Chopsticks are a pair of small equal-length sticks, usually made of wood, used for eating Asian food. It is believed that the first chopsticks were developed in China. Chopsticks play an important role in Chinese food culture. Chinese chopsticks are usually 9 to 10 inches long. They are round on the eating end which means heaven (天), and the other end is square which means earth. The appearance of chopsticks said goodbye to those days when our Chinese ancestors had to use their hands to eat.

①Besides, the use of chopsticks has also been a part of Chinese food culture. There are some taboos (禁忌) that you must pay great attention to when you use chopsticks. Firstly, don’t use them to hit your bowl or plate. Secondly, never use them to point at others. Thirdly, don’t put them in different food without taking something. Fourthly, don’t cross the chopsticks on the table. And lastly don’t leave your chopsticks standing in the rice. Chinese people do this only when they honour the dead.

Nowadays, chopsticks have many new usages. For example, you can buy a pair as a gift to your friends and relatives. In Chinese, it reads “kuaizi”, which means having sons soon, so a newly-married couple will be very happy to accept it as their wedding gift.

Every country has its favorite food. Italians like to eat pizza. Indians like to eat hot food. Japanese like to eat fish. Often they don’t cook it.

In England, one of the most popular kinds of food is fish and chips. People usually buy it in a fish and chip shop. They put it in paper bags and take it home, or to their workplace. Sometimes they eat it in the park or on the road. The world’s favorite food is American fast food. If you go to some important cities in the world, you can find people eating hamburgers and chips.

Fish and chips and Chinese take-away food are very popular in England. But they are less popular in the USA. Americans eat take-away food, too, like chicken. But the most popular kind of take-away food is the hamburger.