4000 Essential English Words 4 » Unit 1: The History of Chocolate

Word List
  • aroma [əˈroumə] n.
    An aroma is a scent or smell.
    → I love the aroma of coffee in the morning.
  • beverage [ˈbevərɪdʒ] n.
    A beverage is a drink.
    → The waiter brought our beverages first. Then he brought our food.
  • cluster [ˈklʌstər] n.
    A cluster of things is a small group of them placed close together.
    → She held a large cluster of grapes in her hand.
  • combine [kəmˈbaɪn] v.
    To combine is to join together to make a single thing or group.
    → Mina combined peanut butter and jelly to make a sandwich.
  • condensed [kənˈdenst] adj.
    When a liquid is condensed, it is made thicker.
    → One way to make a dessert thick and sweet is to use condensed milk.
  • contemporary [kənˈtempərərɪ] adj.
    When something is contemporary, it is related to the present time.
    → Contemporary scientists have learned quite a bit about DNA.
  • cultivate [ˈkʌltəveɪt] v.
    To cultivate plants is to care for them and help them grow.
    → A research company is cultivating new kinds of rice to aid poor countries.
  • divine [dɪˈvaɪn] adj.
    When something is divine, it is related to gods.
    → Legends say that music was given to men as a divine gift from the gods.
  • humid [ˈhjuːmɪd] adj.
    When it is humid, there is a lot of water in the air.
    → It is very humid inside of a sauna.
  • odor [ˈoudər] n.
    An odor is a very distinct smell.
    → He knew there was a leak when he noticed the strong odor of natural gas.
  • palate [ˈpælɪt] n.
    The palate is the top part of the mouth.
    → You can touch your palate with your tongue.
  • paradise [ˈpærədaɪs] n.
    Paradise is the place or condition of happiness where things are perfect.
    → My vacation in Hawaii was like being in paradise.
  • plantation [plænˈteɪʃən] n.
    A plantation is a big farm that only grows certain kinds of crops.
    → In the 1800s, there were many cotton plantations in the southern US.
  • rapid [ˈræpɪd] adj.
    When something is rapid, it moves or changes very quickly.
    → His mother was surprised by her son’s rapid growth.
  • rate [reɪt] n.
    A rate is the speed at which something happens.
    → Grass tends to grow at a very slow rate.
  • soothing [ˈsuːðɪŋ] adj.
    When something is soothing, it makes you calm or relaxed.
    → The soothing music helped the baby fall asleep.
  • subtle [ˈsʌtl] adj.
    When something is subtle, it is not easy to see or notice.
    → The handsome man has a subtle smile.
  • texture [ˈtekstʃə:r] n.
    The texture of something is the way its surface looks and feels.
    → The texture of a rock found in the water is typically very smooth.
  • toxic [ˈtɒksɪk] adj.
    When something is toxic, it is poisonous. Toxic things are very dangerous.
    → Please check the label to see if the product is toxic.
  • vary [ˈvɛərɪ] v.
    To vary means to be different from another thing in size or amount.
    → The heights of the people in my class vary by a large amount.
Exercise 1

Choose the word that is the better fit for each blank.

  1. rapid / rate
    • The population growth in the city was incredibly ____________ . It is quite surprising that people settled there at such a fast ____________ .
  2. contemporary / vary
    • Many ____________ laws make it illegal for business to compete in unfair ways. However, the specific laws in different countries ____________ greatly.
  3. humid / toxic
    • Because it is quite ____________ on the island, various kinds of plants grow well there. However, some of these plants are ____________ to humans.
  4. texture / aroma
    • The cheese has a smooth ____________. However, some people find it hard to eat because of its powerful ____________.
  5. cluster / combined
    • A ____________ of people suggested that nearby cities could fight the invaders if they cooperated with each other. As a result, everyone ____________ their efforts and defeated the invaders.
  6. soothing / subtle
    • The artist uses ____________ differences of color in her landscapes. This has an overall calming and ____________ effect on the viewer.
  7. cultivated / odor
    • A huge garden was ____________ in the middle of the city. However, a species of rare plants gave off an unpleasant ____________.
  8. beverage / palate
    • During a four or five course meal, one should drink something to clean the ____________ between courses. The perfect ____________ for this is, of course, water.
  9. condensed / divine
    • I can explain the basic story in a simple, ____________ way. A boy is given a ____________ message, and he begins an exciting adventure.
  10. plantations / paradise
    • This island of Oahu is not a natural ____________ like Maui. However, tourists still have plenty to enjoy on Oahu, from visits to pineapple ____________ to traditional celebrations.
Exercise 2

Part A: Match the phrases to make complete sentences.

  1. A soothing cup of tea ______.
  2. The odor of the cheese ______.
  3. The pot’s texture ______.
  4. The chemical is toxic ______.
  5. The contemporary fiction class ______.
  6. The rate at which these flowers grew ______.
  7. My mother cultivates ______.
  8. The plantation had ______.
  9. The thick and humid forest ______.
  10. That cluster of stars in the sky makes ______.
  1. a. was surprisingly fast
  2. b. includes work from the 21st century
  3. c. feels so smooth
  4. d. covered almost a third of the country
  5. e. was too strong to be enjoyable
  6. f. several species of flowers as a hobby
  7. g. to insects and small animals
  8. h. twenty workers who grew cotton
  9. i. is good for a sore throat
  10. j. the shoulder of Taurus the Bull

Part B: Match the clauses to make complete sentences.

