Beijing roast duck

Beijing roast duck, known for its unique taste and rich historical significance,     1     (refer) to as a “delicacy among all delicacies”. This famous dish traces its roots back     2     the Ming Dynasty and has become synonymous (等同于) with Beijing’s rich cultural relics. To create this masterpiece, chefs start with a selection of fine ducks,     3     (careful) cleaned and inflated to stretch the skin. The duck is then roasted over an open flame     4     (fuel) by fruit woods, such as peach or date,     5     contributes to the distinctive aroma and flavor.     6     sets it apart is the thin, crispy skin that crackles under the     7     (tooth) and the tender, succulent meat beneath. Served with thin pancakes, green onions     8     sweet bean sauce, each bite of the Beijing roast duck is an explosion of taste that embodies centuries-old tradition meeting modern culinary artistry.

The Beijing Duck Museum, founded by Quanjude,     9     Chinese restaurant that has served duck for more than a century, is welcomed by customers during summer vacation because of its free tickets and cozy environment. With high temperatures     10     (heat) Beijing, museums provide welcome relief.

The Chinese Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, celebrates the beginning of spring and is the occasion     1    families show respect to their ancestors by visiting and cleaning their tombs. The festival takes place on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox (春分), which falls on April 4th    2     5th. As Qingming comes, temperature rises and rainfall increases,    3    (indicate)an important time for sowing seeds.

The Qingming Festival     4    (date) back more than 2,500 years and it originated from Hanshi Day, meaning “a day with cold food only”. One story has it that Jie Zitui, who was a loyal man to his lord Duke Wen, died in a fire in 636 BCE. So Duke Wen ordered three days without fire     5     memory of Jie. The next year, he ordered that the day after Hanshi Day should be the Qingming Festival, a day to honor     6     dead. Over time, the two festivals     7    (eventual) combined and the traditions of eating cold food and honoring ancestors became     8     (attach) to the Qingming Festival.

While there is much sadness surrounding Tomb Sweeping Day, there is also     9    (celebrate) , happiness and a festive atmosphere. Nowadays, the Qingming Festival is a time of multiple     10    (activity) , such as tomb sweeping, spring outing, flying kites and eating festive food like Qingtuan.

In recent years, food has apparently become a new hot spot for Chinese cities to attract tourists. Following Zibo and Harbin, Tianshui,     1     ancient city in Northwest China's Gansu Province, became the     2     (hot) tourists destination of 2024 because of malatang, a local street dish.

Malatang,     3     (literal) meaning “numbing, spicy, and hot” in Chinese, is a common street food that can be found all over China, but its tastes differ depending     4     the region. In Tianshui, malatang features a mix of fresh vegetables and meat     5     (boil) in a hot, spicy chicken soup.

Tianshui went viral when a student     6     (post) a seven-second video in February on her social media. In the video, she suggested     7     (make) Gansu malatang a national dish. The video,     8     quickly received millions of likes online, attracted food lovers to the city     9     (experience) this local dish firsthand. Malatang also helps draw more visits to key     10     (attraction) in Tianshui, such as Maijishan Grottoes and Fuxi Temple.

An unexpected Chinese presence, the Chinese steamed buns (馒头), known as mantou in Chinese, made an appearance at La Fête du pain, the annual bread festival held in front of the Notre Dames (圣母院), Paris, from May 7 to May 16.

On May 9, a Chinese netizen who attended the bread festival, posted a video on Douyin. In the video, a line of mantou     1     (place) among the array of baked food on display.

In no time, “Chinese Steamed Buns Compete at the French Bread Festival” became     2     trending topic on the internet. Some netizens expressed surprise, saying, “The steamed buns     3     we see every day at the dinner table have turned around and gone to France to participate in an international     4     (compete).”

Mantou can be enjoyed in various ways. When freshly     5     (steam), it is a delight on its own.     6     (alternative), it can be roasted, skewered, and grilled to golden brown, and     7     (it) flavor can be enhanced with aromatic spices like cumin and chili powder.

According to the video, the label called it mantao, and described it     8    : “Made with wheat flour, yeast and then steamed. The mantao has a smooth surface and a dense crumb. In the southern     9     (region) of the country, sugar and fat are added. As a staple food, it comes in a variety of shapes, with the most common ones     10     (be) round, leaf, flower.”

International Tea Day is celebrated every year on May 21. On this day, tea lovers unite in celebration of their favorite beverage. International Tea Day also promotes ways     1     (sustain) the production and consumption of tea. You might be     2     (astonish) to know that tea is the most loved beverage for millions worldwide. Every second, people consume 25,000 cups of tea,     3     suggests more than two billion cups of tea are consumed per day.

In 2005, tea-producing countries came together to celebrate International Tea Day. These countries     4     (be) Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, and Uganda. In 2019, the Intergovernmental Group on Tea decided to celebrate International Tea Day on May 21. The U. N. said yes to the celebrations on December 21, 2019. The first official U. N. International Tea Day     5     (celebrate) on May 21, 2020.

Estimates show that as the world population increases, so will     6     number of tea drinkers. Tea enjoys great     7     (popular) in India and China. These two countries alone account     8     37% of the world’s total population, meaning a significant number of tea lovers live in India and China.

Besides     9     (drink) it for taste, there are numerous health benefits of tea drinking. Drinking tea can reduce the risk of heart attack, protect the bones, boost the immune system,     10     relax the body. Habitual tea drinkers are less likely to suffer from early death. They drink the beverage at least three times a week.

