Rum is becoming more popular in India. People used to think rum was a cheap drink, but now, they are starting to like it more. A lot of new companies are making different kinds of rum in India. These companies are trying to make rum more fun and tasty. They are doing new things with how the rum is made and what it tastes like.
Rum was first made by slaves in the Caribbean. They found out that they could make alcohol from a sweet, sticky thing called molasses. Molasses is made from sugarcane juice. Some of the new rum companies in India are making rum from sugarcane juice, not molasses. This is different and exciting.
Some companies are also adding new things to rum, like coffee and spices. This makes the rum taste even better. The new rums are more expensive than the old, cheap rums. But people in India are starting to like them.
The new rum companies in India are making people think about rum in a new way. They are showing people that rum can be a special drink, not just a cheap one. They are also teaching people about the different kinds of rum from other places in the world. This is helping rum become more popular in India.
Original news source: India’s spirited rum revolution (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– “Ingredient Investigation”
Instructions: Have students create a list of ingredients mentioned in the text that are used in the production of rum (e.g., molasses, sugarcane juice, coffee, spices). This activity can help reinforce new vocabulary and concepts related to food and drink production.
– “Rum Redefinition”
Instructions: Ask the students to write a new definition of rum based on the information provided in the text. This helps them understand the essence of the article and practice forming sentences.
– “Rum Story Role-Play”
Instructions: Divide the students into groups and have them role-play a conversation between a rum company owner in India and a customer. This activity will help students practice their speaking skills and the application of vocabulary in real-world situations.
– “Adjective Identification”
Instructions: Ask students to underline all the adjectives in the text that describe rum (e.g., cheap, new, fun, tasty, special). This will help them to identify and understand adjectives.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What drink is getting more popular in India?
2. What did people use to think about rum?
3. What are the new companies in India doing with rum?
4. Who first made rum and where?
5. What sweet, sticky thing is rum usually made from?
6. What are some new things companies are adding to rum to make it taste better?
7. Are the new rums more or less expensive than the old rums?
8. What are the new rum companies in India teaching people about?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Rum is becoming more popular in (1)______. People used to think rum was a cheap drink, but now, they are starting to like it more. A lot of new companies are making different kinds of rum in India. These companies are trying to make rum more fun and (2)______. They are doing new things with how the rum is made and what it tastes like.
Rum was first made by slaves in the (3)______. They found out that they could make alcohol from a sweet, sticky thing called molasses. Molasses is made from sugarcane juice. Some of the new rum companies in India are making rum from sugarcane juice, not (4)______. This is different and exciting.
Some companies are also adding new things to rum, like coffee and (5)______. This makes the rum taste even better. The new rums are more expensive than the old, cheap rums. But people in India are starting to like them.
The new rum companies in India are making people think about rum in a new way. They are showing people that rum can be a special drink, not just a cheap one. They are also teaching people about the different kinds of rum from other places in the (6)______. This is helping rum become more popular in (7)______.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Do you like to drink rum?
2. Why do you think rum is getting popular in India?
3. What makes a drink tasty for you?
4. Would you like to try rum made from sugarcane juice?
5. What do you think about adding coffee and spices to rum?
6. Would you pay more money for special rum?
7. What kind of drink do you think is special?
8. Do you know different kinds of rum?
9. How do you feel about rum not being a cheap drink anymore?
10. Would you like to learn about rums from other places?
11. Why do you think new companies are making different kinds of rum?
12. How do you think rum made from sugarcane juice will taste?
13. Would you like to try rum with new tastes?
14. Do you think making rum more fun will make more people like it?
15. How would you feel if your favorite drink became more expensive?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Popular
2. Companies
3. Molasses
4. Sugarcane
5. Juice
6. Expensive
7. Special
8. Teaching
Shuffled Meanings:
A) Something that costs a lot of money
B) A sweet, sticky thing made from a plant
C) A liquid that comes from a plant or fruit
D) Showing or telling someone how to do something
E) A plant that is tall and sweet, used to make sugar
F) Something that a lot of people like or enjoy
G) Businesses that make or sell things
H) Something that is not ordinary, but different and good
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is becoming more popular in India?
