Unit 6 measuring the quality of catch

1. Read and translate the words having the same root in the English and Russian languages:

modern, technology, effect, examine, analytic, category, test, sensory, company, department, course

2. Remember the meaning of the following words and word-combinations:

reason – причина

reduce – уменьшать

available – доступный

garbage – отходы

assessment – оценка

smell – запах

staff – персонал

gills – жабры

species - виды

3. Translate the following word-combinations:

Fish spoilage, to check the quality, quality assessment, to look at fish, fish buying companies, training course, to measure the fish quality, main categories, to make sure, to seek employment, to give answer, to vary slightly, the organoleptic tests.

4. Read and translate the following text:

Measuring the quality of your catch

We are interested in the reason why your fish spoils, and in the ways in which modern technology cam reduce the effects of spoilage.

Now we will examine the methods that are available to a buyer or shore plant to check the quality of your catch. How can be determined whether your catch consists of number one fish, number two or garbage?

Analytic assessment techniques can be split into three main categories:

1. Organoleptic (sensory);

2. Chemical;

3. Electrical;

Let’s take a closer look.

The organoleptic tests rely upon our human sensory system. Most commercial fisherman can look at a fish, smell it and touch it. And quickly come up with an estimate of its freshness. Big fish buying companies and government departments will have specially trained staff who have spent at least six months on a training course to develop their ability to measure fish quality by sensory methods.

The qualified people who test the quality of fish are popularly known as “sniffers”, since a large part of their job consists of smelling the gills and gut cavities of fish. It’s a lousy job, but somebody has to do it! To make sure that organoleptic assessors give sensible, consistent answers they train in a group of at least six people. Any member of the group giving quality assessments of fish that vary markedly from the group average will be quickly spotted and asked to seek other employment.

Many years ago a Dr. Anderson in Aberdeen, Scotland, came up with a table of fish quality assessment factors which can be used by a trained “sniffer” at any time.

The factors which show the quality of fish can vary slightly between different species of fish and at different times of the year, because the fish may be pre-spawning, spent or over-wintering.

Notes:

reason – причина

reduce – уменьшать

available – доступный

garbage – мусор, отходы

assessment – оценка

smell – запах

staff – персонал

gills – жабры

species – виды

5. Find in the text verbs corresponding to the following nouns:

interest, spoilage, reduction, checking, touchier, estimation, development, measurement, knowledge, training, variety, seeker, usage.

6. Translate into English the following words and write antonyms for them.

cовременный, уменьшать, покупатель, береговой, первый, основной, близкий, большинство, важный, быстро, долгий, любой, различный.

7. Give the beginning to the following sentences:

1. … why your fish spoils.

2. … that are available to a buyer or shore plant.

3. … can be split into the main categories.

4. … rely upon our human sensory system.

5. … give sensible, consistent answers.

6. … came up with a table of fish quality assessment.

7. … because the fish may be pre-spawning, spent or over-wintering.

8. Answer the following questions:

1. What are we interested in?

2. What main categories of quality assessment do you know?

3. Who will have specially trained staff?

4. How long does the staff spend on a training course?

5. How are the people who test the quality of fish called?

6. How many persons are there in a group?

7. When did Dr. Anderson come up with a table?

8. How can the factors vary?

9. Translate into English the following sentences:

1. Очень важно знать, почему происходит порча рыбы.

2. Существует несколько способов определения качества рыбы.

3. Большие компании имеют специальный подготовленный персонал.

4. Персонал проходит подготовительный курс, рассчитанный, по крайней мере, на 6 месяцев.

5. Обучение развивает способность определить качество рыбы сенсорными методами.

6. Существует таблица факторов, определяющих качественную оценку рыбы.