Tea originated in China and is generally divided into six main types based on how it’s made: green, black, oolong, white, yellow, and dark tea.
Green tea, the oldest and most common tea in China, is produced in large quantities in provinces like Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Anhui. It’s unfermented (未发酵的), preserving the simple, elegant flavor of fresh tea leaves. At first taste, it might seem a bit light, but its fragrance lingers. Famous green teas include West Lake Longjing, Maojian from Mount Huangshan, Pilochun, and Sweet Dew of Mengding.
Black tea, on the other hand, is fully fermented. Unlike green tea, which is steamed or fried to prevent fermentation, black tea undergoes chemical changes during fermentation, giving it a stronger, richer flavor. The tea made from these leaves turns an orange-red color.
Oolong tea sits between green and black tea. It’s partially fermented like black tea but finished like green tea, combining the freshness of green tea with the richness of black tea. Fenghuang Dancong, Wuyi Mountain tea, and Tieguanyin are famous examples.
Dark tea was discovered by accident when green tea from Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan was transported northwest by sea and along the Silk Road. The changing wet and dry conditions caused the leaves to turn dark brown, but they retained a unique fragrance and quickly became popular. Famous examples include Pu’er and Anhua dark tea.
Like dark tea, yellow tea also came about by accident when green tea leaves turned yellow due to slow drying. Initially seen as poor-quality green tea, it gained a following for its unique flavor and became one of the six main types. Notable examples include Junshan Silver Needle and Mengding Yellow Shoot.
White tea is slightly fermented. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was highly valued, but back then it referred to a rare type of tea tree with white leaves, different from today’s white tea. White Hair Silver Needle and White Peony from Fujian are famous examples of modern white tea.
In Chinese culture, tea symbolizes care, respect, honor, and affection, connecting people beyond just happy occasions. It even replaced alcohol in rituals like funerals and offerings to deities (神明).
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2.2.What do black tea and oolong tea have in common?
A They both come from the south.
B They are both fermented.
C They both taste strong.
D They are both red.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Black tea, on the other hand, is fully fermented.”和第四段中的“It’s partially fermented like black tea”可知，红茶和乌龙茶都是发酵茶。故选B。
3.3.Dark tea was first formed ______.
A for lack of steam
B due to slow drying
C during transportation
D because of poor weather
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第五段中的“Dark tea was discovered by accident when green tea from Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan was transported northwest by sea and along the Silk Road.”可知，黑茶是偶然发现的，当时来自云南、四川、湖北和湖南的绿茶通过海路和丝绸之路运往西北。故选C。
