1. Unit 3 Chinese Food

4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this unit, you are supposed to  grasp the author’s purpose of writing and make clear the structure of the whole passage through an intensive reading of Text 1 Fresh Start.  comprehend the topic sentences in Text 1 thoroughly and be able to paraphrase them.  get a list of new words and structures and use them freely in conversation and writing.  be aware of the cross-cultural differences of food between Chinese and Western.

5. Text 1. Chinese Food  How important is food to the Chinese people?  What are the characteristics of Chinese cuisine?

6. The passage can be divided into three parts. Part One: (Paragraphs 1-4) Discuss the difference in Chinese and Western attitudes toward food. Here are some questions for consideration: 1. In the life of an individual, how, according to Kenneth Lo, is food different from music, a lecture or conversation, or matters of business? (As music, a lecture or conversation, or matters of business will never be integrated into one’s body or spiritual and moral fiber, one may not attend to them whole-heartedly. Yet, food is different. As it is going to be part of our bodies, it requires our serious treatment.) 2. How does Lo make his point clear? (by comparison and contrast) 3. What is the Chinese attitude of food? (They regard food as their first happiness.)

7. Part Two: (Paragraphs 5-6) Deal with the reasons of the international success of Chinese food. 1. Why does the writer mention “from Hong Kong to Honolulu to Huboken to Huddersfield”? (These places with “H” as the initial are located in different areas of the world. They are randomly chosen, just to show the ubiquity of Chinese food.) 2. What has helped the spread of Chinese food to the rest of the world? (First, many people from Hong Kong, China opened restaurants in various places. Secondly, the Western people have become interested in the pursuit of sensual pleasures and are eager to the old Western habits. Finally, sensual concept is an inherent element of Chinese food.

8. Part Three: (Para. 7-9) Elaborate the nature of Chinese food. 1. How does the writer explain that the traditional high- quality Chinese meal is a serious matter? (He uses figures to explain how complicated and time- consuming it is to prepare the Chinese meal. The he lists several methods of cooking to show that cooking itself is no easy work. 2. What else must be pleased besides the palate? Why? (The eye must be pleased, to. The philosophy that underlies Chinese food and everything else is Taoism, which signifies the proper human conduct and the ultimate harmony of the universe. In the enjoyment of food, the eye, as well as the palate, is the essential element to be please.)

9. LANGUAGE WORK  Derive from: to come from a source or origin E.g. The word “deduct” derives from Latin.  Ecstasy: sudden intense feeling or excitement E.g. They went into ecstasies over the view.  Smother: to cover closely or thickly E.g. The cook smothered a steak with mushrooms.  Marked: striking; conspicuous E.g. John worked really hard. He showed marked improvement in all the tests.

10.  Assert: to declare strongly E.g. He asserted boldly that he was innocent of the crime.  Bedeck: to decorate; to hang ornaments or decorations on E.g. He led us into a room bedecked with tinsel.  Infamous: deserving of or causing an evil reputation E.g. He is famous for saying that cheating is the way the game is played.

11.  Part and parcel: an essential part that must not be ignored E.g. It’s best to accept that some inconveniences are part and parcel of travel.  Phenomenal: very remarkable E.g. He enjoyed phenomenal success as a race care driver.  Inherent: existing as a natural and permanent quality E.g. She stared fastidiously at the dirty table. He fastidiously copied every word of his notes onto clean paper.

12.  Fastidiously: with excessive care of delicacy E.g. She stared fastidiously at the dirty table. He fastidiously copied every word of his notes onto clean paper.  Chore: a hard or unpleasant task; a small job that someone has to do regularly E.g.In 1862, a technique was contrived to take a series of photographs showing stages of movement.  Conform: to act in accordance with; to comply with E.g. He clothes are conformed to fashion. Though educated, we conform to some old customs.

13.  Palate: the sense of taste E.g. We’ll have a dinner to delight the palate. I let my palate dictate what I eat.  Elusive: hard to express or define E.g. He tried to recall the elusive thought he had had months before.  Piquant: having a pleasant sharp or strong taste E.g. With that piquant tomato sauce, the dish tastes much better.

16. MAIN IDEAS 0F TEXT 2  Say No to Western Fast Food introduces a new phenomena which is happening around China now. It implies the harm the fast food brings to people. On the other hand, it doesn't’t deny the advantage of eating in the fast food restaurants. The article compares fast food with Chinese traditional food, emphasizing the significance of keeping food tradition in China.  A topic for discussion What should we learn from the western restaurants and what should not we learn from the western restaurant, according to the author of text II?