A NICE CUP OF TEAA NICE CUP OF TEA

““If you are cold, tea If you are cold, tea will warm you, if you will warm you, if you

are heated it will are heated it will cool you, if you are cool you, if you are

depressed it will depressed it will cheer you, if you are cheer you, if you are excited it will calm excited it will calm

you.”you.”GladstoneGladstoneThe Victorian Prime The Victorian Prime

MinisterMinister

AIMS:AIMS: To learn more To learn more

about the about the English custom English custom of afternoon of afternoon tea.tea.

Tea. What Tea. What exactly is it?exactly is it?

To find out the To find out the origin of this origin of this custom.custom.

What Exactly Is Tea?What Exactly Is Tea?

Basically it is a drink made from the dried leaves of a plant Basically it is a drink made from the dried leaves of a plant that only grows in hot countries. that only grows in hot countries.

Today the British drink more tea than any other nation – an Today the British drink more tea than any other nation – an average of 4 kilos a head per annum, or 1650 cups of tea a year.average of 4 kilos a head per annum, or 1650 cups of tea a year.

There are two kinds of tea, “afternoon tea”, and “high tea”.There are two kinds of tea, “afternoon tea”, and “high tea”.

“ “Afternoon tea” takes place between 3.30 – 4.30 and consists of Afternoon tea” takes place between 3.30 – 4.30 and consists of tea, bread, butter and jam, followed by cakes and biscuits. “High tea, bread, butter and jam, followed by cakes and biscuits. “High tea”, however, is a substantial meal and is eaten between 5.30 -tea”, however, is a substantial meal and is eaten between 5.30 -6.30 by families which do not usually have a late dinner. In a well-6.30 by families which do not usually have a late dinner. In a well-to-do family it will consist of ham or tongue and tomatoes and to-do family it will consist of ham or tongue and tomatoes and salad, or a kipper, or a tinned salmon, with strong tea, bread and salad, or a kipper, or a tinned salmon, with strong tea, bread and butter, followed by stewed fruit, or tinned pears, apricots or butter, followed by stewed fruit, or tinned pears, apricots or pineapple with cream or custard and cake. pineapple with cream or custard and cake.

The Custom of Tea Goes The Custom of Tea Goes Back…Back…

……to the late 18to the late 18thth century when Anne, century when Anne, wife of the 7wife of the 7th th Duke Duke of Bedford, decided of Bedford, decided that she suffered that she suffered from a “sinking from a “sinking feeling” around 5 p. feeling” around 5 p. m. and needed tea m. and needed tea and cakes to bring and cakes to bring back her strength. back her strength.

Tea And Wars.Tea And Wars.

Tea has even played its part in wars. When Tea has even played its part in wars. When George III of England tried to make the George III of England tried to make the American colonists pay import duty on tea, a American colonists pay import duty on tea, a group of Americans disguised as Red Indians group of Americans disguised as Red Indians dumped 342 chests of tea into the sea in dumped 342 chests of tea into the sea in Boston Harbour – the Boston Tea Party Boston Harbour – the Boston Tea Party which led to the War of Independence. which led to the War of Independence. In another war the Duke of Wellington In another war the Duke of Wellington sensibly had a cup of tea before starting the sensibly had a cup of tea before starting the Battle of Waterloo, “to clear the head”.Battle of Waterloo, “to clear the head”.

Tea Making Is An Art!Tea Making Is An Art!

The hostess first of The hostess first of all rinses the teapot with all rinses the teapot with boiling water (this is called boiling water (this is called “warming the pot”) before “warming the pot”) before adding four or five adding four or five teaspoonfuls of tea. The teaspoonfuls of tea. The amount of tea varies, of amount of tea varies, of course, according to the course, according to the number of people present. number of people present. The pot is then filled with The pot is then filled with boiling water and covered by boiling water and covered by a tea-cosy to allow the tea to a tea-cosy to allow the tea to infuse or draw for 5 minutes. infuse or draw for 5 minutes. English people seldom put English people seldom put lemon or rum in their tea.lemon or rum in their tea.

TEAconsists of

VITAMINS

MINERALS

ESSENTIAL OILS

Focus on LanguageFocus on Language”TEA””TEA”

A A tea bagtea bag is a small paper bag is a small paper bag filled with enough tea leaves to filled with enough tea leaves to make tea for one person.make tea for one person.

A A tea caddy tea caddy is a container to is a container to keep tea leaves in.keep tea leaves in.

A A tea cosytea cosy is a thick covering, like is a thick covering, like a hat, which is put on a teapot to a hat, which is put on a teapot to keep the tea warm.keep the tea warm.

Focus on LanguageFocus on Language”TEA””TEA”

AA tea party tea party is an occasion when is an occasion when people meet in the afternoon to drink people meet in the afternoon to drink tea and eat a small amount of food.tea and eat a small amount of food.

A A tea room/shoptea room/shop is a small restaurant is a small restaurant where drinks and small meals, such where drinks and small meals, such as tea and cakes, are served. as tea and cakes, are served.

A tea A tea service /setservice /set is a set of small is a set of small plates, cups with a matching pattern, plates, cups with a matching pattern, for serving tea and small amounts of for serving tea and small amounts of food. food.

ConclusionsConclusions

Strictly Strictly speaking, tea is speaking, tea is not a meal at all, not a meal at all, but a suitable but a suitable occasion for occasion for social intercourse, social intercourse, when people when people often come in for often come in for a chat over their a chat over their cup of tea. cup of tea.

More We Read More We LearnMore We Read More We Learn

Bogoroditskaya V.N.,Khrustlyova L.V.The World of Britain. Богородитская В.Н.,Хрусталева Л.В. Учебник английского языка.-М.:Версия, 2000.- 194с.

Satinova V. F. Read and speak about Britain and the British Сатинова В. Ф. Читаем и говорим о Британии и Британцах.-Минск «Вышэйшая школа» 1997