including MSG is delicious
B. people like to eat in a restaurant
C. mice like eating the food including MSG
D. MSG is not safe sometimes
4. If you see "natural flavorings", "hydrolyzed protein" and "spices" in a food label, you will know—________.
A. you must eat the food in a hidden way
B. the food label must be hidden
C. MSG is probably added to the food
D. you must report the food to your parents
5. The underlined word "substance" in the article means __________.
A. colour
B. material
C. taste
D. food
