Question
A1. Simple Factual Activities:
Complete the following sentences using the information from the passage:
(1) The most popular beverage in the world is ______________.
(2) ______________ is an evergreen plant that grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates.
(3) Tea plants require at least ______________ cm of rainfall a year.
(4) The teas we buy are usually classified according to the ______________.
Let us begin with a question : can you name the most widely consumed beverage in the world, after water?
Perhaps many of you have guessed the answer : the most popular beverage in the world is tea - the fresh, aromatic brew with which people like to begin their day. It has a refreshing, astringent flavour. It is actually made by brewing, that is by infusing in boiling water, the leaves and shoots of a plant whose botanical name is the Camellia sinensis. The leaves are at first dried, cured and processed before they are packed and sold to us.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant that grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates. Tea plants require at least 100-125 cm of rainfall a year and prefer acidic soils. Many of the world’s best tea estates are located on hill slopes at elevations of up to 1500 metres : it is said that the tea plants grow slowly and acquire a richer flavour at this height.
When the plants mature, only the top 1-2 inches of the plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes. A new flush appears on the plant every seven to ten days during the peak growing season. Left to grow on its own, the tea plant may actually grow into a small tree. But in all tea gardens, the plants are pruned and kept at a height of about three feet (waist high) to enable easy plucking of the leaves. The teas we buy are usually classified according to their leaf size. Accordingly we have (1) Assam type of tea, characterised by the largest leaves; (2) China type, characterised by the smallest leaves; and (3) Cambod, characterised by leaves of intermediate size.
We have three very distinct and different tea growing regions in India. Each of these regions is famous for the special type of tea it produces, which are unique in taste, aroma, strength and flavour. The three regions are : Darjeeling in North-Eastern India, Assam in far North-East India and Nilgiris in South India.
A2. Complex Factual Activities:
(1) Why are tea plants pruned?
(2) How is tea the beverage made?
A3. Activities based on Vocabulary:
(1) List all the names of geographical places mentioned in the passage:
(2) List the qualities of the special type of tea.
A4. Activities based on Contextual Grammar:
(1) A new flush ______________ on the plant every seven to ten days. (appear/appears)
(2) Tea plants ______________ at least 100-125 cm of rainfall a year. (require/requires)
(3) Each of these regions ______________ famous for the specialtype of tea. (is/are)
(4) It ______________ said that the tea plants grow slowly. (are/is)
A5. Personal Response:
What are botanical names? How are they decided?
Complete the following sentences using the information from the passage:
(1) The most popular beverage in the world is ______________.
(2) ______________ is an evergreen plant that grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates.
(3) Tea plants require at least ______________ cm of rainfall a year.
(4) The teas we buy are usually classified according to the ______________.
Let us begin with a question : can you name the most widely consumed beverage in the world, after water?
Perhaps many of you have guessed the answer : the most popular beverage in the world is tea - the fresh, aromatic brew with which people like to begin their day. It has a refreshing, astringent flavour. It is actually made by brewing, that is by infusing in boiling water, the leaves and shoots of a plant whose botanical name is the Camellia sinensis. The leaves are at first dried, cured and processed before they are packed and sold to us.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant that grows in tropical and sub-tropical climates. Tea plants require at least 100-125 cm of rainfall a year and prefer acidic soils. Many of the world’s best tea estates are located on hill slopes at elevations of up to 1500 metres : it is said that the tea plants grow slowly and acquire a richer flavour at this height.
When the plants mature, only the top 1-2 inches of the plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes. A new flush appears on the plant every seven to ten days during the peak growing season. Left to grow on its own, the tea plant may actually grow into a small tree. But in all tea gardens, the plants are pruned and kept at a height of about three feet (waist high) to enable easy plucking of the leaves. The teas we buy are usually classified according to their leaf size. Accordingly we have (1) Assam type of tea, characterised by the largest leaves; (2) China type, characterised by the smallest leaves; and (3) Cambod, characterised by leaves of intermediate size.
We have three very distinct and different tea growing regions in India. Each of these regions is famous for the special type of tea it produces, which are unique in taste, aroma, strength and flavour. The three regions are : Darjeeling in North-Eastern India, Assam in far North-East India and Nilgiris in South India.
A2. Complex Factual Activities:
(1) Why are tea plants pruned?
(2) How is tea the beverage made?
A3. Activities based on Vocabulary:
(1) List all the names of geographical places mentioned in the passage:
(2) List the qualities of the special type of tea.
A4. Activities based on Contextual Grammar:
(1) A new flush ______________ on the plant every seven to ten days. (appear/appears)
(2) Tea plants ______________ at least 100-125 cm of rainfall a year. (require/requires)
(3) Each of these regions ______________ famous for the specialtype of tea. (is/are)
(4) It ______________ said that the tea plants grow slowly. (are/is)
A5. Personal Response:
What are botanical names? How are they decided?
