Which country grows the most tea? The answer is India. It grows three times as much as China. Which country drinks the most tea? It’s neither China nor Japan. It’s Great Britain.
In the wild, tea plants may be 30 feet tall. But a plant grown for market is pruned. Pruning keeps the plant only three or four feet tall. This is an easy height for tea picking. Only the two top leaves and bud of each new shoot are picked. So to make money, tea plantations must be huge.
In general, there are two kinds of tea. Black tea and green tea. Black tea is fermented. In the process, the tea loses nearly all of its healthy qualities. Green tea is steamed right after the leaves are picked. Green tea retains its healthy qualities. For example, it may prevent heart disease.
How did we get tea bag? The answer: by accident. Tea merchants used to send samples in tin boxes. This was costly. One merchant thought of a cheaper way. He sent samples in small silk bags. Customers would cut open the bag. They would brew the leaves as usual. One customer put the bag into a pot. Then he just poured hot water over it. And the tea bag was born.
Shen Nong was the first to drink tea. (Shen was a Chinese emperor.) This was about 2737 B.C. Shen had bad digestion. So he drank several cups of hot water daily. One day something happened. Leaves from a wild tea tree fell into the hot water pot. The next cup was poured. The water was now colored. Shen sipped it. He liked it. He drank it all. Shen was proud of his new drink. He served it to his guests. Word spread. People thought this way. Tea is good enough for the Emperor. So it must be good enough for the people. Tea became the drink of China.
【小题1】The best title for this passage should be ________________.

Which country grows the most tea? The answer is India. It grows three times as much as China. Which country drinks the most tea? It’s neither China nor Japan. It’s Great Britain.

In the wild, tea plants may be 30 feet tall. But a plant grown for market is pruned. Pruning keeps the plant only three or four feet tall. This is an easy height for tea picking. Only the two top leaves and bud of each new shoot are picked. So to make money, tea plantations must be huge.

In general, there are two kinds of tea. Black tea and green tea. Black tea is fermented. In the process, the tea loses nearly all of its healthy qualities. Green tea is steamed right after the leaves are picked. Green tea retains its healthy qualities. For example, it may prevent heart disease.

How did we get tea bag? The answer: by accident. Tea merchants used to send samples in tin boxes. This was costly. One merchant thought of a cheaper way. He sent samples in small silk bags. Customers would cut open the bag. They would brew the leaves as usual. One customer put the bag into a pot. Then he just poured hot water over it. And the tea bag was born.

Shen Nong was the first to drink tea. (Shen was a Chinese emperor.) This was about 2737 B.C. Shen had bad digestion. So he drank several cups of hot water daily. One day something happened. Leaves from a wild tea tree fell into the hot water pot. The next cup was poured. The water was now colored. Shen sipped it. He liked it. He drank it all. Shen was proud of his new drink. He served it to his guests. Word spread. People thought this way. Tea is good enough for the Emperor. So it must be good enough for the people. Tea became the drink of China.

1.The best title for this passage should be ________________.

A. Black Tea B. Tea Plant

C. About Tea D. Tea Bag

2.One difference between green tea and black tea is that green tea __________.

A. must be pruned B. has a better taste

C. is fermented D. is healthier

3.What does the underlined word “retains” mean?

A. Keeps. B. Makes.

C. Produces. D. Loses.

4.We can know from this passage that __________.

A. tea bag was invented by a merchant

B. tea is better than any other drink

C. tea is popular in many countries

D. tea only grows in warm climates

In England breakfast is a big meal—eggs, tomatoes, tea, coffee. For many people, lunch is just a quick meal. In cities there are a lot of sandwich bars. There, office workers can buy their favorite bread and all kinds of sandwiches. Children in school can have a hot meal at school, but many just have a sandwich, some water and some fruit from home. Some people have afternoon tea in the afternoon. They usually have sandwiches, cakes and drink a cup of tea. They have the evening meal quite early and all the family often eats together. On Sundays many families have a traditional lunch. They have chicken, pork and vegetables. Englishmen like food better than other countries. People often get take-away meals. They buy the food outside and then usually bring it home to eat. 

1. Many people in England have a         breakfast and a        lunch.

A. fast, small               B. little, slow           C. big, quick        D. slow, big

2. In England, there are many sandwiches bars in        .

A. small towns            B. villages                C. countries         D. cities

3. The office workers can buy         in sandwiches bars for lunch.

A. eggs                       B. bread                  C. fruit                D. tea

4. When people get a take-away meal, they usually eat it        .

A. at home                  B. in the school        C. outside            D. in the bars

5. In this passage, what don’t people have in their afternoon tea?          

A. Sandwiches.           B. Chicken.             C. Cakes.             D. A cup of tea.