第53 至 56 題為題組 Tea, the most typical English drink, became established in Britain because of the influence of a
foreign princess, Catherine of Braganza, the queen of Charles II. A lover of tea since her childhood in
Portugal, she brought tea-drinking to the English royal court and set a trend for the beverage in the
seventeenth century. The fashion soon spread beyond the circle of the nobility to the middle classes, and
tea became a popular drink at the London coffee houses where people met to do business and discuss
events of the day. Many employers served a cup of tea to their workers in the middle of the morning, thus
inventing a lasting British institution, the “tea break.” However, drinking tea in social settings outside
the workplace was beyond the means of the majority of British people. It came with a high price tag and
tea was taxed as well.
Around 1800, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anne Maria, began the popular practice of
“afternoon tea,” a ceremony taking place at about four o’clock. Until then, people did not usually eat or
drink anything between lunch and dinner. At approximately the same time, the Earl of Sandwich
popularized a new way of eating bread—in thin slices, with something (e.g., jam or cucumbers) between
them. Before long, a small meal at the end of the afternoon, involving tea and sandwiches, had become
part of the British way of life.
As tea became much cheaper during the nineteenth century, its popularity spread right through all
corners of the British society. Thus, tea became Britain’s favorite drink. In working-class households, it
was served with the main meal of the day, eaten when workers returned home after a day’s labor. This
meal has become known as “high tea.”
Today, tea can be drunk at any time of the day, and accounts for over two-fifths of all beverages
consumed in Britain—with the exception of water.
【題組】55. According to the passage, why was tea NOT a common drink of everyday life in the seventeenth
century?
(A) It was only served at coffee houses in London.
(B) It was taxed as an alcoholic drink.
(C) It was forbidden outside of the business setting.
(D) It was too expensive for most people.
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