TheritualofEnglishteatimeisbelievedtohaveoriginatedinthelate1700'swhenAnna,DuchessofBedford,orderedthataplateofcakesbesentuptoherwithherafternooncupoftea.TheDuchesschronicallyexperienceda“sinkingfeeling”(whatwewouldterm“lowbloodsugar”)inthelateafternoon.Totideheroverthelonghoursbetweenmealssheturnedtocarbohydrates. OtherroyalsimmediatelycopiedtheDuchess,andafternoonteapartiesbecamequitefashionable.Lowtablesweresetupinfrontofsofasandchairs,andtheladiesfoundanewopportunitytoshowoffprettyclothes,finechina,embroideredlinentableclothsandnapkins,andsilvertableware. Teatimewasalsothetimetoexchangejuicygossipandserverefreshments.Soondarlinglittlesandwichesandsweetpastriesaswellassconeswerebeingarrangedondecorativestandsandplatesfortheladies'pleasure.TheteapartymaniaquicklyspreadacrosstheAtlanticwhereteawasalreadyenjoyedasabeverage.ThisfondnessforteawaslatersuppressedbythepatrioticAmericansduringtheeraimmediatelyprecedingtheAmericanRevolutionbecauseoftheunreasonableBritishtaxontea.However,byApril27,1776,CongressannouncedinthePhiladelphiaPacketthat“thedrinkingofteacannowbeindulged.”Thecustomofafternoonteapartieswasnotreallyrevivedinthiscountry,though,untilthemid-1800's,whenVictorianwayswereinvoguehere.Leisure-classAmericanladiesbeganhaving“kettledrums”at4p.m..“Kettledrums”wascalledthatinconnectionwiththeterm“teakettle”.PetitsfoursandotherdaintydelightswereservedamidVictorianopulence.AVictoriandiarist,MaudBerkeley(Maud:TheIllustratedDiaryofaVictorianWoman,ChronicleBooks,1987)gaveananecdoteconcerningteatime:"Mrs.Barneshadoutalovelytea-clothforhertea-party,workedalloverwithcyclamensandhoneysuckle.ShoggieBoucher,unusedtosuchdainty,contrivedtoslophisteaalloverit.ThankfulitwasnotI.Asitwas,mynewfeatherboa,whichIworeforthefirsttime,gotintomyteacup,causingmuchalarmandmerrimenttoallassembled.LilianBlack-Barneswas,asever,stronginadversityandwrungouttheoffendingobjectinthekitchensink.Fearitmayneverbethesameagain,nonetheless." Myfamily,mother,andIwereabletorelievesomeofthatsophisticatedelegance(minusthedrippyboa)whenwehadteaattheRitzinLondon.ThePalmCourt,anopenareaonthegroundfloorofthehotel,isastudyinturn-of-the-centurydecor.Giltstatuary,palms,andotherplants,andstylishly-setlittletablesbeckonwelcominglyunderhigh-up,rose-tintedskylights. Ourwaiterbroughtusaselectionoffingersandwichesofsmokedsalmon,ham,cucumber,Cheddarcheese,creamcheese,andchives,oreggsalad.Scones(similartoAmericanbiscuits)wereofferedwithbutter,andvariouspreservesandjellies.AlongwiththiswewereservedIndianorChinatea,andhotchocolateformyyoungdaughter.ThenthedapperwaiterpresentedavasttrayholdingmanyFrenchpastriesandcakesfromwhichwecouldchoose.Afterseveralteenysandwichesandacoupleofmarmalade-coatedscones,achocolateeclairseemedtoaddcarbohydrateoverloadtocarbo-loading,but“wheninEngland,doastheEnglishdo”.Thisteafeastwasservedbetween3:30and5:30p.m.Around10:00p.m.,wehadregainedjustenoughappetitetosamplesomefishandchips(Frenchfries),andthenweputourwearystomachsandourselvestobed. Whatcanbeinferredaboutthewriter'sopinionconcerningwhatisservedattheBritishteatime? A.TheEnglishhavetakeninexcessivecarbohydrate. B．TheEnglishprefertohavedifferenttypesofdrinks.
A.The English are not particular about the food varieties. B.正确答案A
C.The English have a peculiar liking for junk foo
