Food Inventions (2)

An emphasis on convenience 
The egg carton
Back in 1911, an argument in British Columbia, Canada, led to a useful invention. Eggs shipped by a local farmer to a hotel owner often arrived broken, and each blamed the other for the damage. To solve the problem, Canadian newspaperman Joseph Coyle designed a paper carton with small, hollowed out spaces that cushioned the eggs and kept them separated. Coyle's invention was so successful that we still use a variation of it today.

The can
In 1810, London resident Peter Durand invented metal cans that would hold and preserve food for long periods of time. The only problem was that people had to use a hammer and chisel to open them. Amazingly, it took another 50 years before the can opener was invented by Ezra Warner.

The knife
Many believe the knife is mankind's oldest tool, with the earliest forms made from flint or a glass-like rock and then from metal around 2500 B.C. Through the years, the cutting device evolved into the handy tool we place so much reliance on today.

While we in the 21st century take these inventions for granted, our lives would be very different without these indispensable kitchen aids.

Info Cloud
take for granted 視為理所當然 [grant 給予, 受予]
to expect that someone or something will always be there when you need them and never think how important or useful they are

1 視為理所當然 take (something) for granted : to believe or assume that (something) is true or probably true without knowing that it is true
2 不懂得珍惜某人 take (someone or something) for granted : to fail to properly notice or appreciate (someone or something that is helpful or important to you)

Language Lab
carton n. 用來裝食物的飲料或紙盒
a small box made of cardboard or plastic that contains food or a drink
- There's no space in the refrigerator for this carton of orange juice.
冰箱裡沒有空間放這瓶柳程汁
- The boy drank a whole carton of milk the minute he came home.
這個男孩一回家就把整盒牛奶喝光了

variation n. 變化體 [var字根有不同的意思]
- This salad is a variation of a traditional Caesar salad.
這道沙拉是傳統凱撒沙拉的變化體
變化, 差異 [不可數名詞]
- The research showed a wide variation in the performance of rural and suburban kids.
研究報告顯示鄉村和城巿的孩子表現有很大的差異

chisel n.
/ˈtʃɪzl/
a metal tool with a flat, sharp end that is used to cut and shape a solid material (such as stone, wood, or metal) 

flint n.
a hard type of rock that produces a small piece of burning material (called a spark) when it is hit by steel

mankind n.
all people thought of as one group

reliance n.倚靠 [rely v. 倚賴]
/rɪˈlajəns/
[singular, uncountable] when someone or something is dependent on someone or something else [= dependence]

reliance on/upon

the state of needing someone or something for help, support, etc. — usually + on or upon
- Tim is already 30, but his reliance on his parents is still very strong.
Tim 已經年紀三十, 但對父母的倚賴仍然很深
- Excessive reliance on exports affected the region's economy.
對出口的過度倚賴影響這個區域的經濟

indispensable adj. 不可或缺的, 絕對必要的
extremely important and necessary  
- After years of hard work, Brenda became indispensable to the company.
經過多年的努力,  Brenda對公司而言成為不可或缺的人
dispensable 可丟棄的
dispensable razors 用過即丟的刮鬍刀

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