Bittman’s idea is not new, of course; many experts and policy groups have long recommended soda taxes, for example, or government-issued vouchers for farmers’ market produce, and some municipalities in the U.S. (and some countries outside the U.S.) have toyed with, or in fact implemented, such taxes or similar concepts. But Bittman’s piece is notable for making a persuasive argument for the use of taxes and subsidies to reshape our diet, systematically laying out the benefits and dispatching the arguments of potential detractors, in a widely-read newspaper.
The word astronauts in the sentence is functioning as the direct object.
Direct objects are often a noun phrase that refers to a person or thing that <u>receives</u> the action of the verb. In order to spot a direct object within a sentence, remember to ask yourself “who” or “what” is receiving the action. The answer in this case would be: <em>"the austronauts". </em>