  1. The scientists wanted to find a cure for the sickness, ______.
  2. He offered to share his water, ______.
  3. I prefer mocha to coffee ______.
  4. Many new jobs were created, ______.
  5. The report was ten pages long, ______.
  6. The doctor asked him to open his mouth, ______.
  7. She walked in the door, ______.
  8. Because the island is so warm and beautiful, ______.
  9. Because patients’ bodies are so different, ______.
  10. It didn’t rain all summer, ______.
  1. a. so economic growth was rapid
  2. b. and Jim thought it was a divine message
  3. c. people call it a paradise
  4. d. the effects of the medicine will vary
  5. e. and she looked at his palate
  6. f. and she smelled the aroma of cookies
  7. g. so they combined the chemicals
  8. h. because it has a subtle taste of chocolate
  9. i. but I wanted my own beverage
  10. j. but the condensed version was shorter

 

Answer Key
Exercise 1
  1. rapid / rate
  2. contemporary / vary
  3. humid / toxic
  4. texture / aroma
  5. cluster / combined
  6. subtle / soothing
  7. cultivated / odor
  8. palate / beverage
  9. condensed / divine
  10. paradise / plantations
Exercise 2
Part A
  1. i
  2. e
  3. c
  4. g
  5. b
  6. a
  7. f
  8. h
  9. d
  10. j
Part B
  1. g
  2. i
  3. h
  4. a
  5. j
  6. e
  7. f
  8. c
  9. d
  10. b
Answer Key
The History of Chocolate

Many people believe that chocolate originally came from Europe. However, chocolate, called the “food of the gods,” was first made in the Americas. The first chocolate was very different from contemporary chocolate.

Wild chocolate trees can grow easily in the humid Amazon rain forest. Clusters of flowers growing on these trees turn to seeds. About 20 to 60 cacao beans can be found in the seeds. Cacao beans are the ingredient needed to create sweet, soothing, and delicious chocolate treats.

The Mayan and Aztec cultures both thought that chocolate trees were brought from paradise by gods. The Mayans and Aztecs used the beans from this divine tree to create a special beverage with a very pleasant odor. Surprisingly, the Aztecs believed that it would be toxic to women and children.

In the 1500s, the Spanish explorer Cortes met the Aztecs. Cortes became quite interested in the plantations where the Aztecs cultivated chocolate trees. When he returned to Europe, he took cacao beans with him. He introduced the people of Spain to the Aztecs’ chocolate beverage.

Over the next 100 years or so, kings, queens, and members of the upper class enjoyed drinking chocolate. They enjoyed it even more once they learned to add sugar to the beverage! Soon, chocolate had spread all across Europe. New machines allowed chocolate makers to perfect their products and produce them at a very rapid rate. Preparing the beans in special ways brought out the aroma of chocolate. The beans were combined with condensed milk to give the chocolate a smooth texture.

Today, contemporary chocolates with subtle flavors fill the shelves of expensive chocolate shops. The different types of chocolate available today vary widely. True chocolate lovers can tell which is best, though. They will tell you that the flavor of high quality chocolate stays on the palate long after you finish it.

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

  1. _____ Wild chocolate trees grow well in humid weather.
    • _____________________________________________________
  2. _____ The Mayans and Aztecs said chocolate was a divine plant brought from paradise.
    • _____________________________________________________
  3. _____ The Mayans cultivated chocolate trees on plantations.
    • _____________________________________________________
  4. _____ Beans were combined with condensed milk to give chocolate a smooth texture.
    • _____________________________________________________
  5. _____ The first chocolate beverages were made in Europe.
    • _____________________________________________________
  6. _____ The different types of chocolate available today vary widely.
    • _____________________________________________________

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. Which word is NOT used to describe chocolate in the reading?
    • a. Aroma
    • b. Delicious
    • c. Soothing
    • d. Sweet
  2. Which of the following did NOT consume chocolate as a beverage?
    • a. Cortes
    • b. Europeans in the 1500s
    • c. Mayan gods
    • d. The Aztecs
  3. Which group of people believed that chocolate was toxic to women and children?
    • a. Chocolate makers
    • b. Plantation owners
    • c. The upper class in Europe
    • d. The Aztecs
  4. What allowed chocolate to be produced at a rapid rate?
    • a. Cortes of Spain
    • b. Cacao beans
    • c. New machines
    • d. Kings and queens
Answer Key
Answer Key
Reading Comprehension
Part A
  1. T
  2. T
  3. F / The Aztecs cultivated chocolate trees on plantations.
  4. T
  5. F / The first chocolate beverages were made by the Mayans and Aztecs.
  6. T
Part B
  1. a
  2. c
  3. d
  4. c
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