If you are a fan of instant noodles, you can thank a Taiwanese-Japanese inventor and businessman named Momofuku Ando, who came up with the idea for this popular food creation. Ando was born in 1910 into a rich family and raised by his grandparents in Tainan after his parents died. His first venture into business was not in food but in textiles.
At that time, Taiwan was part of the Japanese Empire, and in the early 1930s, Ando moved to Osaka and founded a clothing company there. During that time, he also studied economics at a private university in Kyoto.
According to his biography, Ando got the idea for instant noodles while noticing people gathered around a ramen stall after the Second World War. He said he was struck by the idea that noodles could help solve the problem of world hunger.
Another account of the origin of instant noodles is somewhat different, but it also involves a lack of food. In this version of events, due to food shortages in Japan, the government was encouraging people to eat bread made of wheat flour that was delivered from the United States.
account [ əˈkaʊnt ] n. 敘述，報導 shortage [ ˈʃɔrtɪdʒ ] n. 缺少，不足
Ando thought it was more suitable to get Japanese people to eat noodles instead, which they were more familiar with, so he set about trying to perfect a method of flash frying noodles. Finally, he devised a suitable process and began selling packages of instant noodles in 1958.
set about V-ing著手去做…… flash fry快速油炸；快火旺煎 devise [ dɪˈvaɪz ] vt. 設計，想出（新的方法）
Later, Ando decided to make eating instant noodles even more convenient by putting them in Styrofoam cups. This way, hungry consumers only needed to add water to the cup rather than empty the contents into a separate bowl. The introduction of “Cup Noodles” in 1971 caused the food item’s popularity to skyrocket in Japan and other countries as well.
The Ford company has invested a huge sum of money in a joint venture.
福特公司投資了一大筆金額在合資事業上。
Although he was nervous, Mark walked into the boss’s office and ventured to ask for a raise.
儘管馬克很緊張，他還是走進老闆的辦公室冒險問看看是否能加薪。
Harry packed his food and gear, ready to venture into the unknown.
哈利打包好他的食物和裝備，準備好要往未知的地方探險。
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子。⸺ 諺語
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
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textile
[ˋtɛkstaɪl]
n. . 織物，紡織品（可數）& a. 紡織的
a. 紡織的
Our company uses high-quality organic cotton textiles to make the clothes, so you don't need to worry about children being affected by chemicals.
我們公司使用高品質的有機棉織物來做衣服，所以您不需擔心孩子會受到化學品的影響。
The country's textile industry is facing many new challenges.
該國的紡織業正面臨許多新的挑戰。
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
empire
[ˋɛmpaɪr]
n. 帝國
The British Empire consisted of several separate territories.
大英帝國由個別的幾塊領土組成。
高中 Level 4
●
biography
[baɪˋɑgrəfɪ]
n. 傳記
Dr. Wilson authorized Nick to write his biography.
威爾森博士授權尼克為他的傳記執筆。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
stall
[stɔl]
vt. & vi. (使) 引擎熄火；（飛機的）失速
n. (尤指露天的) 小攤位
=
stand
We saw a few stalls selling exotic food in the outdoor market.
我們在露天市集上看見有幾個攤位販賣異國食品。
The pilot of the small plane stalled the engine by climbing too steeply and too high.
這架小飛機的駕駛員因為攀升地太陡峭、太高而使引擎熄火了。
My car stalled this morning, and I had no money with me, so I had to walk all the way to work.
今天早上我的車子熄火了，同時我身上沒有錢，因此只好一路步行去上班。
多益棕色
英檢中高
高中 Level 5
●
account
[əˋkaʊnt]
n. 帳戶；報導，描述
vi. 說明，解釋
I’d like to open a savings account at the bank.
我想在銀行開一個儲蓄帳戶。
I read an account of the plane crash in the newspaper.
我在報紙上讀到一篇有關墜機事件的報導。
Larry failed the exam on account of laziness.
賴瑞因懶惰而沒通過考試。
Before asking Bob to handle this huge mission, you should take his physical condition into account.
你要鮑伯處理此一艱鉅的任務之前，應要先考慮他的身體狀況。
Hard work accounts for Daisy’s success.
努力是黛西成功的原因。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 2
●
shortage
[ˋʃɔrtɪdʒ]
n. 不足，匱乏
There was a severe water and food shortage in this area after the earthquake.
地震發生之後，這個地區的水和食物嚴重短缺。
Years of civil war have led to an acute shortage of labor in this country.
多年的內戰已造成該國當地勞動人口嚴重短缺。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
devise
[dɪˋvaɪz]
vt. 發明，想出；設計
=
create
=
invent
=
think up...
For safety’s sake, we’ll have to devise a new secret code.
為了安全起見，我們必須想出一個新的密碼。
It is necessary that we devise a new system to improve our productivity.
我們有必要設計一套新系統以提升我們的生產力。
●
Styrofoam
[ ˈstaɪrəfom ]
n. 保麗龍
●
skyrocket
[ˋskaɪ͵rɑkɪt]
vi. 飆升，急速上揚
The company’s share price has skyrocketed to a new record.
該公司的股價飆漲到了一個創新高的紀錄。
Practical Phrases
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come up with...
想出／提出⋯⋯（方法、點子）
Joe has to come up with a plan for financing his new business.
阿喬必須想出一個計畫為他的新事業籌措資金。
●
set about...
著手做⋯⋯
Ray set about cleaning up the house after the party.
派對後，小雷著手清理房子。
