There is a food-related expression involving something that most cultures have – bread. Some people like to eat their bread with eggs, while some people like to spread chocolate on top. But one of the best things to put on bread – especially if it is warm and fresh — is butter (黄油)!
Bread and butter is a popular combination, but "bread and butter" also means something almost as comforting – a way to make money.Some word experts believe that the phrase "bread and butter" began in Europe and England during the Middle Ages. At that time, many farmers could only afford bread and butter as their entire meal, or they would eat it with soup.
So, bread and butter was a basic food, which is what the expression "bread and butter" meant for many years — a basic thing for life. After you got your bread and butter, you could then buy more things for your home.Then around the 1600s, the meaning changed. People began using it to mean the way they made a living.
This is the origin. Below is how you can use it.
Let's say you really like to write and sing songs, but you do not make enough money doing those things to pay for your housing, food, and other costs. So you get a job as a website designer. If someone asks what you do, you could say, "Well, I'm a musician, but designing websites is my bread and butter."
In other words, designing websites pays your bills. Making music does not. So, you count on web design for your "bread and butter".
For some people, it is important to have a bread-and-butter job. They get nervous if their jobs are not stable, without a continuous pay check coming in. Being a doctor is a good bread-and-butter job. If you are a teacher, you could say teaching is your bread and butter.
12. What did "bread and butter" mean in the Middle Ages?
A.The only food that people ate. | B.Food that many farmers liked. |
C.A basic thing for life. | D.More things that people could buy. |
13. What is the meaning of the underlined sentence in the passage?
A.The musician prefers designing websites to writing and singing songs. |
B.The musician makes a living by designing websites. |
C.Designing websites is as comforting as eating bread and butter. |
D.The musician designs websites for bread-and-butter shops. |
14. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to "stable" in the last paragraph?
A.Regular. | B.Exciting. | C.Unique. | D.Safe. |
15. What is the main idea of this passage?
A.How people in different places eat bread and butter. |
B.The importance of bread and butter to people. |
C.The reason why people created the saying "bread and butter". |
D.The origin and usages of the phrase "bread and butter". |