2 . Although tea is considered typically English, it did not really become part of English daily life until the 18th century.

The first man to sell tea was Thomas Garway in 1657 in his coffee house in London. It soon became fashionable all over London in 1662. Catherine of Braganza sailed to England from Portugal to become Charles II’s wife, taking boxes of tea with her. They said she was the first to introduce tea drinking in the home. The custom of afternoon tea probably originated with one person: Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford. In the early 1800s she came up with the idea of having tea in the late afternoon to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner, which in fashionable circles was not served until 8 o'clock at night. Tea drinking became popular among the lower classes too, but they are their evening meals much earlier! Nowadays British homes serve tea at all times of the day. If you visit British homes in the daytime they are likely to offer you a cup of tea. If it is after six this will probably be something stronger like beer or wine. Some families drink tea with breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Tea shops originated in the 1800s and you can still find them today all over England especially in villages and small towns. You can choose from a wide variety of teas as well as herbal teas (花草茶) and coffees. Tea rooms usually serve a selection of fresh sandwiches and cakes as well as ice cream. They are usually open from 9:00 am 10:00 am to around 5:00 pm. Some are open seven days a week, others close mid-week as weekends are usually the busiest time.

Tea was originally sold in coffee shops and was advertised as a drink with medicinal properties which made you strong and gave you energy, as well as preserving perfect health until extreme old age. This may not be true, but it is true that drinking tea can be refreshing. Tea breaks, or a short break from work to drink a cup of tea, is still vert popular in the UK. However, too much tea, like too much coffee, can also lead to sleeplessness and palpitations (心悸). This is why today some people prefer to buy herbal teas which do not contain caffeine.

3 . The fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar (日历), also known as the Lantern Festival, is the last day for the Spring Festival celebration. It's time to enjoy the important festival food: rice glue balls. It is called tangyuan in the south, and yuanxiao in the north of China. It's one of the favorite dishes at Chinese festivals, as the round shape represents reunion.

Li Mingcheng, more than 60 years old, has been making rice glue balls for over 40 years. His snack bar brand was founded over 100 years ago. He is the sixth generation leader of the family. Every kid looked forward to the Spring Festival, because long ago, rice glue balls were luxury (奢侈的) food. People only made them during the Spring Festival. Besides the rare (罕见的) dishes like meat, the rice glue balls were an important part of Li's childhood memories.

"The wrapper (包装材料) is made of rice from northeast China. It is the best," says Li. After being put into water for 24 hours, the rice is wet-milled (湿磨) to make dough (面团) and it is decorated with sweet juice. For the filling, black sesame (芝麻) is a classic choice. It's a mixture of sesame, sugar and lard. Some people prefer it with walnuts, peanuts and brown sugar.

After eating rice glue balls, families make full use of the remaining holiday to see lantern shows. In the colorful lights, people wish for a whole year as happy as today. Those sweet times would be connected with rice glue balls and happiness at the festival.

7 . What are vegans (严格的素食主义者) and what do they really eat? How does a vegan diet compare to   a meat eating diet? Which diet is truly healthier? Join us as we explore the differences between vegans and meat eaters and try to find out who will live longest,vegans or meat eaters?

We’ve all experienced it. We invite a friend to dinner, only to learn that she is the dreaded V-word. We have a vague sense of what it means, but we’re left with so many questions. Is it healthier?

We are curious about the health differences between vegans and their meat-eating friends,who eat both plants and animals.

At this point, some of you may be wondering which diet leads to longer life spans (寿命). For that information, we turn to Okinawa. The traditional Okinawan diet is typically regarded as the best for health and longevity,with the Okinawan islands having the greatest concentration of centenarians (百岁老人) in the world.

Okinawa has about 740 centenarians out of its population of 1.3 million people. While their diets have been changing recently due to globalization and fast food chains,the traditional Okinawan diet is made up of large amounts of plant-based carbohydrates (碳水化合物).

Although they are primarily vegans, traditional Okinawans still eat meat on special occasions, usually pork, as well as small amounts of fish on a weekly basis.This doesn’t prove that small amounts of animal products are vital to good health, but it does mean that the best human diet can be achieved without going completely vegan.

Many health organizations state that well-planned vegan diets are healthy and nutritionally adequate,and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

It seems like no matter what your dietary preferences are, a healthy lifestyle can be achieved on or off a vegan diet.

8 . When you hear the phrase cultural heritage, what comes to mind? Maybe you remember going to see folk dances with people wearing traditional costumes. Perhaps you were exposed to the music and arts of this culture.     1    . It might begin with the memory of your mother’s cooking, or visiting grandma’s house and receiving a special treat as a reward for good behavior. As you close your eyes, can you picture your favorite dish? Is it a salad with a special dressing, or a delicious dessert?       2     Maybe you’re far away from home and eating your favorite soul food makes you feel closer to those you’re separated from.

Many of us have missed spending a holiday or two with our loved ones, only to find ourselves calling to ask what they had for dinner. It doesn’t matter if it’s the same thing that is served year after year.     3    . These recipes, cherished family favorites, handed down from each generation to the next might experience subtle changes, but there still remains a sense of unity. It is this unity that constructs the bridge between families and generations.     4    

Good food knows no boundaries. It makes a great bond between young and old. Here, in the kitchen the old master works hand in hand with younger family members and friends, passing on traditional skills used in the cooking arts. However, more is taking place than a mere transfer of information about ingredients and mixing instructions.     5     It becomes an opportunity for a parent to teach family values while passing the sugar and beating the eggs. Confidences can be exchanged along with the natural flow of conversation.