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  3. The history of tea has ancient roots, steeped in generations of Asian culture

The history of tea has ancient roots, steeped in generations of Asian culture

游客2024-08-09  8
问题    The history of tea has ancient roots, steeped in generations of Asian culture and traditions beginning as early as 2,000 BC. Indigenous to the mountainous region of Yunnan in south-western China, tea is now cultivated and enjoyed in all corners of the world. There are over a thousand subvarieties of the Camellia tea bush, each producing a different flavor and personality. Lauded for its health benefits and calming properties, tea has proved its longevity in each country.

   According to a Chinese legend, it, was Emperor ShenNong who first discovered tea some 5,000 years ago. As the emperor was boiling water, some dried leaves from a tree fell into his pot, and the emperor developed a liking for the beverage’ s vitality and flavor. However, tea was likely utilized long before then as a medicinal remedy, mixed with various herbs to produce a pharmacological concoction. The influence of religion and the unification of China managed to popularize tea around the country, first among the upper class and then among the masses, with the advent of tea houses during the Ming Dynasty. With each changing dynasty, the preparation and use of tea evolved, from solid cakes of compressed tea to loose leaf. Today, tea in China is an integral part of everyday life. The most popular type of tea is green, followed by oolong and pu-erh (fermented tea). Black tea was never very popular among the Chinese, having been reserved only for foreign export in the past. The practice of serving tea is ritualized in the gong fu tea service, a tradition that has continued to thrive in modern times.
   Tea was introduced to Japan during the 12th century by Chinese monks and Zen Buddhists, teaching Japanese priests the philosophical appreciation of the simple beverage. At first, tea was reserved for the emperor’ s court and high officials. It wasn’ t until the 16th century, when SenRikyu codified Japanese tea principles, that tea became a ubiguitous part of the culture. The Japanese regarded drinking tea as high art, emphasizing the beauty in simplicity and the appreciation of the moment, incorporating the many ideals of Zen Buddhism into practice. There’ s no better place to practice this art than in the Japanese tea ceremony called Chanoyu ( way of tea) , in which matcha powder is used to brew a frothy, ethereal tea.
   The Dutch East India Company gave Europe its first taste of tea during the 1,600s, and England developed a craze for it. After trade relations with China turned sour during the Opium Wars, England turned to India as its main tea supplier. Soon, England created its own style of preparing tea by adding milk and sugar, after hearing the untrue rumors that this was how the Chinese drank their tea (only the Manchus ever added milk to their tea). The famous "afternoon tea" trend arrived in the 19th century, when it. was common for only two meals to be served per day. The English grew hungry waiting for dinner, and became fond of having an assortment of sweets with tea and lemon in the afternoon. England is now one of the largest consumers of tea outside of China today, consuming mostly black teas like Earl Grey and English Breakfast.
   India is the largest producer of tea in the world today, and it’ s mostly due to the influence of Britain during the 1,800s. Initially, Britain attempted to cultivate Chinese tea bushes in India, which proved largely unsuccessful due to differences in climate (except for the region of Darjeeling in the Himalayas ). It was soon discovered that India already had its own indigenous tea bush that, grew in Assam Valley in northeastern India. Although India never developed the highly elaborate tea rituals like those of China or Japan, tea was still very much a part of everyday life. Black tea is often prepared with milk, sugar, and spices such as cardamom, fennel, and cloves known as "chai" tea in the west.
Questions 71 ~ 75
   Complete the summary below with information from the passage, using no more than three words for each blank.
   People in the world praise tea for its health benefits and【R1】________. Early in the Ming Dynasty, 【R2】________, where people went to drink tea, were built. Tea was introduced to Japan during the 12th century by Chinese monks and Zen Buddhists, teaching Japanese priests the philosophical appreciation of the simple beverage. The beauty【R3】________ was emphasized in the first place by the Japanese. Rather than green tea, 【R4】________was mostly consumed in England. India is the largest producer of tea in the world today. But Indian people never perform【R5】________like those of China and Japan. [br] 【R2】
选项
答案 tea houses
解析 文章第二段第四句提到“随着明朝茶馆的出现，宗教的影响和中国的统一使茶在全国范围内流行起来，先是上流社会，然后是大众”。也就是说，明朝出现茶馆。由此可知，应填入tea houses。
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