How do you make sure whether a watermelon is perfectly ripe? Well, one theory is that if you knock hard on the outside, the sound you hear will help determine if it’s ready to eat. That theory led to a huge online debate in China about what kind of people tend to engage in the art of “watermelon knocking”.
The discussion, which thousands of people contributed to on the Chinese micro-blogging site Sina Weibo, was kicked off by an unknown event thousands of miles away in Italy.
It all began when a Chinese social media user posted the picture of a sign in an Italian supermarket asking customers not to knock on the watermelons. The sign was stuck in a full box of watermelons which read, “Please stop knocking on the watermelons. They will not respond to it!”
There was no indication that the supermarket was targeting this message at customers with Chinese heritage. The sign was in Italian, not Mandarin. But somehow it was taken as an attack on a practice which some Chinese observers regarded as being unique to their national customs.
Many shared jokes aimed at the supermarket sign.
Online users are keen to show they know better, especially on the subject of watermelons.
A quick online search will reveal that Chinese social media users are not alone in their thinking. Watermelon knocking and listening for a hollow sound is indeed a nearly universal concept. It even appears in films. The popular Russian cartoon, Nu, pogodi!, includes watermelon knocking as part of an episode.
There are no absolute guarantees about what to do when it comes to choosing fruit. But at the risk of causing an international diplomatic incident we would suggest some common ground about what to look for to choose the perfect watermelon.
Feel the weight of the melon. The heavier, the better.
Press on the watermelon. It should feel firm and if it springs back, it’s ready to eat.
Look at the markings on the melon. A yellow patch on one end indicates it’s ready.
Of course if all these fail, you could always, knock and wait for a reply.
8. What was the cause of the heated discussion?
A.Whether the watermelon is ripe. | B.The art of watermelon knocking. |
C.The picture of a sign in an Italian supermarket. | D.The traditional Italian customs in the supermarket. |
9. The author writes the article in a(n) ________ way.
A.serious | B.approving | C.critical | D.humorous |
10. Which method of selecting watermelon is not suggested by the author in the text?
A.Pressing | B.Observing markings |
C.Feeling the weight | D.Waiting for a response |
11. What is the purpose of this text?
A.To present a research result. | B.To give practical advice by telling a story. |
C.To introduce the traditional customs of Italy. | D.To bring up an international diplomatic incident. |