Sample Answer
Which food is popular in China?
There are tons of popular foods in China since the Chinese have a very rich food culture. A dish that a ton of Chinese people love eating is ramen, especially Lanzhou Ramen. It’s definitely one of the tastiest kinds of noodles in China. Another one of the best kinds of traditional food is hotpot, which is a little similar to fondue. We can put all kinds of meats and vegetables into the hotpot and eat it with dipping sauce. There are dozens of styles of hotpot in China but without a doubt, they all taste amazing. I especially love the spicy Sichuan hotpot.
Have people’s eating habit changed compared to the past?
Yes, people’s diets today are very different from their diets in the past. Young people especially have diets that are worlds away from those of our grandparents and great-grandparents. In the past, China’s economy wasn’t as developed so people didn’t have the wide range of choices for food that we have today. For example, vegetables and fruits like okra and cranberries are popular food ingredients nowadays, but didn’t exist in farmers’ markets even a decade ago.
What’s the difference between North and South of China when it comes to eating habit?
Well, talking about differences in diet among people in different parts of China, I have to say people’s tastes vary a lot in terms of location. For example, a ton of northern dishes are quite salty. In contrast, many people in southern parts of China prefer sweetness, so you will find many kinds of dishes with a sweet flavor. However, China is a huge country, and each town has its own features in terms of food.
Why do some people grow their own food these days?
I believe some people grow their own food because they want to have more control over what they eat. A lot of people think that store-bought food has too many chemicals in it. They want to know exactly where their food comes from and what goes into it. Others just grow their own food because it’s a fun hobby that helps them wind down. I think both are good reasons. It’s pretty cool to make your own meals like that.
Is it hard to grow a plant?
No, I don’t think it’s that hard. All you really have to do is make sure you give it the right conditions to grow. For example, if it needs a lot of sunlight, you can make sure it’s in an open area that gets lots of light. The tricky thing is remembering to water it every day. Personally, I can be really forgetful, so I wouldn’t trust myself to take care of a plant.
Will more people grow vegetables in the future?
Well, right now, growing vegetables is a big trend. So I think that in the future, more and more people will give it a try. It’s a pretty cool habit that makes for a good conversation topic. It’s probably also healthier to grow your own food instead of getting it from the store. If you grow vegetables yourself, you have control over the whole process. I think it’s pretty neat.
Do you think people should eat every meal with their family?
Well, that’s tough. I suppose that it would be nice if people ate every meal with their family. Eating together is a great way to strengthen relationships between family members. But at the same time, it’s not always possible to eat every single meal with family. People have different work schedules and are often apart during the day. I think as long as you can have one meal a day with your family, you’re doing fine.
What are the influences of industrial development in the food industry on our eating habits?
I’m not really an expert on this subject. But the first thing that comes to mind is the types of food we eat nowadays. Basically, we have to watch our eating habits and diet, because the industrialization of the food industry has made many people used to eating processed food. As we all know, processed food usually contains a ton of calories but way less nutrition than natural food. I believe it’s an important reason why we can see more people becoming overweight. We should eat less food produced by factories and more natural food, like vegetables and fruits.
Vocab Highlights
dipping sauce
okra
cranberries
a big trend
are often apart during the day
watch our eating habits and diet
processed food