The city of Tianshui, in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, is experiencing a tourism boom     1    (fuel)by its signature dish, the malatang hotpot.     2    (feature)a mix of vegetables, meats and seafood boiled in a peppery soup, it has become an unexpected Internet hit, drawing visitors from across China. Tianshui     3    (welcome)7.54 million tourists since the start of last month, generating tourism profit of 4.37 billion yuan.

A photo of a     4    (visible)exhausted Haiying Malatang staff member went viral online, causing a heated discussion     5     increasing its popularity. According to Ha Haiying, the owner of the restaurant, it is the flavor and affordability     6     contribute to Tianshui malatang’s success.

However, the     7    (spice)delight isn’t the only draw. The increase in malatang     8    (consume)has led to a corresponding rise invisitors to Tianshui’s key attractions, including the Maijishan Grottoes(石窟),     9     UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a temple dedicated to Fuxi.

Tianshui’s local government is taking steps to solidify its position     10     a tourist destination, such as producing convenient seasoning packets so that visitors can recreate the genuine Tianshui malatang at home.

Beloved as they may be, many Chinese dishes only show up on family tables once a year,     1     (mark) holidays or seasonal observances. When the Qingming Festival approaches each spring, qingtuan, a sweet, jade-coloured treat begins to appear in supermarkets     2    bakeries all over the country

“In Chinese culture, it’s really important to always honour and remember your ancestors,” said Lillian Luk,     3     founder of the London pop-up Shanghai Supper Club. During the Qingming Festival people all over China go on trips to their deceased loved ones’ burial sites    4     ( sweep) the graves, burn incense and present offerings.

    5     (make) with glutinous rice flour, qingtuan dough is emerald-green because of the addition of mugwort (艾草). “Mugwort also gives the qingtuan a nice medicinal benefit. It’s meant to    6     (low) blood pressure,” said Luk, who now makes and sells the green    7     (treat) at her pop-up restaurant when the Qingming Festival rolls around.

In recent years, Luk     8     (notice) qingtuan evolving. She’s seen all sorts of novel versions pop up, from dumplings dyed green with matcha (抹茶) instead of mugwort,     9     ones filled with custard or sweet potato. Luk acknowledges the value of unexpected flavour options—seeing her children become excited and curious about foods from their culture. “Somehow, I have kind of woven this thread     10     ties my kids to my heritage, unintentionally,” said Luk.

In the intersection of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, there is a city called Meizhou. It is the most     1    (concentrate) area for Hakka people in Guangdong.

The Hakka people have experienced long-term hardship. After achieving     2    (stable), most of them choose to live near mountain s and rivers. The Weilong House is the dwelling place     3     Meizhou people put their hearts at ease. The House, with its back     4     the mountain s and forests, has a semi-circular pond in front of its door. Seen from the sky, the Hakka Weilong House is     5    (rough) oval-shaped, embodying the living form and order of life that heaven is round and earth is square.

The Songkou Ancient Town at the lower reaches of the Meijiang River was the first stop for Hakka people     6    (go) to Southeast Asia after the late Ming Dynasty. In the old street, there are colonial-style buildings that     7    (weather) through the years, and advertisements full of Southeast Asian charm.

The people of Meizhou enjoy a bowl of pickled noodles with a bowl of San Ji Li soup, which includes pork, pi g liver, and pig intestine. This is     8     favorite dish for the people of Meizhou from childhood to adulthood. Hakka cuisine     9    (characterize) by its richness, freshness, and aroma.     10    (dish) like Steamed Chicken wrapped in Lotus Leaf are all part of Hakka cuisine.

Spring rolls, those crispy delights of golden pastry (油酥面团), featuring a mix     1     finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and sometimes meat, are among the most popular     2     (choice) for a quick and tasty snack. The rolls are fried to a perfect crunch and are     3     (typical) eaten when hot. To eat one, you have to decide     4     to dip it in a sweet and sour sauce first, adding an extra layer of flavor, or to enjoy it on     5     (it) own, letting the roll’s own taste shine through. While spring rolls     6     (serve) in many places, the classic version can be found in the busy street markets,     7     they are made fresh on the spot and provided straight from the fryer. Good spring rolls have a light crust, allowing them     8     (pick) up easily without breaking or becoming unpleasantly wet. The filling is carefully seasoned     9     (guarantee) a harmonious blend of tastes and textures (口感).

No matter where I get them, one is rarely enough, but two or three might be too much, so I am always left     10     (look) forward to my next spring roll experience.

Tea is one of the three major drinks in the world,     1    （produce）in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide and enjoyed by over 2 billion people. Huangshan in Anhui province has a long history of tea planting. The recorded history of Huangshan's tea can date back     2     the Tang Dynasty. In 1915, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black Tea were sent to the Panama World Exposition,     3     they were awarded gold medals. Huangshan city remains     4     key tea-production area in China and Huangshan Mountain in the city is known worldwide for its     5    （impress）scenery. The clouds that ring Huangshan Mountain     6    （believe）to create a natural shelter, blocking sunlight and allowing the tea leaves to produce more nitrogen（氮）which     7    （give）them their unique aroma.

Consequently, the celebrated Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black teas from Huangshan have gained worldwide     8    （popular）.     9     they were added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov 29, 2022, their cultural significance has been further acknowledged. Tea from Huangshan continues to delight and attract the world. In 2022, Huangshan city's tea industry achieved a remarkable output of 45,000 metric tons,     10    （create）4.6 billion yuan（$664.42 million）in revenue（财政收入）.