Is it OK to eat while walking 邊走邊吃引發爭議

賴麗霞

海詞積累

1. penalize v. 處罰;懲罰

2. violate v. 違反;違背;違犯

3. potential adj. 潛在的;可能的

4. isolate v. 隔離;孤立;脫離

Street food is popular in many countries. But does that mean you should both buy and eat your food in the street？ Japan is struggling to answer that question， particularly when it comes to popular tourist areas.

Kamakura is one of them. In April， the city issued an official law asking visitors not to eat while walking.

One major concern is trash from packaging and leftover food， which can attract animals and make a mess that locals will have to clean up.

A representative from Kamakura city said that the law was created to build awareness of the issue rather than to penalize travelers. There are no fines for people who violate the request.

However， concerns about eating while walking aren't just related to potential spills and messy clothes. Many Japanese people believe it is poor manners to walk or do other physical activities while eating because it means you're not appreciating your food properly. For some， this belief has its roots in World War ， when food was scarce and it was something to be treasured， instead of being treated casually.

The issue of tourists eating in the street isn't a concern isolated to Japan. In Florence， Italy， a section of the city center has a complete ban on food eating on sidewalks， roadways and on the doorsteps of shops and houses， where people's sitting on sidewalks makes it even harder for others to walk around. In Florence's case， the restrictions come with steep penalties，namely， a 500 fine.

Meanwhile a city with arguably the world's best street food， Bangkok， has been trying to figure out what to do with its outdoor markets and food stalls for some time. Some locals want restrictions or even closures because of the ever-growing crowds of people， but others believe there can be a happy medium between a vibrant street vendor culture and not getting in the way of everyday life， such as blocking of traffic lanes.

Reading Check

T（true） or F（false） questions

（ ）1. Kamakura issued the law mainly to reduce food waste.

（ ）2. People who eat while walking will be severely punished in Kamakura.

（ ）3. Some Japanese have a tradition of cherishing food.

（ ）4. Florence has a stricter regulation to ban food eating when someone is walking.

（ ）5. It is a common idea to restrict food eating while someone is walking.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

“when it comes to...” 當談到……的時候

日本正在努力回答那個問題，特別是在熱門旅游區。

Japan is struggling to answer that question， particularly __________________________