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The British are famous for lots of things: Shakespeare, tea, Big Ben, the changeable weather and poor dancing skills. But when it comes to food, one of their most famous dishes is, without doubt, fish and chips.

The best place to go for your fish and chips is a fish and chips shop. The people who work there are often the owners of the shops, usually a husband and a wife, with part-time help from others. One of the most famous fish and chips shops is Harry Ramsden ‘s, which is based in the north of England.

Ordering fish and chips can be difficult for a tourist in Britain. For a start, you’ll probably be in an area of Britain that has few tourists, with locals who are not used to speaking to foreigners. Just smile politely and say,   “A portion of fish and chips to take away, please. “ When you see them with a vinegar（醋） bottle, quickly shout “Just a bit, please”. So they don’t drown（浸泡） your chips in vinegar. If you see them wrapping（包裹） your fish and chips in newspaper, don’t be surprised. It’s nothing special.

So, why are fish and chips so popular in Britain? People have been trying to answer this question for a long time. After all, fish and chips are eaten by everyone in Britain, from ladies in fur coats to workers in blue overalls. Some say it’s the smell of delicious fried fish and potatoes. Others say it’s the taste — the mix of fried fish, fried potatoes, vinegar and salt. Some say it’s the comforting feeling that you get from carrying that bag of warm food home on a cold winter day. And others say it’s simply because a meal of fish and chips offers the most useful way of filling you up for such little money.

The strange thing about fish and chips is that the British in general don’t like seafood. For them, it’s something alien. They don’t like its shape （too many heads and eyes）, its smell （too fishy）, all the bones （too difficult to eat） and the funny-looking arms and legs （too strange）. This probably explains why fried fish is so popular. Since the fish has been covered in batter （面糊） and fried, it looks nothing like anything that ever lived in the sea. So, are you having some fish and chips?