At the dinner table, Westerners use knives and forks, while the Chinese use chopsticks. S at least 3,000 years ago, chopsticks have been the eating tool for the Chinese people. Ancient Chinese used pottery pots (陶罐) to cook food during the Pottery Age. And they used branches or bamboo sticks to p up the food. Later on, they developed the habit of using the chopsticks. In general, the material of chopsticks can be d into five groups: bamboo and wood, metal, jade, bone and chemical plastics. In Modern Chinese family life, people prefer to use the bamboo or wooden chopsticks b they are good for the environment and cost a little.

Using knives and forks or chopsticks brings about a difference not o in lifestyle. For example, the use of knives and forks makes it c for people to eat individually (分别地). And the use of chopsticks makes it possible for the family members to have meals t. As the Westerners prefer to eat individually, they have the idea and habit of not d on others after they grow into adults. The w that Chinese people use chopsticks and eat with others around the table is connected with the lifestyle of the Chinese family. Nowadays, an increasing n of foreign students are coming to China. They are happy to learn to use chopsticks and enjoy the pleasure of eating with friends around the table.

Erhu is one of the most important Chinese instruments. It has a history of o1,000 years. It is said that Erhu did not get its name u the late Qing Dynasty. It has been improved gradually since it appeared. It is also cthe Chinese violin because its tone is as soft and bright as the violin's. There are many wpieces of music played by Erhu, such as The Moon Reflected on the Er-quan Spring. You can go and ethe charm of them. I hope you'll love them.

Each different part of China has its own special forms of traditional art. These usually try to show the things that are important in life, such as love, beauty, and family.

Sky lanterns were first used by Zhuge Kongming. He sent them out to ask for help when in t. Today, sky lanterns are used at fand other celebrations. They are mof bamboo and covered with paper. They are seen as bright symbols of happiness and good wishes.

Paper cutting has been around for over 1,500 years. Paper cutting sounds very easy but it can be dto do. The paper, usually red, is cut with scissors. The most common pictures are flowers, animals and things about Chinese history. They are put on windows, doors and walls as symbols of wishes for good land a happy new year.

The tradition of tea drinking began in China thousands of years ago. It soon became (流行的；受欢迎的) because it was healthy and gave people energy. Later, tea was brought to some countries in (东方的) Asia, such as Japan and Korea. Nowadays, Chinese tea has become a world drink.

Some of the world's tastiest teas (生长) in China. Oolong tea is one of the best and it has many different kinds. One of them has a light brown (颜色) and tastes like honey. Another special kind has a heavier, burnt taste.

Perhaps the best way for beginners to enjoy tea is to (出席；参加) traditional tea art performances which are held at tea houses and tea farms around the country.

Several steps are planned (细致地；小心地) in each performance. First, heat the pots and tea cups with warm water. Then, put some tea (叶子) into the teapot. Next, pour hot water from a specific height. After that, make sure the tea is boiled for a proper time.

When the tea is ready, drinkers should (闻到；嗅) it before taking a sip. It's (有礼貌的) to finish each cup in three small sips. The performance provides a chance to appreciate this valuable (礼物；馈赠) from nature.

Paper, zhi, was a Chinese invention. 2,000 years ago, Chinese people i paper­making. This zhi was made o silk and was very expensive. Only the emperor and rich people could a to use it. 1,900 years ago, Cai Lun improved the paper-making process.

He made cheap jinzhi out of tree bark and old cloth. The improvement in paper-making spread zhi far and wide, and many different k of zhi were made by Chinese people. Xuan paper, a type of high quality rice paper, best shows the charm of t Chinese painting and calligraphy (书法). Later, Chinese zhi spread to the West via the Chinese Silk Road.

In different countries and cultures around the world, free time is spent in different ways.

Several years (以前), researchers made a couple of surveys on how people spent their free time. The results (显示) that reading was the most popular activity in the United States, followed by watching TV. In UK, watching TV and videos was the most popular, and listening to the (收音机) came second. For Japanese, eating out was their favourite activity in their free time. And they also like (驾驶) around.

There were also differences in what people liked to do outdoors (在……之中) the three countries. The most popular outdoor activity for (美国人) was gardening while in Japan it only came (第九). For British people, going to the pub was their first choice, followed by visiting the cinema.

 (虽然) people around the world may enjoy doing some similar things in their free time, their interests are changing. In the US, for example, the interest in (电脑) activities is increasing. More people are spending their free time going online, or playing video games. As reading becomes much (更容易的) on the Internet, online reading will be as popular as other online activities.