The History of Chocolate Reading Comprehension Activity

Reading Comprehension Questions

Once you have read through the information, answer the following questions in full
sentences using the lines provided.
1. Identify which civilisations first cultivated chocolate.

The Olmecs and the Mayans were the first civilizations to cultivate chocolate.

2. Identify the main ingredient used to make chocolate.

The main ingredient used to make chocolate is the cacao bean.

3. Explain what theobromine is and identify the food products it can be found in.

Theobromine is a stimulant found in chocolate and tea leaves.

4. Describe the different ways in which chocolate was used by the Central American Maya.

The Central American Maya used chocolate as a drink for celebrations and also as a form of
trade or barter.

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 The History of Chocolate Reading Comprehension Activity

5. Identify one example of how historians know that people from ancient Mayan
civilisation drank hot cocoa and explain how it was typically consumed.

Historians found depictions of people drinking hot cocoa. It was usually drunk as a thick and
frothy drink mixed with chilli, honey, or water.

6. Identify what items the ancient Mayans used for bartering.

The ancient Mayans used items like maize, clothing, tobacco, and cacao beans for bartering.

7. Identify the time period in which the Aztecs are known to have existed.

The Aztecs existed from 1325 to 1521 CE.

8. Identify the Aztec word for chocolate and explain its use and consumption.

The Aztec word for chocolate was xocolatl. It was consumed as a hot or cold spiced drink
by both the lower and upper classes.

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 The History of Chocolate Reading Comprehension Activity

9. List the three people who are each credited with possibly being involved in the
introduction of chocolate to Spain and describe what they did.

• Christopher Columbus: He found cacao beans on a trade ship and brought them to

Spain in 1502.

• Hernan Cortes: He was introduced to chocolate by the Aztecs and kept it a secret.

• The friars: They brought cacao beans as a gift to Philip II of Spain in 1544.

10. Identify when chocolate was popular in Spain and when the country started importing it
regularly.

Chocolate became popular in Spain by the late 1500s, and they started importing it in 1585.

11. Explain how the traditional Aztec hot chocolate recipe changed once it made its way to
Europe.

The traditional Aztec hot chocolate was changed in Europe by adding sugar, cinnamon, and
other spices.

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 The History of Chocolate Reading Comprehension Activity

12. Identify and explain the ways chocolate was used in the United States of America after
its arrival in 1641.

After 1641, chocolate was used in the USA in chocolate houses and during wars as
rations for soldiers.

13. Describe the process developed by Coenraad van Houten.

Coenraad van Houten created a way to treat cacao with alkaline salts to make powder that

could mix with water.

14. Explain the cocoa press and its effect on the chocolate industry.

The cocoa press separated cocoa butter from beans, making chocolate easier and cheaper
to produce.

15. Identify one way that chocolate consumption changed in the 19th century.

In the 19th century, people started adding milk to chocolate instead of water.

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 The History of Chocolate Reading Comprehension Activity

16. List the ingredients used to make the first chocolate bars.

The first chocolate bars were made with sugar, chocolate liquor, and cocoa butter.

17. Identify what Daniel Peter added to chocolate and the effect it had on the product.

Daniel Peter added dried milk powder to chocolate, creating milk chocolate.

18. List the two men mentioned in the text that first started the mass production of
chocolate.
Daniel Peter and Henri Nestlé were the first to start mass production of chocolate.

19. Explain why Rudolf Lindt invented the chocolate conch machine.

Rudolf Lindt invented the chocolate conch machine to make the texture of chocolate

smoother and easier to mix.

20. Explain why dark chocolate is considered to be a healthier alternative to milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate is considered healthier because it has more antioxidants than

milk chocolate.

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 Chocolate Companies from Bolivia
1. El Ceibo Ltda. – Organic cocoa and fair trade chocolate.
2. Chocolates Para Ti – Famous artisanal chocolate from Sucre.
3. Chocolates Taboada – Traditional chocolate from La Paz.
4. Chocolates Breick – Bolivian chocolate with a long tradition.
5. Astrid & Gastón Chocolates – Gourmet chocolate produced
in Bolivia.
El Ceibo
El Ceibo Ltda. is a Bolivian cooperative founded in 1977. It
brings together more than 1,200 cocoa producers from the
Alto Beni region, in the department of La Paz. The company is a
pioneer in the production of organic cocoa and fair trade in
Bolivia and Latin America.
El Ceibo specializes in transforming cocoa into high-quality
products such as chocolate bars, cocoa powder, and other
derivatives. The cooperative controls the entire process, from
harvesting the cocoa beans to the final packaging, ensuring
high quality and environmental responsibility