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English stories โ€บ B1

The Invention of the Tea Bag

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Some of the best inventions happen by accident, and the tea bag is one of them.

Around 1908 a New York tea merchant named Thomas Sullivan wanted to save money.

Instead of metal boxes, he sent samples of his tea in small silk bags.

His customers thought that the bags should go straight into the hot water.

They tried it, liked it, and asked for more.

Sullivan had never planned this, but he quickly understood his luck.

Later the silk was replaced by cheap paper.

Today billions of tea bags are used all over the world every day.

Words in this story

best
better than all others
invention
a new thing someone created
happen
to take place
accident
something not planned
tea
a hot drink made from leaves
bag
a soft container
be
is / am / are / was
new
recently made; not old
merchant
a person who sells goods
name
what someone or something is called
want
to wish to have or do
save
to keep; to spend less
money
what you use to buy things
instead
in place of something
metal
a hard material such as iron
box
a container with four sides
send
to make something go to someone
sample
a small piece to try
small
little; not big
silk
a fine, soft cloth
customer
a person who buys
think
to have an idea or opinion
should
ought to
go
to move to a place (past: went)
straight
directly
hot
very warm
water
the clear liquid we drink
try
to test; to make an effort
like
to enjoy; to think something is good
ask
to say a question
have
to own; helper verb (has tasted)
never
at no time
plan
to decide in advance
quickly
fast
understand
to know the meaning of
luck
good things that happen by chance
later
after some time
replace
to put something new in place of
cheap
costing little
paper
material for writing on
today
this day
use
to do something with a thing
world
the Earth and everyone on it
day
24 hours

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