A Chinese restaurant has become an Internet sensation by selling an unusual snack — flavored bamboo sticks that let people enjoy a barbecue taste without the calories. The dish, called “Spicy Bamboo Skewers”, is taking southern China by storm as a popular late-night treat.
The idea came from Mr. Ma, a barbecue restaurant owner in Shaoyang, Hunan Province. He noticed many weight-conscious customers, especially women, avoided ordering food late at night. To solve this, he created bamboo sticks covered in chili, spices (香料), and spring onions, then grilled (烧烤) them slightly for a smoky flavor. Customers suck on the sticks to taste the seasoning (作料) instead of eating food. Sold in sets of 50 for just 10 yuan, the snack became an instant hit for being affordable and guilt-free.
At first, Mr. Ma thought of it as a fun marketing trick to attract online attention. But when a video of him enjoying the skewers became popular on Douyin, everything changed. Hundreds of curious visitors began arriving daily to try the unique snack. Now, he struggles to keep enough bamboo sticks in stock but happily earns a 5-6 yuan profit per order.
For Mr. Ma, what started as a simple solution for diet-conscious customers has turned into a tasty business opportunity. As one customer joked, “It’s like enjoying barbecue flavor without breaking your diet rules — the perfect midnight snack!” Whether the trend will last remains uncertain, but for now, these spicy bamboo sticks are giving traditional snacks a run for their money.
The popularity of these skewers showcases how innovative food trends rapidly gain attraction on Chinese social media. Interestingly, this isn’t the country’s first unusual snack to grab headlines. Recently, people have talked about grilled ice cubes and stir-fried river rocks — dishes that look more like jokes than real food.
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1.1. What is the main selling point of Spicy Bamboo Skewers?
A They are made from rare materials.
B They provide flavor without calories.
C They are cheaper than traditional snacks.
D They use secret family recipes.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第一段的“let people enjoy a barbecue taste without the calories”和第二段的“the snack became an instant hit for being affordable and guilt-free”可知，“麻辣竹签”让消费者既能享受烧烤风味又无需担心热量摄入。故选B。
2.2. What was Mr. Ma’s original purpose in creating the unusual snack?
A To test new cooking techniques.
B To gain online popularity quickly.
C To showcase local Hunan ingredients.
D To replace traditional barbecue dishes.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第三段内容可知，马先生最初将此视为“一个有趣的营销手段来吸引网络关注”（a fun marketing trick to attract online attention）。选项B中的“快速获得网络热度”是对原文的转述。故选B。
3.3. What can we infer about the popularity of the “Spicy Bamboo Skewers”?
A It is mainly due to its low price.
B It is the result of effective traditional marketing.
C It is likely to continue for a long time.
D It is boosted by social media.
解析：选D。D推理判断题。根据第三段的“But when a video of him enjoying the skewers became popular on Douyin, everything changed.”可知，最初，“麻辣竹签”只是作为通过抖音等平台吸引网络关注的营销噱头。但在马先生亲自享用这种小吃的视频爆红后，人们蜂拥而至争相品尝这些调味竹签，因此是社交媒体促成了其爆火程度。故选D。
4.4. What does the mention of “grilled ice cubes” and “stir-fried river rocks” imply?
A Chinese food is becoming more expensive.
B Traditional snacks are losing popularity.
C Creative food trends spread quickly in China.
D People prefer joke foods to real dishes.
解析：选C。C推理判断题。最后一段首句指出竹签的成功展示“how innovative food trends rapidly gain attraction on Chinese social media.”（创新的饮食潮流如何在中国社交媒体上迅速吸引眼球），随后列举了其他新奇小吃（烤冰块、炒河石）佐证。故选C。
