Would you give up some of your favorite foods if doing so helped the environment and the local economy? More and more people nowadays are willing to make some small sacrifices to do just that in their own communities. They call themselves locavores or localvores, and they try to limit their food supply to products that are grown within a specific distance from where they live.
You might notice that the word locavore sounds quite a bit like herbivore or carnivore. Just as carnivores eat meat and herbivores eat plants, locavores only eat food that is grown locally.
There are many reasons why people become locavores. Some people want to support their local farmers and economy. Others want to reduce the size of their carbon footprint and make a positive impact on the environment. Some people eat local food for health reasons, or simply because they believe that the food is fresher and tastes better. Many locavores find that their diet helps them learn new things about the food they eat and the community where they live.
Produce on the shelves of most supermarkets in the United States travels an average of 1,300 to 2,000 miles from the farm to the store. This travel distance is also called food miles. Locavores try to cut down the food miles their produce uses by buying food that has traveled less than 100 miles. Most food that is produced and purchased locally is usually sold within 24 hours of leaving the farm where it is grown or made.
Becoming a locavore might seem like a challenge. However, depending on where you live, there may be many options for buying local food. Locavores enjoy researching the area in which they live to find the best stores or farmer’s markets to buy locally grown produce, and a few communities have restaurants that serve dishes made only from local food.
The next time you buy food, look closely. Where did all that food come from? You might be surprised. And you might even consider becoming a locavore.
28. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To explain the benefits of a locavore diet. B. To describe the history of local farming.
C. To compare different types of diets. D. To criticize modern supermarkets.
29. Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Locavores only eat food grown locally.
B. Most supermarkets in the U.S. stock food that travels over 1,000 miles.
C. All locavores eat local food for health reasons.
D. Locavores aim to support their local economy.
30. According to the passage, what is the average distance that produce travels to supermarkets in the U.S.?
A. 100 to 200 miles B. 500 to 1,000 miles
C. 1,300 to 2,000 miles D. 2,500 to 3,000 miles
31. What does the underlined word "They" in the second sentence of the passage refer to?
A. Favorite foods B. People willing to make sacrifices
C. Supermarkets D. Carbon footprints
32. What does the term "food miles" mean in the context of the passage?
A. The distance food travels from the farm to the store.
B. The number of miles locavores walk to buy food.
