In the north of China, nowadays, it is not only going to the seaside that becomes a trend, but also the group barbecue takes the fashion lead. According to CCTV.com, it was young people on the Internet     1     first sparked the Zibo barbecue craze.”

The high-speed railway trains are packed with visiting tourists and the air smells of cumin.” This is how netizens described Zibo,     2     city in East China’s Shandong Province. Zibo city recently went viral on Chinese social media for its local specialty food, Zibo barbecue.     3     (feature) a small stove at each table, barbecue from Zibo is unique and offers a special dining experience. When the skewers (串肉扦)     4     (serve), customers have to process them themselves and wrap them in a thin pancake, usually with a spring onion     5     (add).The immersive experience of making customized (特制的) “Zibo barbecue” offers diners a sense of     6     (participate) and leisure time.

Since March, the search volume of “Zibo barbecue” on the whole platform     7     (increase) by over 770 percent year-on-year. The local government also took advantage     8     the Zibo barbecue trend to bring more tourists to the city,     9     (particular) young people. It is said that they have set up a specially customized “barbecue map”     10     added 21 new barbecue bus lines so that tourists can “get on the bus to rest, get off to eat”.

You may have heard about potato candy. Potato candy     1     (consider) to be a sweet food for those who couldn’t afford much in the past. But more people now find potato candy wonderful in reality.

    2     (actual), potato candy is easy to make. Boil a potato until a fork will easily cut into it. Then place the hot potato in     3     bowl and remove the potato skin in a     4     (care) way. After mashing (把……捣成糊状) the potato with hands, put sugar into the potato. When     5     (add) the sugar, you are advised     6     (move) the mashed potato around continually. Then turn it out onto the tablecloth     7     begin rolling the mashed potato out until it’s a quarter of an inch thick. Put peanut butter (花生酱) over the surface of the potato. Then cut the potato into small pieces. And put the potato candy into the refrigerator     8     an hour. After that, you can enjoy your candy,     9     taste can be very nice.

Certainly, when you make the potato candy, you can make some changes to the methods     10     (explain) above.

Food and Eating Habits

Throughout China’s history, eating habits have been influenced by many factors such as geography, religion, society and economy. As     1     result, food and eating habits are not only indicative of the social status, but characteristic of one group, differing in regions,     2    (family), peoples or religions to some extent.

The Chinese diet     3    (emphasize)rice and grains, followed by fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Food     4    (make)of wheat flour is the staple(主食)for people living in the north, while rice is the main staple in the south.

Chinese people also have a habit of     5    (consume)green tea, and plant-based alcoholic beverages(饮料)such as rice wine, beer and grain liquor moderately. The typical Chinese alcoholic beverage is baijiu,     6     is made from various grains.     7    (additional), Chinese people like to drink hot water or tea with their meals since hot water is helpful for     8    (digest)according to traditional Chinese medicine.

Nowadays, Chinese people like to eat out with relatives and friends during weekends or festivals. A typical meal starts     9     some cold dishes, like boiled peanuts and smashed cucumber with garlic, followed by the main courses, including hot meat and vegetable dishes. Finally, soup     10    (bring)onto the table, followed by the staple food, rice, noodles, or sometimes dumplings.

The USA is known for its high consumption of meats, including chicken, pork and lamb, potatoes, green vegetables and sweet breads also feature heavily in American cuisine.

Due to immigration to America from a wide range of different cultures, American cuisine is also a product of     1     (diverse). Apple pie is the classic American dessert, so that it is regularly used     2     a synonym (同义词) for Americanism. It goes without saying     3     apple pie is one of the most     4     (type) American foods.

Now you might be surprised to learn that the American hamburger started out in Germany,     5     immigrants to the new world brought along with them the Hamburg steak. It was the American’s idea, however,     6     (put) that steak in a bun and top it with cheese! Therefore, we were happy to say that hamburgers are 100%     7     American invention, one which has been exported throughout the entire globe. Actually, it’s impossible to separate the hamburger from the     8     (grow) influence of the USA on the world.

Fried chicken is another example of a food that wasn’t necessarily invented in America, but     9     (take) off in the States! Many people associate American fried chicken     10     the state of Kentucky due to the huge multinational success of KFC.

As a Chinese American, noodles have been a big part of my life since I was first able     1     (eat) solid (固体的) foods. While it isn’t served at every single meal like rice is, we will eat noodles     2     least 2 or 3 times a week. Sometimes, we will go out for the wonton noodle soup at restaurants that specialize in it, which could     3     (see) everywhere in the southeastern city of Guangzhou where I was born, and in Chinatown in Boston where we often go after     4     (move) to Massachusetts when I was very young.

Noodles are part of everyday life in Chinese culture. Besides, they also hold a lot of symbolism (象征意义) when eaten during significant     5     (event).In China, noodles are often eaten on birthdays and at     6     start of the Lunar New Year. In fact, they symbolize longevity and good     7     (healthy) for the year ahead.

The main concern is flavor and texture (口感) when you’re eating noodles. Rice noodles — my favorite— taste best when they are smooth, not too hard, yet not too soft. The sauce (调味汁) or soup     8     is ready for the noodles should have a nice balance of flavors. Slurping (吃时发出啧啧的声音) is not only allowed but also     9     (strong) encouraged, because it     10     (mean) you’re enjoying the noodles you’re eating.