Tea Times Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

Tea Times

A The chances are that you have already drunk a cup or glass of tea today, Perhaps, you are sipping one as you read this. Tea, now an everyday beverage in many parts of the world, has over the centuries been an important part of rituals of hospitality both in the home and in wider society.

B Tea originated in China, and in Eastern Asia, tea making and drinking ceremonies have been popular for centuries. Tea was first shipped to North-Western Europe by English and Dutch maritime traders in the sixteenth century. At about the same time, a land route from the Far East, via Moscow, to Europe was opened up. Tea also figured in America’s bid for independence from British rule – the Boston Tea Party.

C As, over the last four hundred years, tea leaves became available throughout much of Asia and Europe, the ways in which tea was drunk changed. The Chinese considered the quality of the leaves and the ways in which they were cured all important. People in other cultures added new ingredients besides tea leaves and hot water. They drank tea with milk, sugar, spices like cinnamon and cardamom, and herbs such as mint or sage. The variations are endless. For example, in Western Sudan on the edge of the Sahara Desert, sesame oil is added to milky tea on cold mornings. In England tea, unlike coffee, acquired a reputation as a therapeutic drink that promoted health. Indeed, in European and Arab countries as well as In Persia and Russia, tea was praised for its restorative and health-giving properties. One Dutch physician, Cornelius Blankaart, advised that to maintain health a minimum of eight to ten cups a day should be drunk and that up to 50 to 100 daily cups could be consumed safely.

D While European coffee houses were frequented by men discussing politics and closing business deals, respectable middle-class women stayed at home and held tea parties. When the price of tea fell in the nineteenth century poor people took up the drink with enthusiasm. Different grades and blends of tea were sold to suit every pocket.

E Throughout the world today, few religious groups object to tea drinking. In Islamic cultures, where drinking alcohol is forbidden, tea and coffee consumption is an important part of social life. However, Seventh-Day Adventists, recognizing the beverage as a drug containing the stimulant caffeine, frown upon the drinking of tea.

F Nomadic Bedouin are well known for the traditions of hospitality in the desert. According to Middle Eastern tradition, guests are served both tea and coffee from pots kept ready on the fires of guest tents where men of the family and male visitors gather. Cups of “bitter” cardamom coffee and glasses of sugared tea should be constantly refilled by the host.

G For over a thousand years, Arab traders have been bringing Islamic culture, including tea drinking, to northern and western Africa. Techniques of tea preparation have been adapted. In West African countries, such as Senegal and The Gambia, it is fashionable for young men to gather in small groups to brew Chinese “gun-powder” tea. The tea is boiled with large amounts of sugar for a long time.

H Tea drinking in India remains an important part of daily life. There, tea made entirely with milk is popular. “Chai” is made by boiling milk and adding tea, sugar, and some spices. This form of tea making has crossed the Indian Ocean and is also popular in East Africa, where tea is considered best when it is either very milky or made with water only. Curiously, this “milk or water” formula has been carried over to the preparation of instant coffee, which is served in cafes as either black or sprinkled on a cup of hot milk.

I In Britain, coffee drinking, particularly in the informal atmosphere of coffee shops, is currently in vogue. Yet, the convention of afternoon tea lingers. At conferences, it remains common practice to serve coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. Contemporary China, too, remains true to its long tradition. Delegates at conferences and seminars are served tea in cups with lids to keep the infusion hot. The cups are topped up throughout the proceedings. There are as yet no signs of coffee on such occasions.

Questions 1-7

The Reading Passage has sections A-I.

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct A-I letter in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

Questions 8-13
Choose the correct letter, A,B,C or D

8 What is the key role that tea has played in the context of British colonialism and international trade, as discussed in the passage?
A Tea was used as a tool for economic exploitation of British colonies.
B Tea was an important commodity traded between Britain and its colonies.
C The Boston Tea Party was a significant act of resistance against British colonial rule.
D Tea drinking became a symbol of British cultural superiority over its colonies.
9 How did the preparation and consumption of tea evolve as it spread from China to other parts of the world?
A People in different regions added unique local ingredients and brewing techniques to tea.
B Tea drinking became a more formal and ritualized practice in non-Asian cultures.
C The quality of tea leaves became less important as tea became more widely available.
D Tea drinking was gradually replaced by coffee as the preferred hot beverage in most regions.
10What is the significance of the passage's discussion of tea's "health-giving properties" in European and Arab countries?
A It highlights how tea was viewed as a medicinal drink in those regions.
B It suggests that excessive tea consumption was encouraged by some medical professionals.
C It shows how tea was used to promote social status and respectability among the upper classes.
D It indicates that tea was seen as a safer alternative to alcohol consumption in those cultures.
11 How does the passage contrast the social roles of tea and coffee in 19th century Europe?
A  Coffee houses were associated with men and political/business discussions, while tea parties were exclusive to respectable middle-class women.
B Coffee was seen as a more stimulating and energizing beverage, while tea was associated with health and therapeutic benefits.
C Coffee was the preferred drink of the working class, while tea drinking was a luxury reserved for the upper classes.
D Coffee houses were more public spaces, while tea parties took place in the private sphere of the home.
12 What does the passage suggest about the spread of tea culture to North Africa and the Middle East?
A Tea drinking replaced traditional coffee consumption in most Islamic cultures.
B Bedouin hospitality traditions centered around serving both tea and coffee to guests.
C Tea preparation techniques in North Africa closely followed the Chinese and Indian styles.
D The consumption of tea in North Africa and the Middle East remained largely unchanged over time.
13How does the passage characterize the contemporary usage of tea and coffee in China and Britain?
A Tea remains the dominant beverage in formal and professional settings in China, while coffee has become more popular in Britain.
B China has fully embraced coffee culture, while the British tradition of afternoon tea continues to be practiced.
C Both tea and coffee are used interchangeably in formal and informal settings in both China and Britain.
D Tea is still served in traditional methods in China, while coffee has become the more fashionable drink in Britain.
14 What does the passage suggest about the relationship between tea drinking and social class in 19th century Europe?
A Tea drinking was a marker of upper-class status and respectability among women.
B The falling price of tea allowed the lower classes to adopt the practice enthusiastically.
C Different grades and blends of tea were sold to cater to the preferences of various social classes.
D Tea drinking remained an exclusive practice confined to the upper and middle classes throughout the 19th century.