Tea Times Reading Answers

Dec 27, 2022

Tea Times Reading Answers has 15 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. The IELTS Reading topic: Tea Times Reading Answers comprises two types of questions. They are- matching headings, and answer in 2-3 words. Candidates need to read the passage and take note of the key points. Tea Times Reading Answers has been taken from the book: Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers. Practicing more of such IELTS Reading topics will help the candidates to excel in the IELTS exam. IELTS Reading practice papers will help them get a good band score.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Tea Times Reading Answers

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

Section 2

Solution With Explanation

Question 1-8
Reading Passage 1 has 9 paragraphs (A-I).

Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers i-xiii in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

Diverse drinking methods
Limited objections to drinking tea
Today’s continuing tradition – In Britain and China
Tea – a beverage of hospitality
An important addition – tea with milk
Tea and alcohol
The everyday beverage in all parts of the world
Tea on the move
African tea
The fall in the cost of tea
The value of tea
Tea-drinking in Africa
Hospitality among the Bedouin

(Guide: Match the list of headings with the given paragraphs)

Answers

Paragraph A

Answer: (iv) Tea - A beverage of hospitality
Supporting Statement: ‘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.’
Keyword: Hospitality
Keyword Location: Last sentence of Paragraph A
Explanation: As per the author, Paragraph A stresses the importance of tea and its link with hospitality. The last sentence of the paragraph states that tea has become an important symbol of rituals of hospitality for centuries. Hence, it is a beverage of hospitality.

Paragraph B

Answer: (viii) Tea on the move
Supporting Statement: ‘Tea was first shipped to North-Western Europe by English and Dutch maritime traders in the sixteenth century.’
Keyword: first shipped
Keyword Location: Second sentence of Paragraph B
Explanation: The passage also shows us how tea is important in different nations. The author also mentions how tea was first shipped by English and Dutch traders to North-Western Europe back in the sixteenth century. There is a mention of worldwide trade of this beverage that has resulted in marking its importance in all the nations that it landed on. So, it is on the move, moving from nation to nation.

Paragraph C

Answer: (i) Diverse drinking methods
Supporting Statement: '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.'
Keyword: ways in which tea was drunk changed
Keyword Location: Paragraph C first sentence
Explanation: The passage talks about methods of having tea. It deals with how various nations and areas make and drink tea in different areas. As per the author, the Chinese gave importance to the quality of leaves while some other cultures started adding other ingredients to tea to either make it more healthy or tasty. Hence, (i) Diverse drinking methods is the best answer for this paragraph.

Paragraph D

Answer: (x) The fall in the cost of tea
Supporting Statement: ‘When the price of tea fell in the nineteenth century poor people took up the drink with enthusiasm.’
Keyword: the price of tea fell
Keyword Location: Paragraph D second sentence
Explanation: The author in Paragraph D tells us how important tea was in Europe. It was a symbol of luxury. However, when the cost of tea was reduced in the nineteenth century, poor people also started drinking tea. Tea of different grades and qualities started to be sold making it easier for people of all sections to acquire tea of their need and affordability. This makes (x)The fall in the cost of tea, the most suitable heading.

Paragraph E

Answer: (ii) Limited objections to drinking tea
Supporting Statement: ‘Throughout the world today, few religious groups object to tea drinking.’
Keyword: few religious groups object to tea drinking.
Keyword Location: Paragraph E first sentence
Explanation: The author states that there are few religious groups that object to tea drinking. In Islamic cultures consider alcohol consumption a sin. However, tea and similar beverage consumption are considered as an important part of social life in this culture. Religious groups like Seventh-Day Adventists consider tea as a drug as it contains caffeine which is a stimulant. Thus, there are very limited objections to drinking tea.

Paragraph F

Answer: (xiii) Hospitality among the Bedouin
Supporting Statement: ‘Nomadic Bedouin are well known for the traditions of hospitality in the desert.’
Keyword: Nomadic Bedouin, hospitality
Keyword Location: Paragraph F first sentence
Explanation: The author starts Paragraph F by saying how Nomadic Bedouin are famous for their hospitality in the desert. The paragraph also discusses their tradition of serving hot tea and coffee in pots for their guests. So the apt title for Paragraph F that discusses the Nomadic Bedouin hospitality is (xiii)

Paragraph G

Answer: (xii) Tea-drinking in Africa
Supporting Statement: ‘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.’
Keyword: West African countries
Keyword Location: Paragraph G second sentence
Explanation: As per Paragraph G, tea-drinking culture was brought to northern and western Africa by the Arabs. The author also describes how fashionable young men in Western Africa gather around to brew Chinese “gun-powder” tea which is boiled with large amounts of sugar for a long time. As Paragraph G is talking about the tea-drinking habits of people in Africa, (xii) is the apt heading.

