Tekst 7
Eating habits
Mac attack
ȱ
FASTȱFOODȱNATION:ȱTHEȱDARKȱSIDEȱOFȱTHEȱALLȬ AMERICANȱMEAL.ȱByȱEricȱSchlosser.ȱHoughtonȱ Mifflin;ȱ356ȱpages;ȱ$25ȱ
ȱ
1
AREȱburgersȱandȱfriesȱaȱproductȱofȱtheȱproȬ foundȱsocialȱchangesȱofȱtheȱpastȱ50ȱyears,ȱorȱ wereȱtheyȱtoȱaȱlargeȱextentȱresponsibleȱforȱ them?ȱEricȱSchlosser,ȱtheȱauthorȱofȱthisȱattackȱ onȱmultinationalȱrestaurantȱbrandsȱoptsȱforȱtheȱ latterȱexplanation.ȱ“ThereȱisȱnothingȱinȬevitableȱaboutȱtheȱtriumphȱofȱtheȱfastȱfoodȱ nation,”ȱheȱconcludes.ȱButȱitȱhappenedȱneverȬ thelessȱand,ȱinȱhisȱview,ȱitȱisȱtoȱbeȱblamedȱforȱ manyȱofȱtheȱevilsȱofȱmodernȱAmericaȱandȱtheirȱ globalȱspread.ȱ
2
TheȱmodernȱphenomenonȱofȱfastȱfoodȱoriȬ ginatedȱinȱCaliforniaȱjustȱbeforeȱtheȱsecondȱ worldȱwar.ȱToday,ȱthereȱisȱscarcelyȱaȱcornerȱofȱ theȱworldȱthatȱisȱfreeȱfromȱMcDonalds’ȱtradeȬ markȱgoldenȱarches,ȱinvariablyȱspawningȱaȱ clusterȱofȱrivalȱchainsȱsellingȱhamburgers,ȱ pizzas,ȱorȱfriedȱchicken,ȱdoledȱoutȱbyȱsmilingȱ teenagersȱwillingȱtoȱacceptȱminimalȱpay.ȱTheyȱareȱcheap,ȱcheerful,ȱpopularȱandȱchildrenȱloveȱ them.ȱ
3
SoȱjustȱwhatȱisȱMrȱSchlosser’sȱbeef?ȱApartȱ fromȱhisȱnutritionalȱreservationsȱ–ȱtooȱmuchȱ fat,ȱsaltȱandȱsugarȱ–ȱheȱdocumentsȱhow,ȱasȱtheȱ chainsȱexpanded,ȱtheyȱwereȱableȱtoȱdictateȱ termsȱtoȱtheȱsuppliersȱofȱpotatoesȱandȱgroundȱ beef,ȱtheirȱbasicȱingredients.ȱThisȱcausedȱanȱ upheavalȱinȱagribusiness,ȱasȱaȱfewȱlargeȱ suppliersȱquicklyȱforcedȱlessȱefficientȱproduȬ cersȱoutȱofȱtheȱmarket.ȱTheȱdriveȱtoȱkeepȱdownȱ costsȱandȱincreaseȱtheȱspeedȱofȱproductionȱledȱ toȱtheȱemploymentȱofȱcheapȱunskilledȱlabourȱ andȱtoȱtheȱwidespreadȱtolerationȱofȱdangerousȱ andȱunhygienicȱpracticesȱamongȱgrowersȱandȱ processors,ȱwhichȱregulatoryȱbodiesȱhaveȱfailȬ edȱtoȱpolice.ȱ4
MrȱSchlosser,ȱwhoȱisȱaȱskilfulȱandȱperȬ suasiveȱinvestigativeȱreporter,ȱseesȱallȱthisȱasȱaȱ damagingȱcorruptionȱofȱtheȱfreeȱmarket.ȱHeȱisȱ especiallyȱincensedȱbyȱpromotionalȱtechniquesȱ aimedȱatȱimpressionableȱchildren.ȱAȱ1997ȱgiveȬ awayȱofȱTeenieȱBeanieȱBabiesȱincreasedȱtheȱ saleȱofȱMcDonalds’ȱHappyȱMealsȱfromȱ10mȱaȱ weekȱtoȱ10mȱaȱday.ȱAndȱaȱsurveyȱfoundȱthatȱ 96%ȱofȱAmericanȱschoolchildrenȱcouldȱidentifyȱ RonaldȱMcDonald,ȱtheȱchain’sȱmascot.ȱOnlyȱ SantaȱClausȱscoredȱhigher.ȱThe Economist
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Tekst 7 Mac attack
1p 28
How does Eric Schlosser regard fast food chains, according to paragraph 1?
A
As a bad influence on life in the US and the rest of the world.
B
As a logical consequence of recent developments in US society.
C
As an example of the worldwide popularity of US culture.
3p 29
Geef voor elk van de onderstaande aspecten aan of het wel of niet als punt van kritiek op fast food restaurants wordt gepresenteerd in de alinea’s 2-3.
1 De grote hoeveelheid afval.
2 Lage salarissen.
3 Ongezond voedsel.
4 Overdreven vriendelijke bediening.
5 Uitbuiting van economische machtspositie.
6 Weinig variatie in de maaltijden.
Noteer het nummer van elk aspect, gevolgd door “wel” of “niet”.
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