Yunnan flavors

Yunnan has one of the most unique cuisines in China. From steam pot chicken soup to     1     (roast) fish, Yunnan cooking has something for everyone.

Steam pot chicken soup is an     2     (exception) dish in Yunnan cuisine. Fresh chicken is steamed in a sealed pot and only minimum seasoning such as salt and onion     3     (use) to produce a super light and tasty chicken soup.

    4     (eat) insects is also a distinct feature of Yunnan cuisine. Many minority groups have a tradition of enjoying insects and some even host insect festivals in celebration. Insects are rich     5     nutrition and can be delicious once your fear is overcome.

When talking about Yunnan cuisine, one cannot overlook the amazing local hams made with high-quality pig legs. When visiting Yunnan villages, we can see hams hanging under the     6     (roof) and they are enjoyed in many ways from appetizer to even the dessert.

The Xuanwei ham is     7     (wide) known to Chinese people. Only local pigs are used     8     (achieve) the unique flavor. The pig legs are salted three times before they are put in a smoking room for around a year.

Its competitor,     9     Nuodeng ham, is a traditional delicacy made by the Bai people living in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture,     10     the clean environment and excellent water contribute to the high quality of the ham. Here, the hams can be aged for three years and above.

【推荐2】阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Mexico has a unique food culture, and tamales（玉米粉蒸肉）, for example, is a kind of delicious food. At least three times a week, David, a bus driver, buys tamales in the street. Tamales are made of corn flour as well     1     meat, beans and cheese, David     2     (eat) the dish since childhood because the taste is     3     (extreme) good.

Tamales are not only tasty, but they are also a good way     4     (provide) enough energy for people in the workday. They carry lovely memories for     5     (million) of people like David. He remembers his grandmother preparing tamales for family celebrations and religious events.

Tamales are eaten in several neighboring countries under other names. But     6     number of tamales in Mexico is huge, according to food researcher Ricardo. He has identified 25 families making tamales in Mexico,     7     have many different kinds     8     (base) on tastes and sizes.

The popularity of the tamale is so great that people can’t stop     9     (enjoy) them. It is not a simple dish but a symbol of culture. David thinks tamales should     10     (pass) from generation to generation, and he says he will eat them with his wife, children and other relatives to celebrate every festival, just like his parents and grandparents did.

China is known as the home of tea. It is said that Shennong discover tea around 2700 B.C. At first, tea leaves     1     (chew). During the Tang dynasty,     2     (advance) were made in the processing of tea. The leaves were steamed, oxidized (氧化) and pounded into cake form. This made tea easier     3     (transport) and more pleasing to the tongue.

The earliest batch (批次) of tea is often ready to be picked before Qingming. This precious small output of tea, widely     4     (seek) after for its outstanding quality, is called Mingqian tea. The seasonal tea is known     5     its tender leaves and fresh flavor. They have     6     better flavor than the later batches which can be grown overnight.

East China’s Zhejiang province is acknowledged as a major producer of tea. In spring, local hillsides     7     (fill) with tea workers sowing seeds on their land. In the peak seasons, many tourists flood to witness the beautiful scenery of tea farms for     8     (they), while enjoying a cup of tea.

There are many ways you can experience tea culture in China. You can visit a tea plantation in Hangzhou or elsewhere to learn     9     tea is grown and harvested. You can sit inside a     10     (tradition) teahouse and take in the classical atmosphere as you drink tea.

China’s traditional tea-making techniques and their associated social practices successfully became UNESCO’s latest world intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) on November 29, 2022.

Up to now, in addition to the common six categories of tea, other varieties like flower-scented teas and more than 2,000 tea products     1     (develop). Because of changes that     2     (occur) in the long history, the tea-making process     3     (compose) of numerous challenges has become rather complicated today.

Speaking of the reasons why the application succeeded, Zheng Changling,     4     research fellow at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, believes it is mainly due to the long and great history of Chinese tea culture,     5     travelled along the ancient Tea Horse Road to reach as far as West Asia and East Africa.

The successful application can further help improve tea’s influence     6     (globe). It will not only promote more respect for cultural     7     (diverse) and human creativity but also will encourage people to pursue     8     (healthy) lifestyles by integrating tea culture into their daily lives.

Wang Yongjian, head of the Chinese delegation to the UNESCO session, expects that they will apply     9     more of the intangible cultural heritage projects with Chinese characteristics in an effort     10    (spread) Chinese culture.

For Chinese communities in Australia, Mid-Autumn Festival celebration is     1     important part of their life.

Wayne Wong, as one of the new     2     (arrive) from China, is proud of his Chinese heritage. While     3     (get) used to the life in Australia, Wong and his wife still maintain their Chinese culture and heritage. Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year are as important to them in Australia as they     4     (be) in China, and will continue to be so. This year, their modest home were decorated with pink cherry blossoms,     5     Wong said could bring good luck.     6     many Australians of Chinese descent, he celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival by having dinner with friends and eating mooncakes.

For Chinese Australians, Mid-Autumn Festival keeps them     7     (connect) to their heritage and culture, said Mark Wang, CEO of the Museum of Chinese Australian History in Melbourne. His     8     (mother) ancestors arrived in Australia from China in the 1830s, just before the Gold Rush which saw thousands of Chinese     9     (make) the journey to the gold fields in eastern Australia in the 1850s and 1860s.

“    10     you are a first-generation immigrant or Australian born Chinese, it is important to keep that traditional festival, our cultural connection,” Wang said.