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005-021-MET - Test 1 - L-G-RD_CAE-PR-TEST-1.qxd 11/8/2016 3:16 µµ Page 14

MET Reading Part 1

A. Snacker’s Chips

Try out our irrestible great flavors, ranging C. Unusual Uses of Potatoes
est 1 Bursting with flavor and crispiness they’re A basic foodstuff worldwide and rather unattra-
from regular salted to chilli and pickle flavor.

too tempting to resist.
ctive in appearance, the humble potato conceals
You won’t stop ’til you eat the lot!
Practice T But now there’s even more choice! ing and merely a stomach-filler but the potato
its versatility. Culinary-wise, it may be uninterest-
can be used for a variety of purposes, from a
We’ve just brought out our gourmet
beauty aid to a cleaner!
range that is packed with a sensation of fla-
vors ranging from sweet and sour to apple
Got tarnished silverware? Rusty kitchen equip-
chutney and cheddar chips!
ment? No problem! Blackened silver can be made
For a limited time, we have a ‘2 for 1’
been used to boil potatoes, whilst rusty metal
introductory price offer on our new range. gleaming again by leaving it in water that has
So move fast, while stocks last! can be rubbed down with raw potato to make
rust disappear. In the latter instance, acids in the
potato’s juice work to dissolve rust while an extra
scrub with the potato skin will also remove any
rust residue.
B. The Unusual History of an Ordinary Vegetable
With regard to culinary disasters, such as over-
Labeled as the cause of widespread famine and salting soup, the potato once again comes in
mass emigration, a source of leprosy and a poison, handy. Adding raw potatoes to an over-salinated
the potato has been both justly and unjustly broth will absorb the extra salt. Just remember
accused over the generations. to throw away the potatoes after use!

This vegetable was regarded with great suspicion Health and beauty-wise the potato surpasses
when first introduced into Europe. In fact, it is said over-the-counter remedies in its effectiveness.
that Louis XVI felt the need to wear a potato plant It also doesn’t have any unpleasant side-effects
blossom in his buttonhole to counter public preju- as some prescription medicines do. Sufferers of
dice against the tuber. sciatica, heartburn and ulcers can remedy their
ailments by drinking potato juice. Its external
The link with leprosy can only have been accounted application under the eyes is also a well-known
for by the potato’s appearance. Its fleshy protuber- antidote to puffiness.
ances suggested an ability to cause similar growths
in anyone so unwise as to consume its flesh. In Finally, if you are taking to the piste, rub your ski
addition, the predecessor of the modern potato, goggles first with raw potato. This will ensure
first cultivated in the Andes, was poisonous, unless that your downhill descent is not hampered by
properly prepared. bleary vision due to condensation on your gog-
gles. Oh, and if you have aching muscles after
Nevertheless, the potato as a foodstuff, caught on being out on the ski slopes all day, boil up a
in 18th century Europe. So much so, that many potato, wrap it in a clean cloth and apply it to
became reliant on the potato as the only food those aching muscles!
source. This proved the undoing of Irish farmers in
the 19th century when a massive potato crop failure
resulted in widespread famine, and, ultimately,
emigration.

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