If you sit down for a family meal in India, you might be confused when you realize there are no eating utensils by your plate. Eating with one’s hands is a common practice in the country, and it is one that tends to mystify visitors.
The etiquette of eating with one’s fingers actually has to do with the importance of the (C)sense of touch. In India, eating is considered a sensual activity, and touch is just as vital to the enjoyment of the meal as sight, smell, and taste. In Ayurveda traditional medicine, each finger (A)represents one of the five elements of nature. In using all five fingers to eat, one is said to bring greater awareness and spirituality to the act of eating. Practically speaking, dining with your hands makes (D)it easier to gauge the temperature of food with your fingers, and it also leads diners to eat slower, which prolongs the meal and benefits digestion.
sensual [ ˈsɛnʃʊəl ] a. 感官的 awareness [ əˈwɛrnɪs ] n. 意識，察覺 spirituality [ ˌspɪrɪtʃʊˈælətɪ ] n. 靈性；精神 gauge [ gedʒ ] vt. 測量
*If you worry that this practice isn’t very (C)hygienic, think again. There are strict rules concerning cleanliness that all diners are expected to follow. Both hands must be washed before the meal. One hand is used for eating, while the other is (B)reserved for passing dishes and serving or accepting food. Communal food is considered contaminated if it is touched with a hand or utensil that someone has put in their mouth. If you ever get the chance to eat with your hands, ask yourself whether you appreciate the food more than usual.
克漏字測驗選項
1. (A) organ (B) angle (C) sense (D) gesture
2. (A) represents (B) prohibits (C) sponsors (D) discloses
3. (A) them (B) what (C) so (D) it
4. (A) credible (B) diverse (C) hygienic (D) lawful
5. (A) qualified for (B) reserved for (C) deprived of (D) composed of
