[originaltext]M: We’re almost finished. Could you hand me the white pepper? W:

M: We’re almost finished. Could you hand me the white pepper?
W: Why white pepper and not black? Aren’t they the same thing?
M: Well, they’re from the same plant. But white pepper is milder. I usually prefer it. It has a more subtle flavor.
W: How, if they’re from the same plant?
M: Well, it sort of depends on how ripe it is when it’s picked. You sure ask a lot of questions.
W: That’s because you have all the answers. Did you learn about this stuff in cooking school?
M: Yes! We studied all kinds of herbs and spices.
W: It’s interesting! How do we get black pepper then?
M: The pepper corn is actually a fruit. It grows on vines. And it’s not really black or white. It turns from green to yellow to red as it ripens. For black pepper, you pick it when it’s still a little immature. And then it’s dried.
W: Drying darkens it?
M: Well, the skin turn dark as it dries.
W: Does that mean white pepper is pepper without the skin?
M: Exactly! It’s put out to dry in the sun after the skin’s been rubbed off. It’s also matured a little longer than black pepper.
W: So they do all that just to get a milder pepper corn?
M: That and for aesthetic reasons. Some chefs like the idea that it keeps white sauces white.
W: These green pepper corns are interesting. I’ve never seen them before.
M: Green pepper has a very distinctive flavor. Some people really like it.
W: So it must get picked when it’s really young.
M: Right. And it’s not sun-dried. It’s either put in the liquid or freeze-dried to keep its color.
W: Well, you’re quite the pepper expert, aren’t you?
M: A good chef’s got to know about the spices.
W: I’ll be a judge of that. Let me taste. Mm...you pass!
27. How did the man learn about pepper?
28. What happens to black pepper after it’s picked?
29. According to the man, why do some cooks prefer white pepper?
30. Why does the woman tell the man he passes?