English Reading Practice

Is Tea Beneficial

Tea had a reputation for being both safe and almost always beneficial. However, scientists are now suggesting that tea may not be as safe as we had previously believed. Tea contains caffeine, and caffeine has been linked to sleeplessness and to the unpleasant jumpy feeling some people get when stressed. More seriously, there is a link between miscarriages, and pregnant women are advised to reduce their intake of tea until after their baby is born. Due its dangerous side-effects, many people who drink a lot of tea solve the problem by drinking a beverage from which the caffeine has been removed, decaffeinated tea, but others claim that it simply doesn't taste right. The sensible course is probably one of moderation: continue to enjoy your cup of tea, but don't enjoy too many!

1. As it is pointed out in the passage, tea used to be considered to be ----.

A) having no damaging effect on people's health
B) beneficial in moderation
c) more dangerous than alcohol
D) causing jumpy feeling if drunk excessively
E) the only drink which people enjoyed in the morning

2. According to the passage, tea can be dangerous because it ----.

A) causes people to suffer from stress more than ever
B) makes all drinkers nervous and unable to sleep
C) reduces miscarriages if it is drunk too much by a pregnant woman
D) may bring about many illnesses that cannot be cured easily
E) may cause the loss of the baby before it is able to survive

3. The writer points out that the best solution is to drink ----.

A) decaffeinated tea
B) instant coffee
C) tea in moderation
D) other beverages like hot chocolate
E) no tea at all

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