Упр.2a Уроки 5-6 Юнит 3 New Millennium English 10 класс

а) How could one tell who was top dog in a tribe?

б) What was once the symbol of power at a table? Why?

Part 1

Food has many meanings for us, but when a group of people gather together the process of eating is always more about power than about nourishment. When we lived in tribes everyone may have crowded round the carcass, but you can be sure that it was the warrior man who ate first and took the best bits and that the women and children were served last and got leftovers. When tables and chairs first came into use, only those with power sat at the table, and then in a strict order of importance, with a bowl of salt showing who was top dog. The bowl of salt might have disappeared, but the seating order still exists.