When we eat food, our perceptions of the flavors are highly subjective

Question

When we eat food, our perceptions of the flavors are highly subjective, and are influenced by far more than simply our senses of taste and smell. Our visual, tactile, and even auditory senses all play a role in signaling to our brains how we enjoy food. The more brightly colored that produce is, the more that we associate it with the quality of being fresh. As a result, some chefs prepare food in order to maximize the color of the produce, manipulating other ingredients in order to obtain the desired flavors of the dish. With respect to how our auditory senses affect our experience of food, studies have shown that diners experiencing their food to the backdrop of soothing music enjoyed their food more than diners who did not.

Unlike everyday diners, food critics are trained to consider their experiences of food by evaluating them through the lens of each of their various senses, and consider how their various perceptions give rise to the aggregate dining experience. They are aware of the visual, tactile and even auditory elements, yet able to experience the smell and taste of food independently of those senses. While some people may make the mistake of underestimating the acumen involved in assessing the quality of food, it is truly an art form that few are capable of performing. However, with the rapid expansion of online news sources, it is becoming increasingly easy for any person to create a blog or column and offer his or her two cents on rising restaurants or new cuisine. While some might see this development as more egalitarian, others see it as tainting what was before a highly selective field of food critics and writers.    1 
 1. The primary purpose of this passage is to __________.

A. shed light on a complex issue that may never be truly understood.
B. persuade the reader that only trained food critics should be able to evaluate dining experiences.
C. criticize the way that people in general tend to experience food.
D. inform the reader about the complexities of evaluating food quality and the implications of being a food critic.
E. argue that we are never able to taste food without being biased to some extent.

2 
 2. The author’s tone in the passage is best described as __________.

A. unhappy
B. dogmatic
C. thoughtful 
D. skeptical 
E. critical

3 
 3. The author would likely agree with all of the following statements except?

A. Chefs sometimes rely on appealing to our senses of sight and sound in order to make food taste better than it might otherwise. 
B. It is difficult to isolate how we experience the senses of smell and taste from our other senses. 
C. For a diner to truly experience how food tastes without being influenced by outside influence, all other senses should be blocked out. 
D. Different people will experience the textures of foods differently based on their exposure to other types of foods. 
E. Playing unpleasant music is likely to make food seem to taste worse.

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 167 Date: 29-May-2023
 This question is part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

Jarvis07 · Answer

The primary purpose of the passage is to inform the reader about the complexities of evaluating food quality and the implications of being a food critic. The passage discusses the different senses that influence our perception of food, how chefs use the visual appearance of food to influence our enjoyment of it, how music affects our enjoyment of food, and the challenges of being a food critic. The passage also discusses the impact of the rise of online news sources on the field of food criticism.  Therefore, the answer is (D).

Jarvis07 · Answer

The author's tone in the passage is best described as thoughtful. The author presents information about the complexities of evaluating food quality and the implications of being a food critic in a way that is both informative and thought-provoking. The author does not take a side on the issue of whether or not only trained food critics should be able to evaluate dining experiences, but instead presents information from both sides of the argument. The author also does not criticize the way that people in general tend to experience food, but instead acknowledges that there are many different factors that can influence our perception of food. 
 Therefore, the answer is (C).

frappuchino · Answer

For the first question, I'm torn between B and D. 
Option B states that the author persuades the reader that trained food critics should evaluate dining experiences. Is that not what the author's intention seems to be?

Option D again seems correct except for the latter part which mentions "the implications of being a food critic." Can someone please help me understand how is that implied?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The primary purpose of this passage is to __________.

Explanation

The primary purpose of this passage is to inform the reader about the complexities of evaluating food quality and the implications of being a food critic.

The passage begins by discussing how our perceptions of food flavors are subjective and influenced by various senses, including taste, smell, sight, touch, and even hearing. It mentions that chefs manipulate ingredients to maximize the color of produce and that diners who experience food with soothing music enjoy their meals more. This information sets the stage for discussing the role of food critics.

The passage then contrasts everyday diners with food critics, explaining that critics are trained to consider their experiences of food through the lens of each sense, independently evaluating smell and taste. It highlights that assessing the quality of food is an art form that requires acumen and is performed by few. The passage also acknowledges the increasing ease for anyone to create a blog or column and offer their opinions on restaurants and cuisine, which some see as egalitarian, while others view it as diluting the selectivity of the field of food critics.

Overall, the passage aims to provide insights into the complexities of evaluating food quality, the role of food critics, and the potential impact of the proliferation of online food opinions. Therefore, the correct answer is (D) inform the reader about the complexities of evaluating food quality and the implications of being a food critic.

Answer: D

adityashikhar4 · Answer

I am little bit of confused between options c and d in the 3rd question. I do not understand where does the author talk about the need to block out all senses to experience the taste of the food as there also might be any other method to truly understand the true taste of the food. This point makes it difficult for me to rule out option c. Also the passage seems to be not suggesting that chefs, in particular, might resort to music to enhance the food taste for a diner.

When we eat food, our perceptions of the flavors are highly subjective

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

When we eat food, our perceptions of the flavors are highly subjective

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