Hello, this is a programme from the BBC Learning English Archive（档案馆）. It was first broadcast（广播） in August 2006 on the BBC Learning English website. We hope you enjoy it. Hello, I'm Anna Jones and this is London Life and in today's programme we're looking at a very English custom（习惯）. What do you think this woman is describing? I think the whole art of tea taking is a very elegant（ 文雅的） and very English thing to do.

  This whole ambiance of tea taking makes（使） you be elegant（ 文雅的）. Well, that was Jerry Pitt who's the director of press（压） and public relations（关系） at the Ritz Hotel in central（中心的） London and she's describing the very English custom（习惯） of having tea or tea taking. The Ritz Hotel is one of the most famous hotels in London and this year is celebrating its centenary（一百年）. It opened 100 years ago in 1906. It's centenary. The Ritz is especially well known（已知的） for its wonderful teas but taking tea at the Ritz is not an everyday event.

  It's a special occasion（时机） and usually reserved（储备） for a birthday or an anniversary（ 周年纪念）. Tea is served in the beautiful surroundings of the Palm（手掌） Court（法院）. Displays（显示） of flowers and palms（手掌） add to the experience of tea taking. Jerry says that the whole ambiance of tea taking, the whole character or quality of the Ritz, makes you feel elegant. It makes you feel attractive and you behave in a very graceful（优美的） way. And it's not just a cup of tea either.

  It's almost like having a three course meal. Listen to Jerry as she describes the food served with a pot（锅） of tea. What do you eat with tea at the Ritz?