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Information and IdeasMediumDetail: what the recipe book omits

Information and Ideas practice question

The oldest cookbook in the collection, handwritten around 1780, gives quantities for every ingredient but never a cooking time. Its author assumed that the cook would know when a joint was done by its smell and colour, and that ovens varied too much for a time to mean anything.

According to the text, why does the cookbook give no cooking times?

  1. A. Its author assumed cooks would judge doneness by their senses and that ovens varied too much for times to be useful.Correct
  2. B. Its author did not know how long dishes took to cook.
  3. C. The pages that listed times have been lost.
  4. D. Cooking times were considered a trade secret.

Answer: A. Its author assumed cooks would judge doneness by their senses and that ovens varied too much for times to be useful.

Senses and variable ovens.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Its author did not know how long dishes took to cook.
The text gives a reason of assumption, not ignorance.
C. The pages that listed times have been lost.
No pages are said to be missing.
D. Cooking times were considered a trade secret.
No secrecy is mentioned.

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