Pasta! An international favorite

Discover why everyone loves this popular food。麵食！各国人士的最爱 - 一探大家喜爱这种热门食物的原因。

Which came first, Italian noodles or Chinese noodles? The debate has raged down through the ages. Legend states that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy when he returned from China near the end of the 13th century. Yet nearly 20 years earlier, Italian cookbooks already contained pasta recipes.

A 2005 discovery in northwestern China, though, may have settled the debate. A bowl was found containing noodles that scientists believe are over 4,000 years old! People may never agree on the origin of pasta. But almost everyone agrees that noodles are one of the world's most popular foods.

World Pasta Day
Tomorrow, many will celebrate World Pasta Day, (25th of Oct. each year) honoring the food that's eaten on every continent. The famous food can be found in many different forms in its different locations. Asians eat pasta in soup or stir-fried with vegetables. Europeans and Americans like it with sauce on top. And Brazilians like it filled with meat and cheese. It seems that no matter what's on it or in it, pasta's always the perfect food!

Explaining pasta's popularity
There are many reasons why pasta has become the world's favorite comfort food. It is a food that has remained nearly the same for 500 years. The traditional ingredients are basic - just flour, water and eggs. And processing simply consists of mixing the ingredients together.

After the pasta is produced, it's easy to cook - just boil it or bake it. It can be served hot or cold, and almost any ingredient can be mixed with it. The different - shaped noodles are not only fun, they're also practical, allowing sauces to cling more easily. Most cooks also enjoy the fact that pasta is cheap and quick to prepare for any size group. A pot of spaghetti easily feeds a large crowd or a small family. Best of all, pasta is a heart-healthy food. It contains good fiber and not many calories.

World Pasta Day only happens once a year, but every day is a great day to enjoy some pasta!

Grammar Tips:
A 2005 discovery in northwestern China, though, may have settled the debate.
"have settled something" - end of discussion or disagreement of something.
*Tony and Louis cannot agree as to who is the better athlete, so they will settle the debate by racing each other.
*A hundred volunteers will take a taste test to settle the debate as to which beverage company has the best soda.

Vocabulary Tips:
pasta -泛指意大利的麵食
*My favorite pasta is Lasagna.千层糕。
spaghetti 意大利麵条, macaroni 通心粉, ravioli 意大利麵饺 are pasta.
recipe - 食谱，烹饪法，秘诀，方法。
*Grandma's recipes for desserts are precious to me.
*You have to cook the dish according to the chef's recipe. 把这道菜烧好。
recipe -秘诀，方法
*The recipe for a happy marriage is to spend quality time together.秘诀，方法
honor-光荣，荣耀，或是表示尊敬，敬意，记念。。
*People built this monument to honor the workers who sacrificed their lives while digging the tunnel. 记念碑对。。。表示尊敬。
*The award is to honor this accomplished actor.
rage-happening very strongly, even violently.
process - 处理，食物加工，
*Processing data of this size demands large computer capacity.
*When processing the sausages, you need to add seasonings. 香肠的加工。。。调味料。
Process (n)- 流程
*The process of making hospital appointments on-line is quite simple.挂号的流程
practical -实用的，实际的。实事求是的
*These kitchen gadgets are not only fun to use but also very practical. 很实用的
*Even though Susan is famous and wealthy now, she remains very practical. 名与利（名利双收）。。很实事求是。
cling -黏住，依附clung (p.p.)-
*The little boy clung to his mother's leg and kept crying. 。紧抓住。不断的苦
*The old lady clung to the handrail as she took the escalator. 紧抓住手扶梯。

Chat Room:
recipe- 食谱，烹调的方法，烹调法。
cookbook -食谱，记载很多烹调方法的书（籍）。
to cook the books- "book" accountable, refer to "accounting ledger"
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boil/ broil
boil- heat the water to bubble. We need to boil some water.
broil- food bake in the oven.
broil/bake
broil - food cook in the oven,  the heat is from the top to bake the food, temperature is very high, only take a short time to cook.
bake - food cook in the oven, but the heat is from the bottom gradually to heat up and cook the food, the heat temperature is not high as broil, and takes much longer time to cook.