(a) Wine
(b) Rum
(c) Beer
(d) Whisky
2. What did people used to think about rum?
(a) It was a cheap drink
(b) It was a luxury drink
(c) It was a healthy drink
(d) It was a bitter drink
3. What are the new companies in India doing to rum?
(a) Making it less tasty
(b) Making it more expensive
(c) Making it more fun and tasty
(d) Making it less popular
4. Where was rum first made?
(a) In India
(b) In Africa
(c) In the Caribbean
(d) In Europe
5. What is molasses made from?
(a) Apple juice
(b) Orange juice
(c) Grape juice
(d) Sugarcane juice
6. What are some companies adding to rum to make it taste better?
(a) Coffee and spices
(b) Lemon and lime
(c) Salt and pepper
(d) Milk and sugar
7. What are the new rum companies in India doing?
(a) Making rum less popular
(b) Selling rum to other countries
(c) Changing the way people think about rum
(d) Making rum cheaper
8. What are the new rum companies in India teaching people about?
(a) The different kinds of beer
(b) The different kinds of wine
(c) The different kinds of whisky
(d) The different kinds of rum
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True or False Questions:
1. Rum is not popular in India.
2. Rum was first made by slaves in the Caribbean.
3. New companies in India are making rum from apples.
4. Some companies are adding coffee and spices to rum.
5. The new rums are cheaper than the old rums.
6. People in India used to think rum was a cheap drink.
7. The new rum companies in India are teaching people about different kinds of milk.
8. Molasses is made from sugarcane juice.
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Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What drink are people in India starting to like more?
2. How are the new rum companies making rum more fun and tasty?
3. Where was rum first made?
4. What is molasses made from?
5. Why are the new rums more expensive than the old ones?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What drink is getting more popular in India?
– Rum is getting more popular in India.
2. What did people use to think about rum?
– People used to think rum was a cheap drink.
3. What are the new companies in India doing with rum?
– New companies in India are making different kinds of rum. They are trying to make rum more fun and tasty.
4. Who first made rum and where?
– Slaves first made rum in the Caribbean.
5. What sweet, sticky thing is rum usually made from?
– Rum is usually made from a sweet, sticky thing called molasses.
6. What are some new things companies are adding to rum to make it taste better?
– Companies are adding new things like coffee and spices to rum to make it taste better.
7. Are the new rums more or less expensive than the old rums?
– The new rums are more expensive than the old rums.
8. What are the new rum companies in India teaching people about?
– The new rum companies in India are teaching people that rum can be a special drink, not just a cheap one. They are also teaching people about the different kinds of rum from other places in the world.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. India
2. tasty
3. Caribbean
4. molasses
5. spices
6. world
7. India
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Popular
Answer: F) Something that a lot of people like or enjoy
2. Companies
Answer: G) Businesses that make or sell things
3. Molasses
Answer: B) A sweet, sticky thing made from a plant
4. Sugarcane
Answer: E) A plant that is tall and sweet, used to make sugar
5. Juice
Answer: C) A liquid that comes from a plant or fruit
6. Expensive
Answer: A) Something that costs a lot of money
7. Special
Answer: H) Something that is not ordinary, but different and good
8. Teaching
Answer: D) Showing or telling someone how to do something
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is becoming more popular in India?
Answer: (b) Rum
2. What did people used to think about rum?
Answer: (a) It was a cheap drink
3. What are the new companies in India doing to rum?
Answer: (c) Making it more fun and tasty
4. Where was rum first made?
Answer: (c) In the Caribbean
5. What is molasses made from?
Answer: (d) Sugarcane juice
6. What are some companies adding to rum to make it taste better?
Answer: (a) Coffee and spices
7. What are the new rum companies in India doing?
Answer: (c) Changing the way people think about rum
8. What are the new rum companies in India teaching people about?
Answer: (d) The different kinds of rum
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Rum is not popular in India.
Answer: False
2. Rum was first made by slaves in the Caribbean.
Answer: True
3. New companies in India are making rum from apples.
Answer: False
4. Some companies are adding coffee and spices to rum.
Answer: True
5. The new rums are cheaper than the old rums.
Answer: False
6. People in India used to think rum was a cheap drink.
Answer: True
7. The new rum companies in India are teaching people about different kinds of milk.
Answer: False
8. Molasses is made from sugarcane juice.
Answer: True
Go back to questions ⇧
