TODAY’S LESSON: BUBBLE TEA

Language Arts

Learn new things, test your understanding and practice writing skills. These lessons are provided free by Achieve3000, an educational technology company that works with schools to enhance comprehension, vocabulary and writing proficiency for students in grades 2 through 12.

Step 1: Write your answer to the questions below before reading the article.

A relatively new drink called “bubble tea” is winning followers across the world.

BUBBLE TEA IS BLOWING UP

TAIPEI, Taiwan

Bubble tea — a sweet drink — is trendier than avocado toast. And it’s cooler than a cucumber-kale smoothie. Originally from Taiwan, it’s winning fans around the world.

To enjoy this treat, you will likely need an extra-wide straw. Why? To slurp up a fun surprise! Bubble tea is made with tea, of course. It also has flavorings, creamer and often ice. What makes it so special, though, is that it usually includes chewy goodies. You’ll find them at the bottom of your cup. Most often, they are black tapioca pearls. They’re sweet.

Tapioca is a starchy food made from cassava, the root of a tropical plant. Some people claim the balls of gummy goodness are the “bubbles” that give the drink its name. Others insist that the “bubbles” in the name has to do with the foam on top of the drink. This forms when the drink is shaken.

Tapioca is also used to make desserts. And that probably explains how bubble tea was invented. In the 1980s, tapioca desserts and milk tea were both popular in Taiwan. Milk tea is a drink made of — you guessed it — tea and milk or creamer. Near the end of that decade, some creative snacker added ice and tapioca pearls to a milk tea.

People loved this new idea. It was like a drink and a snack in one cup! The invention soon took off like a soap bubble on a breezy day. It was a huge hit all over Taiwan. From there, it spread to other places in Asia.

In the 1990s, bubble tea shops started opening in the United States. Many were in areas where there were a lot of people from Taiwan, including Southern California. Now, they’re on the rise elsewhere in the U.S. and in lots of other countries. If there isn’t a bubble tea shop near you now, look for one to pop up soon!

Thinking of trying a bubble tea? Get ready to face a lot of tough-but-tasty decisions. Part of what people like so much about these drinks is that they can customize them to their own tastes. Some shops offer more than a hundred flavors and styles. Customers can choose the type of tea, for example — black, green, jasmine, or oolong. They can also choose the amount of ice and the exact level of sweetness. There’s also a flurry of flavor options. Would you like a traditional favorite, like mango, honeydew or chocolate pudding? Or are you up for something more unusual, like matcha or cookie dough? Even when you’ve settled these questions, there’s another important decision to chew on: toppings! You could go for black tapioca pearls, of course. But there are plenty of other options on the table, too. You might ask your bubble tea barista to throw in almond jelly, pudding, chia seeds or red beans. (The “toppings” usually sink to the bottom of the drink.)

You might need a break after making all those decisions. Guess what? A bubble tea shop can be a great place to chill out while enjoying a drink, when such public gatherings are allowed. In fact, for many people, the fun, relaxing atmosphere is as much of a draw as the bubble tea itself. In Southern California, for example, bubble tea shops are especially popular with high school and college students. They may go there to hang out with friends, play games, or study.