TEXTO A: Tea in Britain
Although drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid 17th century that the beverage first appeared in England. The use of tea spread slowly from its Asian homeland, reaching Europe by way of Venice around 1.560, although Portuguese trading ships may have made contact with the Chinese as early as 1.515. It was the Portuguese and Dutch traders who first imported tea to Europe, with regular shipments by 1.610. Curiously, it was the London coffee houses that were responsible for introducing tea to England. One of the first coffee house merchants to offer tea was Thomas Garway. He sold both liquid and dry tea to the public as early as 1.657. He advertised the virtues of tea as 'making the body active and vigorous' and 'preserving perfect health until extreme old age'. Tea gained popularity quickly in the coffee houses, which annoyed tavern owners because tea cut their sales of beer and gin, and it was bad news for the government, who depended upon a regular source of income from taxes on alcohol sales. By 1.750 tea had become the favoured drink of Britain's lower classes. English nobles had an impact on the habit of drinking tea. Afternoon tea is said to have originated with one person, Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford. In the early 1.800's she started the idea of having tea in the late afternoon to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner, which in fashionable circles might not be served until 8 o'clock at night. This fashionable custom soon evolved into high tea among the working classes, where this late afternoon meal became the main meal of the day. British porcelain industry is closely related to tea. Tea in China was traditionally drunk from cups without handles. When tea became popular in Britain, there was an urgent need for good cups with handles, to accommodate British habits. This made for tremendous growth in porcelain industry and the prosperity of companies such as Wedgwood and Royal Albert.
QUESTIONS. Do not copy literally from the text.
1. Explain how tea reached England and how it was introduced in the country.
2. Who were afraid of the popularity of tea in Britain, and why?
3. Briefly summarize what the text says about afternoon tea.
4. What is the relationship between British porcelain industry and tea?
5. Fill in the gaps with the correct, most appropriate word in each case.
Tea breaks are a tradition which has been with us for about 200 years. Initially when workers (A) ________ their day at around 5 or 6 am, employers allowed a break in the morning (B) ________ food and tea were served. Regular tea breaks can (C) ________ a vital part in the day to help maintain a positive (D) ________ towards work.

TEXTO B: Reading
When was the last time you read a book? Do your daily reading habits centre around tweets or Facebook updates? If you are one of those people who do not make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out: reading has a significant number of benefits. Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information and you never know when it might be useful. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to address any challenge you will ever face. If you find yourself in difficult circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else —your job, your money, even your health— knowledge can never be taken from you. Reading contributes positively to vocabulary expansion. The more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they will make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession. Those who are well-read, well-spoken and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly and more often than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of scientific discoveries and global events. Reading also helps you focus your attention and improve your concentration. In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once. In a single 5-minute period, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with people (via whatsapp, skype, etc.), keeping an eye on twitter and monitoring their smartphone. This type of behaviour causes stress levels to rise and lowers our productivity. When you read a book, your attention is focused on the story —the rest of the world just falls away and you can immerse yourself in every detail you are absorbing. There is a reading genre for everyone, and whether your tastes lie in poetry, fashion magazines, young adult books or self-help guides, there is something out there to capture your curiosity and imagination. Turn your computer off, open a book, and refill your soul for a little while.
QUESTIONS. Do not copy literally from the text.
1. According to the text, what is the relationship between reading and knowledge?
2. What are the linguistic and social benefits of reading?
3. The text says: 'In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once.' Why is this an unhealthy habit?
4. Leaving aside the benefits of reading mentioned, how does the text invite you to take up reading as a good habit?
5. Fill in the gaps with the correct, most appropriate word in each case.
Books can be quite expensive. However, for low-budget entertainment you can (A) ________ your local library with tons of books available there (B) ________ free. Libraries have books on (C) ________ subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, you'll never run (D) ________ of reading materials.

6.A. Rephrase the following sentences so that their meaning is as similar to the original as possible.
a) Someone will have to be found to take her place. // We will…
b) For reasons I could not understand, she eventually did not allow me to pay her in cash. // For reasons I could not understand, she eventually refused…
c) Jim is too young to get married. // Jim isn't…
d) The mobile display is still broken. // The mobile display hasn't…

6.B. Rephrase the following sentences so that their meaning is as similar to the original as possible.
a) We don't allow smoking in this room. // No…
b) I regret not speaking to her before she left. // If only…
c) I started this job two years ago. // I have been…
d) Their decision was greeted with anger. // People were…

7.A. Write a composition about the following topic (100-120 words): Is tea a popular drink among young people nowadays? Why (not)? Discuss and give reasons.

7.B. Write a composition about the following topic (100-120 words): What is your favourite type of reading and why?