Paragraph H

Answer: (v) an important addition - tea with milk
Supporting Statement: ‘There, tea made entirely with milk is popular. “Chai” is made by boiling milk and adding tea, sugar and some spices.’
Keyword: tea made entirely with milk
Keyword Location: Paragraph H second sentence
Explanation: The author in Paragraph H talks about how important tea drinking is for Indians. Tea in India is made with milk, sugar and some spices and is called “Chai”. This paragraph talks about tea made with milk, the heading (v) an important addition - tea with milk is the most appropriate one for this paragraph.

Paragraph I

Answer: (v) Today’s continuing tradition - In Britain and China
Supporting Statement: ‘In Britain, coffee drinking, particularly in the informal atmosphere of coffee shops, is currently in vogue. Yet, the convention of afternoon tea lingers.’ and ‘Contemporary China, too, remains true to its long tradition.’ (referring to the tea-drinking tradition.)
Keyword: convention of afternoon tea lingers, remains true to its long tradition
Keyword Location: Paragraph I second and fourth sentence
Explanation: In Paragraph I, we see how tea drinking is still an important tradition in Britain and China. In Britain, afternoon tea is a must for a lot of people. In China, tea is the main serving to delegates at conferences and seminars. Since the traditions are important and still continues, “Today’s continuing tradition - In Britain and China” is the correct answer.

Question 10-14:

Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 1.

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage to complete each blank space.

Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.

For centuries, both at home and In society, tea has had an important role in______

Answer: rituals of hospitality.
Supporting Statement: 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
Keyword: home, wider society
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: The question asked talks about an important use of Tea. People take everyday beverage in many parts of the world. It has over the centuries been an important part of rituals of hospitality both in the home and in wider society. Hence, rituals of hospitality is the correct answer.

Falling tea prices in the nineteenth century meant that people could choose the________ of tea they could afford.

Answer: different grades and blends
Supporting Statement: Different grades and blends of tea were sold to suit every pocket.
Keyword: Different grades, suit every pocket
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: The question is a reference to the sentence ‘Different grades and blends of tea were sold to suit every pocket.’ taken from Paragraph D of the passage. We know that the price of tea fell in the nineteeth century. Hence, different grades were sold to everyone which suited every pocket.

Because it______ Seventh-Day Adventists do not approve of the drinking

Answer: contains caffeine
Supporting Statement: Seventh-Day Adventists, recognising the beverage as a drug containing the stimulant caffeine, frown upon the drinking of tea.
Keyword: Seventh-Day Adventists, stimulant caffeine
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: We can see a reference of Seventh-Day Adventists in the sentence. Tea was a beverage that was referred as a drug containing the stimulant caffeine, frown upon the drinking of tea in Paragraph E of the passage. Hence, it contained caffine.

In the desert, one group that is well known for Its traditions of hospitality is the_______

Answer: Nomadic Bedouin
Supporting Statement: Nomadic Bedouin are well known for the traditions of hospitality in the desert.
Keyword: Nomadic Bedouin, traditions of hospitality
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: The question asks us about a group that is well known for its traditions of hospitality. From the passage, we can easily see that the answer is ‘Nomadic Bedouin’.

In India, _______, as well as tea, are added to boiling milk to make “chai”.

Answer: sugar and spices
Supporting Statement: There, tea made entirely with milk is popular. “Chai” is made by boiling milk and adding tea, sugar and some spices.
Keyword: entirely with milk, popular
Keyword Location: Paragraph H
Explanation: There is a reference to the sentence ‘There, tea made entirely with milk is popular. “Chai” is made by boiling milk and adding tea, sugar and some spices.’ . As per paragraph H, sugar and spices is the correct answer.

In Britain, while coffee is in fashion, afternoon tea is still a________

Answer: lingering convention
Supporting Statement: coffee drinking, particularly in the informal atmosphere of coffee shops, is currently in vogue.
Keyword: afternoon tea lingers
Keyword Location: Paragraph I
Explanation: The author refers: ‘Yet, the convention of afternoon tea lingers’ in Paragraph I of the passage. This means that lingering convention is the correct answer.