Book page 60 Book Page 60 Read the text and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.Write your answers in CAPITAL LETTERS.The history of Chopsticksby Stephanie ButlerExample(0) __THE __ fabled ruins of Yin, 1. provided not only _______________ earliest examples 2. of Chinese writing but ____________ the first known chopsticks – bronze sets found in tombs at the site. 3. Capable of reaching deep into boiling pots of water or oil, early chopsticks ____________ used mainly for cooking. It wasn’t until A.D. 400 that people began eating with utensils. 4. This happened when a population boom across China sapped resources and forced cooks to develop cost-saving habits. They began chopping food ____________ smaller pieces that required less cooking fuel and happened to be perfect for the tweezers-like grip of chopsticks. As food became bite-sized, knives became more or less obsolete. Their decline and chopsticks’ ascent also came courtesy of Confucius. As a vegetarian, he believed that sharp utensils at the dinner table would remind eaters of the slaughterhouse. He also thought that knives’ sharp points evoked violence and warfare, killing the happy, contended mood that should reign during meals. Thanks in part to his teachings, chopsticks use quickly became widespread throughout Asia. 5. Different cultures adopted different chopstick styles. Perhaps in a nod to Confucius, Chinese chopsticks featured a blunt rather ____________ a pointed end. In Japan, chopsticks were eight inches long for men and seven inches long for women. In 1878 the Japanese became the first to create the now-ubiquitous disposable set, typically made of bamboo or wood. Wealthy diners could eat with ivory, jade, coral, brass or agate versions, while the most privileged used silver sets. It was believed that the silver would corrode and turn black if it came into contact with poisoned food. 6. Throughout history, chopsticks ____________ enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with another staple of Asian cuisine: rice. 7. Naturally, eating with chopsticks lends ____________ to some types of food more than others. At first glance, you’d think that rice wouldn’t make the cut, but in Asia most rice is of the short- or medium-grain variety. 8. The starches in these types of rice create a cooked product that is gummy and clumpy, unlike the fluffy and distinct grains of Western long-grain rice. As chopsticks ____________ together to lift steaming bundles of sticky rice, it’s a match made in heaven. Image Time's up
