【文章內容簡介】 herelowtables(likeacoffeetable)wereplacednearsofasorchairsgenerallyinalargewithdrawingroom.Britainistraditionallybrewedinawarmedchinateapot,addingonespoonfulofteaperpersonandoneforthepot.MostBritishliketheirteastronganddarkandwithaddalotofmilk.Aboutonehundredyearsago,Britaingraduallydevelopedintoasystemofmakingtea.Atthattimepeoplethoughtthemilshouldpouredintothecupfirst,soasnottocracktheporcelain.Thetraditionalwayofmakingteais:1.Boilsomefreshcoldwater.2.Putsomehotwaterintotheteapottomakeitwarm.3.Purlthewateraway4.Putoneteaspoonoftealeavesperperson,andoneteaspoonintothepot.5.Pourboilingwaterontothetea.6.Leaveforafewminutes.7.Service.Itisamazingthataplainafternoonteahassuchplicatedprocedure.ThatplicatedprocedurehasacloserelationshipwithBritishtradition.Watchingcarefullythemethodtomakingafternoontea,peoplewillfindeverysteparecourteousandnotfallintoaflutter.Itseemsthatthetraditionalafternoonteacaresabouthowtoshowaseriesofnoblemannerbutnotcarehowplicatedtheprocedureis.SuchcustomesfromBritain’straditionofnobility.Britishareparticularabouttheirlifeandpayattentiontoeducationandbearing.Theythinkdrinkingteacouldshowtheirbearing.Britainisacountrywhichattachesimportancetotraditionofnoble.Theyusedtoshowtheirnobleinthelife.So,theafternoonteacanbeconsideredasthetimetoshowtheirbearing.Thosearethreedifferentafternoonteas:Creamtea,Lighttea,Fulltea.Everyonehasitsdifferenttaste.Somehaveheavytasteandsomearelight。somehavecreamandsomehavesweet.Everyonecouldchoosethebestaccordingtohistaste.SuchdifferenceprovesBritishareparticularabouttheirlifequality.AnoblewomanwholivedinVictoriaTimeswasthefirstonewhoenjoyedafternoontea.Themtheafternoonteabecameatrend.Atlastitdevelopedintoacustomofthewholenation.Althoughafternoonteahasnot beenconfinedtothenoble,butitsnobleoriginationdecideditsnobleblood.Inface,inordinaryBritish’seyesthatdrinkingteaisanoblemovement.Peopletransmitthenobleelementcarefullywhichlivesintheafternoontea.Adistrict’sfoodanddrinkingcultureinfectthelocalpeopleinsomedegree.Inthepassedhundredyears,bothnobleandmonpeoplebothwereinfluencedbynoblemannerofafternoontea,butalsotheyarejusttakingshapeanationalnaturelookingforthenoblecharacter.InEngland,thetraditionaltimeforteawasfourorfiveo’clockandnoonestayedafterseveno’clock.Mosttearoomstodayserveteafromthreetofiveo’clock.Themenuhasalsochangedfromtea,bread,butterandcakes,toincludedthreeparticularcoursesseveredspecificallyinthisorder.Savories–TinysandwichesorappetizersScones–ServedwithjamandDevonshireorclottedcreamPastries–Cakes,cookies,shortbreadandsweetBritishpeoplearesolovingtheirtea,eventheafternoonteabeesanationalmovementatabout5’clockinafternoon.TodayBritishfamiliesdonothavetimeforafternoonteaathome,butinthepastitwasatradition.Itbecamepopularaboutonehundredandfiftyyearsago,whenrichladiesinvitedtheirfriendstotheirhousesforanafternooncupoftea.Theystartedofferingtheirvisitorssandwichesandcakestoo.SooneveryonewasenjoyingAfternoontea.Therefore,theauthenticafternoonteahasaseriesofetiquette.Whentheyaredrinkingafternoontea,theyshowtheirpolitethoroughly.Nomatterthenobleorordinarypeople,whowanttodrinkafternoonteaheorshemustknowtheetiquetteofafternoontea.NobilityintheEtiquetteofAfternoonTeaTheetiquetteofdrinkingafternoonisasfollows.Pickupyourcupandsaucertogether–holdingthesaucerinonehandandcupintheother.Thebestwaytoholdateacupistosliptheindexfingerthroughthehandle,uptoalmostthefistknuckle,thenbalanceandsecurethecupbyplacingthethumbonthetopofthehandleand allowingthebottomofthehandletorestonthemiddlefinger.Holdthecuplightly,bythehandle–thepinkydoesn’thavetobeextended(contrarytopopularbelief,theringandpinkiefingersshouldnotbeextended,butshouldrestbycurvinggentlybacktowardyourwrist).Holdthesaucerunderthecupwhilepeoplesiptea.Whenstirringthetea,pleasedonotmakenoisesbyclinkthesidesofthecupwhilestirring.Gentlyswishtheteabackandforthbeingcarefulnototouchthesidesofthecupifpossible.Neverleavethespooninthecupandbesurenottosiptheteafromthespooneither.Afterstirring,placethespoonquietlyonthesaucer,behindthecup,ontherighthandsideunderthehandle.Milkisservedwithtea,notcream.Creamistooheavyandmasksthetasteofthetea.Althoughsomepourtheirmilkinthecupfirst,itisprobablybettertopourthemilkintheteaafteritisinthecupinordertogetthecorrectamount.Whenservinglemonwithtea,uselemonslices,notwedges.Eitherprovideasmallforkorlemonforkfortheguests,orhavetheteaservercanneatlyplaceasliceintheteacupaftertheteahasbeenpoured.Besurenevertoaddlemonwithmilksincethelemon’scitricacidwillcausetheproteinsinthemilktocurdle.Becauseofafternoonteafirstlyprevailinaristocracy,soitmustsucceedtotheetiquetteofthenoblepeople.Nowinsomedegreepeoplecansaytheetiquetteofafternoonteaisplex.Duringthetimepeopledrinktea,peoplehavetoabidebytheprocessesandbeattentiontowhatpeopleshoulddoorwhatpeopleshouldnotdo.Though1