Reading Comprehension

I.1 Being British in Berlin

Read the newspaper article about Britishness in Berlin.

(adapted from: Spotlight, 2/2018, Zugriff am 06.06.2023)

Answer the following questions. You do not need to write complete sentences.

1

What is Broken English?

2

What smell lets the author think of his or her childhood?

3

What does the author compare cricket to?

4

When was cricket introduced in Berlin?

5

What did a sports enthusiast use to find members for his team?

6

Who were The Refugees' main opponents before 1990?

7

What sensations do spectators experience at the match?

I.2 Time for tea

Read the texts (1 - 5) and match them to the headings (A - G). There are two more headings than you need.

Text 1:

One afternoon in 1840, the Duchess of Bedford asked her butler to bring her a tray of tea, bread and butter, and cake, to bridge the hunger gap between lunch and dinner. She enjoyed this light snack so much that she began inviting friends to join her, and this new “afternoon tea” soon became a very fashionable social event for upper-class ladies in drawing rooms across the country. Now, it’s a treat that everyone can enjoy.

Text 2:

Traditionally, afternoon tea is served in the late afternoon, at around four or five o’clock. The late afternoon is still the most popular time for afternoon tea in hotels, but it’s usually available from after lunch through until around 5 p.m. You can have “afternoon” tea at the Ritz [one of the most iconic hotels in London] from 11.30 in the morning to 7.30 in the evening.

Text 3:

Tea should always be served in the pot. Leave it to brew for a few minutes before you pour it. Proper tea is loose leaf, so you may need to use a strainer. You can pour either the tea or the milk into the cup first – every British person has their own firmly held belief on this topic, but it really doesn’t matter. The Queen’s butler recently revealed that it’s “tea in first” in the royal household, but that hasn’t settled the debate. [...] You can always ask for more hot water to “top up the pot” if the tea is too strong.

Text 4:

It’s important to remember that a British person will understand “black tea” as “tea without milk”. To specify Schwarztee (rather than green tea or fruit tea), you could just say “normal tea” or give an example, such as “English breakfast tea”. A pot of tea served with a scone with jam and cream is called a “cream tea”. It’s a simpler version of the afternoon tea, widely available and especially popular in Devon and Cornwall, where the local cream is “clotted”. [...]

Text 5:

Is afternoon tea part of people’s daily routine in the UK? No, absolutely not. It’s a treat, something to do for fun or on a special occasion. In British homes, the word “tea” (as a meal, not just a drink) is often used to mean an early evening meal for children, or young families, for example: “I’ll give the kids their tea at five and we can have our dinner when they’re in bed.”

(adapted from: Spotlight 10/2022, p. 48-51)

Headings
A	A noble invention
B	A variety of drinks
C	A secret message
D	An extended time frame
E	An old-fashioned dress code
F	A supper habit for the little ones
G	A question of personal preference

News	Heading
1
2
3
4
5

5 BE

I.1 Being British in Berlin

1	(English food and gift) store
2	(Imperial) Leather (soap)
3	(an elaborate) dance (involving bats)
4	1860s
5	(an) advert in a local newspaper
6	(members of the) British military
7	feeling of tolerance and passion

I.2 Time for tea

News	Heading
1	A
2	D
3	G
4	B
5	F