A long time ago, people from other cultures used their hands to eat food, while the ancient Chinese invented chopsticks to keep their hands clean. Early chopsticks were used mainly for cooking until 400 A.D. when people began eating with chopsticks.
We don’t know exactly when chopsticks were invented. There’s research showing that they didn’t come into wide use until about 300 B.C. Chinese thinker Confucius was an important person in the history of chopsticks, because he thought peace would not appear if people used knives during a meal.
The “no-knives-on-the-table” rule led to a big change in Chinese cooking. Food had to be cut into small pieces. This was the birth of Chinese cooking and it has made Chinese food popular around the world.
However, many Westerners find it difficult to use chopsticks. Eric, a foreign teacher, had the experience of learning to use chopsticks. “I need to hold them properly to be able to put the food carefully into my mouth,” he said. Eric’s Chinese friends taught him patiently, but it still took him months to learn this skill. “But it’s worth learning. I have learnt a lot from this experience,” Eric said.
Cultures can often be understood through food. For Chinese, food doesn’t just provide energy. It also brings happiness. And chopsticks also mean a lot. As a good example of Chinese culture, they show the Chinese wisdom.
1. Why did the ancient Chinese invent chopsticks?

2. Who thought peace would not appear if people used knives during a meal?

3. What led to a big change in Chinese cooking?

4. How do many Westerners feel about using chopsticks?

5. For Chinese, which do chopsticks show, energy or wisdom?

1. Because they wanted to keep their hands clean.
2. Confucius.
3. The "no-knives-on-the-table" rule.
4. They feel that it is difficult. /Difficult.
5. They show the Chinese wisdom. /Wisdom.

【分析】
本题为英语阅读理解细节题，解题思路是：先通读全文把握文章主旨（筷子的起源、文化意义及使用情况），再针对每个问题定位原文对应段落的关键信息，提取符合问题要求的答案即可。5道题目均为原文直接可查的细节信息，无需推理，只需精准定位即可。
【解析】
1. 问题1：定位原文第一段“the ancient Chinese invented chopsticks to keep their hands clean”，可知古代中国人发明筷子的原因是保持手干净，故答案为Because they wanted to keep their hands clean.
2. 问题2：定位原文第二段“Chinese thinker Confucius...because he thought peace would not appear if people used knives during a meal”，可知提出该观点的是孔子，故答案为Confucius.
3. 问题3：定位原文第三段“The “no-knives-on-the-table” rule led to a big change in Chinese cooking”，可知导致中国烹饪大变化的是“餐桌上不用刀”的规则，故答案为The "no-knives-on-the-table" rule.
4. 问题4：定位原文第四段“many Westerners find it difficult to use chopsticks”，可知很多西方人觉得用筷子难，故答案为They feel that it is difficult. /Difficult.
5. 问题5：定位原文最后一段“they show the Chinese wisdom”，可知筷子显示的是中国智慧，故答案为They show the Chinese wisdom. /Wisdom.
【答案】
1. Because they wanted to keep their hands clean.
2. Confucius.
3. The "no-knives-on-the-table" rule.
4. They feel that it is difficult. /Difficult.
5. They show the Chinese wisdom. /Wisdom.
【知识点】
英语阅读理解、细节理解题、跨文化文化知识
【点评】
本文围绕筷子的文化与使用展开，题目均为原文细节查找题，难度较低，主要考查学生快速定位原文信息的能力，适合基础英语学习者巩固阅读理解的细节解题方法。
【难度系数】
0.8