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Quiz about Global Tea in History and Culture

Global Tea in History and Culture Quiz

Tea is the most amazing beverage, but it has also been currency, the center of espionage, and a foundation for culture across the globe. Do you know about tea history and culture?

A multiple-choice quiz by kingmaxwell. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
kingmaxwell

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
418,940

Updated
Jan 30 25

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
80

Last 3 plays: snhha (10/10), Guest 174 (10/10), Guest 24 (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Tea was first consumed by humans during pre-history in China. In which province do experts believe tea was first consumed? Hint

Hunan Province

Sichuan Province

Yunnan Province

Guangdong Province

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Question 2 of 10

2. Tea arrives in Japan in 1191. Who brought tea to Japan from China? Hint

A Dutch trader, Jacob Quaeckernaeck

A Buddhist Zen Priest, Myoan Eisai

An English trader, Richard Hawkins

A Jesuit priest, Francis Xavier

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Question 3 of 10

3. What social movement aided the successful adoption of tea as a beverage in England and the United States? Hint

the temperance movement

the Whig party

the anti-royalist movement

the movement for American independence

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Question 4 of 10

4. In 1767 American colonialists dumped 342 chests of English tea into Boston Harbor. What was the central issue of that caused the "Boston Tea Party"? Hint

high taxes on tea imposed by England

a crackdown on smugglers in the New England colonies

chemicals added to the tea to make it more colorful

the low quality of the tea which was being imported

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Question 5 of 10

5. England became increasingly dependent on Chinese tea. In an effort to reduce their trade debt to China, England imported enormous amounts of what product into China? Hint

Opium

Amphetamines

Marijuana

Coffee

6. In 1848 a Scottish botanist was hired by the English East India Company and under the sponsorship of the monarchy to smuggle tea cuttings, seeds and knowledge of tea processing out of China, with the intention of starting English tea plantations in India. Who was this lucky man? Hint

William Felicity

Hiram Pluck

Sir Robert Mortimer

Robert Fortune

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Question 7 of 10

7. Camella Sinensis produces which of the following kinds of tea? Hint

All of them

Black tea

Oolong tea

White tea

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Question 8 of 10

8. What cooking utensil is often used to halt the oxidization of Chinese tea, dry it, and lock in flavor? Hint

solar stove

cast iron pan

the wok

griddle

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Question 9 of 10

9. Pu-erh tea is one of the most exciting kinds of beverage. Rich, funky and full of unique flavor, there are many devotees to Pu-erh. What distinguishes Pu-erh tea from other kinds of teas? Hint

Pu-erh tea is hand rolled to increase the oxidization of the leaves.

Pu-erh tea has bacterial activity which alters the flavor.

Pu-erh tea is only harvested from older tea trees and must come from trees older than 100 years.

Pu-erh tea is the only tea sold in compressed tea cakes which give a unique flavor.

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Question 10 of 10

10. Darjeeling is an astounding Indian tea region blessed with exceptional soil, mountainous hillsides and dozens of exceptional tea estates. If you had some "first flush" Darjeeling from a particular tea estate what would you be drinking? Hint

Tea leaves that had been flushed with clean mountain water to remove any impurities.

The new growth first two leaves and a bud harvested in February or March.

Only the oldest most valuable tea leaves dappled and flush with the mountain sunlight.

Tea leaves which had been approved by the Darjeeling Planters Association.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Tea was first consumed by humans during pre-history in China. In which province do experts believe tea was first consumed?

Answer: Yunnan Province

Yunnan is still a central place for tea production cultivation and sales. It is estimated that tea was being consumed as medicine in Yunnan during the Shang dynasty (1766-1050 BCE).

2. Tea arrives in Japan in 1191. Who brought tea to Japan from China?

Answer: A Buddhist Zen Priest, Myoan Eisai

Myoan Eisai brought tea seeds and bushes to Japan from China and planted them on the island of Kyushu. Eisai is also credited with popularizing tea in Japan.

3. What social movement aided the successful adoption of tea as a beverage in England and the United States?

Answer: the temperance movement

Temperance reformers challenged the dominance of alcohol - tea parties were crucial fundraisers and became a culturally acceptable thing to drink in coffee houses because of the increased scrutiny on booze.

4. In 1767 American colonialists dumped 342 chests of English tea into Boston Harbor. What was the central issue of that caused the "Boston Tea Party"?

Answer: high taxes on tea imposed by England

The high taxes without representation were enraging to American colonists. The colonial merchants organized a boycott, large scale protests and eventually militant direct action to disrupt tea imports. These corresponded with dramatic increases in smuggling and a general anti-tea sentiment during the American Revolutionary period.

5. England became increasingly dependent on Chinese tea. In an effort to reduce their trade debt to China, England imported enormous amounts of what product into China?

Answer: Opium

In 1776 English traders in the English East India Company began to import increasing amounts of opium into China to create addiction and a market for their product that could counter-balance the cost of tea. This led to the opium wars (better thought of as tea wars) of 1839-42.

Answer: Robert Fortune

The amazing book "For All the Tea in China" by Sarah Rose documents this period of industrial espionage. By 1900 - merely 52 years later - India was providing ninety percent of the tea for England.

7. Camella Sinensis produces which of the following kinds of tea?

Answer: All of them

It is a common misconception that different kinds of tea come from different plants. There are varietals that have grown suited to growth in India (Assam) and Indonesia (Cambodi), but they are all the same plant. The primary difference in the kind of tea that emerges is how it is processed.

8. What cooking utensil is often used to halt the oxidization of Chinese tea, dry it, and lock in flavor?

Answer: the wok

Wood fired woks are essential to help make many kinds of Chinese teas. The wok is heated and tea leaves are added at just the right time, hand agitated and carefully removed when a tea artisan feels it as reached the critical point of drying and flavor.

9. Pu-erh tea is one of the most exciting kinds of beverage. Rich, funky and full of unique flavor, there are many devotees to Pu-erh. What distinguishes Pu-erh tea from other kinds of teas?

Answer: Pu-erh tea has bacterial activity which alters the flavor.

Pu-erh has an extra fermentation step which allows microbial activity from several kinds of bacteria to change the flavor of the tea. This process is often accelerated by aging or intentional moistening of the tea leaves while they are being stored.

Answer: The new growth first two leaves and a bud harvested in February or March.

All Darjeeling tea is special, but first flush harvests are light, sweet brews that are coveted. When buying Darjeeling it is common for sellers to indicate the estate on which the plants were grown, when it was harvested and which flush it is.

Source: Author kingmaxwell

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