A Brief History of Instant Ramen
Which factors influenced your choices?
Cuisine and taste [✓]
Time for preparation [ ]
Whether it is healthy or not [✓]
Prices and personal budget [✓]
Anything else .......................................
Comprehension
Read and answer
1. Complete this fact file for instant ramen.
Name of inventor : Momofuku Ando
Year of invention : 1958
Where it was invented : Japan
Food category : Noodles
2. Choose the correct answer.
a. In 1956, Momofuku Ando lived in
i. Japan [✓]
ii. Taiwan [ ]
iii. India [ ]
b. Which of these did Ando not sell at any point in his career?
i. socks [ ]
ii. prefab houses [ ]
ii. vegetable [✓]
iii. engine parts [ ]
c. What was Ando's main inspiration for inventing instant noodles?
i. He wanted to end world hunger [✓]
ii. He was inspired by Japanese culture [ ]
iii. He loved eating ramen [ ]
d. Where did Ando do most of his experimentation with the instant noodles?
i. in a garden shed [✓]
ii. in a factory [ ]
iii. in his own house [ ]
Reference to context
3. "Umm..... could you put it in my tab?"
a. Who is the speaker in this line?
= Momofuku Ando is the speaker in this line.
b. What does 'umm....' tell us as readers about the tone of the speaker?
= The 'umm...' tells us that the speaker is somehow hesitating to ask the next line. He is kind of in a dilemma about the thought that whether he would ask or not.
c. What does it mean to put something 'on a tab'?
= To put something 'on a tab' means that he has no money now and he is going to pay later.
4. "May be I should go back to engine parts...."
a. Why does Momofuku Ando say this?
= Momofuku Ando says this because a few lawsuits and a stint in jail for tax evasion had left him almost penniless.
b. How do you think he felt at this point?
= I think he felt utterly miserable and he was perhaps in despair. He had almost no ways left open to him. He was confused about what to do in the forthcoming life.
c. What does he decide to do after this?
= After this Momofuku Ando needed a new business plan. He remembered the food shortage from a decade earlier in post-war Japan. He decided to dedicate his life to find a way to feed everybody in the world.
Reflect and answer
5. Why do you think Momofuku Ando spent an entire year on experimentation?
= Momofuku Ando was in a bankrupt situation. He had failed in selling prefab houses, socks and engine parts. He had also worked as manager for a credit association but it went bankrupt. I think this time he did not want to be failed or unsuccessful anyway. So he was doing all the experimentations with instant ramen very carefully throughout an entire year to make it a huge success.
6. How would you describe Ando's personality based on his words and actions?
= At the very beginning, we find Ando being aware of his bankruptcy. He was hesitating to ask for noodles 'on his tab'. He was not an idle man. He tried his luck in selling prefab houses, socks and engine parts. He also worked as a manager for a credit association. But unfortunately his luck did not favour him there too. Then he went to prison and ultimately found himself in utter plight. Yet he did not give up hope. He decided to do the business of noodles and made his unique kind of noodles and became successful.
7. Do you agree with Ando's thoughts on failure? Why or why not?
= At the last of the text we come to know the actual quote of Momofuku Ando. Here he says that all of his failure and all of his shame was like muscle added to his body. I totally agree with this opinion. All his failures gave him lots of experiences. He learnt many things from them. Those knowledge helped him to make him more wise and more dedicated to his works. All those shame helped him not to give up. He got more stronger and made him more passionate about his job. He became successful at last and this success was huge and overflowed all his previous failures and shame.
8. What factors made instant ramen a popular dish? What makes you say that?
= In general, noodles are rich in carbohydrates. In instant ramen, there is chicken soup which make it rich with protein. The flavour of chicken makes it more tasty also. It takes least time to get prepared. Only warm water has to be added and they reconstitute instantly. In total, it is easy to make, tasty, healthy and within our budget.