The British have many traditions but there is nothing more quintessential (典型的) than taking afternoon tea. We know the British have a love affair with drinking tea, 【小题1】 more than 160 million cups drunk every day, but it was the invention of afternoon tea that turned tea-drinking into 【小题2】 popular pastime.

This sociable feast involves drinking good quality tea 【小题3】 (comfort) while nibbling (小口吃) on nice sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and a selection of small cakes. And, of course, it can only happen in the afternoon!   Afternoon tea, 【小题4】 (design) as a light snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner, dates back to the 1840s.  It went on to become a 【小题5】 (fashion) social occasion for the upper classes.

Now there is a resurgence (复苏) in its 【小题6】 (popular) in the UK and it is available to anyone who can afford it. 【小题7】 it can be enjoyed at home, the best way to experience it is at a smart hotel of café. But if you’re thinking of visiting such a place 【小题8】 (enjoy) a plate of sweet and tasty treats with a steaming hot brew, remember the rules you must follow to avoid 【小题9】 (ask) to leave.

Writer Henry James once noted that “there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour devoted to the ceremony known as afternoon tea”. I’m sure once you try it, you 【小题10】(agree).