1.4 The Story Of Tea

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 intermediatesize.
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.

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Here are four simple factual questions, each carrying 1/2 mark:

1.
True or False: Tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Answer: True.

2.
Fill in the blank: Tea plants need at least __ cm of rainfall a year to grow well.
Answer: 100-125 cm.

3.
Complete the sentence: Tea plants are usually pruned to a height of about __ feet.
Answer: Three feet.

4.
True or False: Assam type tea has the smallest leaves.
Answer: False.

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Here are the questions framed according to the pattern:

1. Simple factual question (2 marks)
Fill in the blank:
The botanical name of the plant from which tea is made is __.
Answer: Camellia sinensis.

2. Complex factual question (2 marks)
What is the ideal elevation for tea plants to grow slowly and acquire a richer flavor?
Answer: Up to 1500 metres.

3. Vocabulary question (2 marks)
Match the following types of tea with their leaf sizes:

• Assam type
• China type
• Cambod type
  a) Smallest leaves
  b) Largest leaves
  c) Intermediate leaves
  Answer:
• Assam type – b) Largest leaves
• China type – a) Smallest leaves
• Cambod type – c) Intermediate leaves

4. Language study (1 mark each)

1.
Identify the tense used in the following sentence:
“The leaves are at first dried, cured, and processed before they are packed and sold to us.”
Answer: Present simple passive.

2.
Rewrite the following sentence in the active voice:
“The tea plants are pruned and kept at a height of about three feet.”
Answer: They prune and keep the tea plants at a height of about three feet.

5. Personal response question (2 marks)
Why do you think tea is the most popular beverage after water?
Answer: Tea is popular because it has a refreshing flavor and can be enjoyed in different ways by people all around the world.