BBC随身英语:French drink less wine 法国人饮酒量减少

According to the International Journal of Entrepreneurship, changes in French drinking habits are visible through successive generations. People in their 60s and 70s grew up seeing wine on the table at every meal. Those in their 40s and 50s see wine as an occasional indulgence. And members of the internet generation do not even start taking an interest in wine until their mid-20s. For them, wine is a product they need persuading is worth their money.

What worries people is the effect the change is having on the concept of French civilisation. They fear that time-honoured values, such as conviviality, tradition and appreciation of the good things in life, are on the way out.

Veteran observer of his nation's way of life, French writer Theodore Zeldin, thinks that a business-style culture has made inroads into France - the bane of all those who prefer to take the time to savour things.

"Companionship has been replaced by networking. Business means busy-ness, and in that way we are becoming like everywhere else," he says.

But Zeldin refuses to abandon hope. "The old French 'art of living' is still there. It's an ideal. It's a bit like the English gentleman. You don't often find an English gentleman, but the ideal is there and it informs society as a whole," he says.

And what survives is "the feeling you get in France that in human relations we need to do more than just conduct business. We have a duty to entertain, to converse. It's about taking your time. After all, that is one of the great things about wine. You can't swig it."

Quiz 测验 1. Which generation seems to be the least interested in wine?

The internet generation.

2. Which traditional values form part of French civilisation, according to the article?

Conviviality, tradition and appreciation of the good things in life.

3. Is this statement true or false? French people have a reputation for spending a long time chatting and drinking.

True.

4. Which expression means 'something that is on the verge of becoming unfashionable'?

On the way out.

5. Which verb means 'to drink something in large mouthfuls'?

To swig.

Glossary 词汇表 regular经常的，定期的 in decline正在减少 a traditionalist一个因循守旧的人 iconic标志性的 cultural heritage文化遗产 drinking habit饮酒习惯 generation一代人 occasional偶尔的 indulgence放纵，嗜好 to take an interest对某事产生兴趣 to persuade使信服，劝说 civilisation文明、文化 time-honoured values由来已久的价值观 conviviality高兴，欢宴 tradition传统 on the way out正在消失 to make inroads into (something)侵袭某物 to savour尽情享受，细细品尝 networking社交 an ideal理想，典范 to inform渗透入，赋（特征或思想）于