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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. mark
    • ex. The monument in the park marks an important event from our country’s history.
  2. a winery
    • ex. We visited a winery last weekend and learned how to make wine from grapes.
  3. taste
    • ex. At the party, we got to taste different kinds of cheese.
  4. an entry
    • ex. Her artwork was accepted as an entry in the art contest.
  5. significant
    • ex. Winning the science competition was a significant moment for Tom because he studied very hard for it.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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The Fifth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo happened recently at the capital of Ningxia, in northwest China. The event marks the return of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB), also known as the “Wine Olympics,” to China after seven years. The expo lasted four days and had over 1,100 guests from China and other countries.

Visitors attended 14 different activities at the expo. These included a winery and wine exhibition, a competition for new ideas, and an art event. CMB Chairman Baudouin Havaux said this year’s expo had nearly 400 judges from around the world. They tasted over 7,000 types of wine, with a lot of entries from China. Havaux said that the event reflects the increasing power of Chinese wine, especially that from Ningxia.

Ningxia’s unique environment, with long hours of sunshine and a cool, dry climate, helps produce high-quality grapes for wine-making. The region is China’s largest wine-producing area, with more than 40,000 hectares of grape fields. Today, Ningxia’s wines are sold to more than 40 countries, making a significant record on the global wine stage.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Wine Olympics and Expo

  • The “Wine Olympics” lasted for four days and had over 1,100 guests. Given the chance, would you like to attend the expo? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Why do you think people from around the world go to wine expos like the one in China? Discuss.
  • Imagine your country hosted a similar event to the “Wine Olympics.” What local drinks or food would you want to show the world? Discuss.

Wine-making

  • Would you like to visit a winery or vineyard? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, would wine-making be a good kind of business in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think wine-making is science or art? Why? Discuss.