Coffee!! The lifeblood of the economy!!!
Summary Task
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise how coffee beans are grown and processed, to make them ready for transportation.
Use only information from Paragraphs 4 to 6 of Text 4.
Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form). It must not be longer than 80 words (not including the words given to help you begin).
When a farmer wants to grow coffee, he needs to…
The state of Minas Gerais in Brazil provides almost perfect conditions. The seeds are first planted in bags filled with nutrient-rich manure and compost. The farm’s location – 1,000m above sea level – offers the perfect wet and cool climate for the seeds to germinate. Even so, the young leaves are made of such delicate tissue that they have to be kept under shade to avoid too much direct sunlight.
After six months, the small trees are ready to be planted – but they still require meticulous care to ensure they receive enough water. Once they reach maturity, the plants will begin to blossom with white flowers that will eventually fall away to reveal the cherries that contain the beans. Overall, it takes around two and a half years until the first crop can be harvested. This means a long lag before the farmer can see a return on his or her investment. The plants are biennial – they will only produce a full yield every couple of years after that point.
The harvest only begins after a quality control manager has tasted the beans to ensure they are of optimum quality. Once they are taken from the trees, they are sorted, washed and graded and then laid out on a vast patio to dry. They are then vacuum-packed and loaded onto trucks, ready for transit.
Cultivation is only one part of the story – before they can be drunk, the raw beans must be cooked. Italy’s coffee culture is famous for its enviable espresso machines that extract more flavour from the grinds. Unlike a typical filter coffee, an espresso is brewed by forcing a lower volume of steaming water through the ground beans at high pressure. This results in a higher concentration drink, with the characteristic honey-coloured “crema” that floats at the top of the cup.
Original text source (provided by school): https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/made-on-earth/how-the-world-came-to-run-on-coffee/
When a farmer wants to grow coffee, he needs to sow seeds in bags of nutrient-dense manure and compost. The seeds sprout under damp and cool weather conditions. Their delicate young leaves need to be shaded from sunlight. After six months, the young trees are ready for planting. The first crop can be yielded after two and a half years. Upon harvesting, they are sorted, washed, and graded, then spread out on an expansive patio to dry. They are then vacuum-sealed and loaded onto trucks for transportation.
(77 words, 9 points)
Summary Points
A: How coffee beans are grown and processed to make them ready for transportation
| No. | Passage | Rephrased |
| Note: when we describe “how”, we are referring to specific acts the farmer has to carry out to grow the coffee beans. | ||
| (1) | The seeds are first planted in bags filled with nutrient-rich manure and compost | (…) sow / embed / place seeds in bags of nutrient-dense manure and compost Explanation Swap relevant synonyms in. “Sow” is used to refer to “planting (seeds)”. Rejected: “Fertiliser” for “manure” or “compost” – there are specialised, industrially-produced variations that can serve the same purpose; not 100% accurate as a result |
| (2) | (The farm’s location – 1,000m above sea level) – offers the perfect wet and cool climate for the seeds to germinate | The seeds sprout under/in damp/moist and cool weather conditions. Explanation: Germinate: sprouting of seeds Damp / moist: wet and cool Weather conditions: climate Rejected: “cold” for “cool” – referring to different temperature bands. “Cold” is dipping into the unpleasant temperature band. |
| (3) | Even so, the young leaves are made of such delicate tissue that they have to be kept under shade | (Their delicate) young leaves need to be shaded / sheltered from sunlight. Explanation The next step is after they germinate, when their leaves have begun to grow. Rephrase the idea that the plants need to be kept under shade. The portion about avoiding direct sunlight is not required, as you only need to state what action the farmer has to do. Rejected:“Seedlings / shoots” for “young leaves” >> passage referred specifically to the part of the plant; this must be preserved. |
| (4) | After six months, the small trees are ready to be planted | After six months, the young trees are ready for planting. Explanation A simple rearrangement of the sentence should suffice. Pay attention to the “small” – context wise, this is more on the age of the plant rather than the physical size (the summary is about growing coffee plants from start to end, not a biological study on its characteristics. ) |
| (5) | but they still requiremeticulous care toensure they receive enough water | However, they still need adequate/sufficient watering Explanation: The passage explains that the coffee plants still need enough water even though they are ready for planting. Write this main idea as a statement of fact in the SVO order: that the plants (subject) need (verb) watering (object; this is a gerund using the verb “water” as a noun by adding “ing”.) |
| (6) | Overall, it takes around two and a half years until the first crop can be harvested. (point 6 cont.) | The first crop can be yielded / collected / reaped after two and a half years. Explanation: Describe what the farmer can do after the stated time period. Rejected: Once they reach maturity, (…) to reveal the cherries that contain the beans >> this is a biological observation about the plant; not about the harvest. |
| (7) | The harvest only beginsafter a quality control manager has tasted the beans to ensure they are of optimum quality. | A quality control manager must sample the beans to verify their optimal quality before the harvest commences OR The harvest commences only after a quality control manager has sampled the beans to verify their optimal quality Explanation The condition for the harvest MUST be clear – it only begins AFTER the manager does his job. Synonyms: Begins>> Commence Tasted >> sample Ensure >> verify (“make sure”). REJECT: “enforce”, “approve” Optimum >> optimal (“most likely to bring an advantage”). REJECT: “good”, “adequate/suitable” |
| (8) | Once they are taken from the trees, they are sorted, washed and graded | Upon harvesting, they (the beans) are sorted, washed, and graded OR undergo sorting, washing, and grading. Explanation: All three terms must be present. Leave all the three terms as they are without any rephrasing – they are technically specific industrial processes. |
| (9) | (…) and then laid out on a vast patio to dry | (…) then spread out on an expansive patio to dry Explanation: This is technically a different point, even though it was part of the previous point’s origin. |
| (10) | They are then vacuum packed | They are then vacuum-sealed |
| (11) | and loaded onto trucks, ready for transit. | And loaded onto trucks for transportation Explanation: For 10 and 11, swap in appropriate replacement synonyms. |