My interest in Chinese food started many years ago, when I had my first job. I was a young reporter for the Daily Journal in San Francisco. Our office wasn't far from Chinatown. I usually managed to arrange my time so that I could go there at least two or three times a week for a good meal. The first time I ever ate Chinese food I loved it. And since then, it just tastes better and better to me. The first thing I noticed was the fresh tastes of the meat and vegetable. When I learned more about the food, I began to understand why it has this special feature. About 5000 years ago, China lost much of its wood because of over population and poor management of its forest. This loss was very bad for the country, of course, but it turned out to be very good for the food. Wood became very expensive and hard to get, so the Chinese had to learn how to use it better. In order to use less wood in cooking, they started to cut their meat and vegetables into small pieces before they put them in the hot oil. That way, the food cooked faster and they saved their _ . The food prepared in this manner kept its fresh flavor --and it's this flavor that attracts people to the art of Chinese cooking. I often wonder if the Chinese appreciated their solution to that ancient energy problem as much as I do now -whenever I eat Chinese food. This passage is mainly about   _  .
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