咖啡文化 Coffee Culture — HSK 4 Reading

十几shí jǐ年nián前qián，在zài中国Zhōngguó喝hē咖啡kāfēi的de人rén还hái很hěn少shǎo，大家dàjiā更gèng喜欢xǐhuan喝hē茶chá。

A dozen or so years ago, few people in China drank coffee; everyone preferred tea.

可是kěshì现在xiànzài，随着suízhe生活shēnghuó的de改变gǎibiàn，咖啡店kāfēidiàn在zài每měi个ge城市chéngshì都dōu越yuè开kāi越yuè多duō。

But now, as life changes, more and more coffee shops are opening in every city.

对duì很多hěn duō年轻人niánqīngrén来说lái shuō，咖啡kāfēi不只bùzhǐ是shì一yì种zhǒng饮料yǐnliào。

For many young people, coffee is not just a drink.

早上zǎoshang的de第一dì-yī杯bēi咖啡kāfēi是shì工作gōngzuò的de开始kāishǐ，下午xiàwǔ的de一yì杯bēi是shì给gěi自己zìjǐ的de小xiǎo礼物lǐwù。

The first cup in the morning is how work begins; the afternoon cup is a small gift to yourself.

有意思yǒu yìsi的de是shì，中国Zhōngguó的de咖啡kāfēi也yě有yǒu了le自己zìjǐ的de味道wèidao，比如bǐrú加jiā茶chá的de咖啡kāfēi、加jiā水果shuǐguǒ的de咖啡kāfēi。

Interestingly, coffee in China has developed its own flavor — coffee with tea, coffee with fruit.

有人yǒurén说shuō，喝hē咖啡kāfēi是shì学xué西方xīfāng人rén，我wǒ却què觉得juéde，中国人Zhōngguórén把bǎ咖啡kāfēi变成biànchéng了le自己zìjǐ的de文化wénhuà。

Some say drinking coffee is copying Westerners; I feel, however, that Chinese people have turned coffee into a culture of their own.

其实qíshí，茶chá和hé咖啡kāfēi没有méiyǒu谁shéi比bǐ谁shéi好hǎo，重要zhòngyào的de是shì坐下来zuò xiàlai慢慢mànmàn喝hē的de那nà一刻yíkè。

Actually, neither tea nor coffee is better than the other — what matters is the moment you sit down and drink slowly.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

咖啡kāfēicoffee

随着suízhealong with; as

饮料yǐnliàobeverage

西方xīfāngthe West

文化wénhuàculture

一刻yíkèa moment

随着……

"Along with / as ..." introduces a change that causes or accompanies another change: 随着生活的改变，咖啡店越开越多。

随着天气变冷，穿大衣的人多了。— As the weather turns cold, more people wear coats.

对……来说

"For / as far as X is concerned" gives whose point of view the statement is true from: 对很多年轻人来说，咖啡不只是一种饮料。

对我来说，早起比熬夜更难。— For me, getting up early is harder than staying up late.

1. A dozen years ago, what did most people in China prefer to drink?

2. According to the text, what is the afternoon cup of coffee for young people?

3. What does the author think Chinese people have done with coffee?