第34期：Cooking in the great outdoors

　　Cooking in the great outdoors (fireplace included) <上>

　　(2006-2007学年第34期)

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　　By Geoff Lemon

　　Millions of Americans are taking a long weekend in honor of Labor Day. (1) . Many people are traveling. But others are happy to (2) up their barbecue and enjoy a (3) weekend at home.

　　Our subject this week is barbecue and the latest in outdoor living.

　　“Barbecue” can mean three things. It can mean the grill where meats and other foods are cooked over hot (4) or an open fire. It can mean the act of cooking the foods. And it can mean the foods themselves. Barbecued meats might be soaked in a tasty (5) for several hours and cooked much slower than other grilling methods.

　　Barbecue has long been an American tradition, (6). For example, Kansas City, Missouri, prefers cooking pork with a sweet sauce. Texas is known for its beef barbecue with herbs and spices called rubs. North Carolina favors (7) and thin sauces made with tangy vinegar. South Carolina likes a thick sauce made from tomatoes. And in California and other states, many people like to barbecue seafood. Barbecued hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken are popular all across the country.

　　The Kansas City Barbecue Society holds the American Royal Barbecue Championship every year in (8) . The organization says it is one of the biggest barbecue competitions in the world. Teams compete for prizes (9) to ten thousand dollars.

　　Last year five hundred teams entered the contest. There were nine hundred judges from about thirty states. And, with all that hard work, the American Royal Barbecue Championship also (10) a big concert and fireworks show. Last year the group Lonestar performed. Here is Lonestar with “What About Now?”

　　Many women enjoy barbecuing. But some people call backyards with grills “the man’s kitchen.” A smoky barbecue is part of a culture shared by many American men.

　　These social gatherings are about more than just cooking food. They are often ways for men to build greater friendships. (11) . Each claims to be the best cook or to have the biggest and best grill. Also, each (12) to have a secret for the best tasting barbecue sauce.

　　Michael Lampkin is a medical researcher who lives in Bowie, Maryland. Often his work requires him to travel far from home as many as four days a week. Mister Lampkin says that when he returns home, (13). He says there a few reasons he likes to grill.

　　MICHAEL LAMPKIN: “Being outdoors and just the taste in general. It’s a taste that you can’t (14) inside. I think that’s one of the nicer things about grilling. And grilling is something you can do year-round. I’ve even gone outside in the snow. That’s one of the other nice things about grilling — you can do it any time, all the time.”

　　(To be continued)

　　注：原稿节选自“美国之音”，后由“英语周报大学综合版”加工而成