How Coffee Came to the World

Kaldi watching his goats near a coffee tree

Read about where coffee began and how it became popular around the world.

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Words to Know　読む前に知っておきたい言葉

You may want to read these words before you begin.

WordEnglish explanation日本語
coffeea dark drink made from roasted beansコーヒー
drinka liquid that a person can take into the body飲み物
Araba person from an Arab countryアラブ人
popularliked or enjoyed by many people人気のある
animala living thing that can move and eat動物
fruitthe part of a plant that contains seeds and can often be eaten果物、実
beana seed from a plant; coffee is made from roasted coffee beans豆
energythe power needed to work, move, or thinkエネルギー、活力
darkhaving little light or a color close to black暗い、濃い色の
eastthe direction where the sun rises東

Normal speed

Listen at the regular reading speed.

90% speed

Listen at a slightly slower speed.

What is shadowing?

Shadowing is a listening and speaking exercise. Listen closely and repeat just behind the speaker, trying to copy the pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation.

How to practise

  1. Choose the normal or 90% recording.
  2. Tap Start Shadowing Mode.
  3. Listen and repeat the highlighted phrase.
  4. Use Repeat phrase whenever you need more time.

Why shadowing helps

  • It trains your ears to notice how words connect in natural speech.
  • It improves pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation.
  • It helps useful phrases become faster and more automatic.
  • It can build speaking fluency and confidence.

Tip: Begin with the 90% recording if necessary. Focus first on copying the sound and rhythm; you do not need to speak perfectly.
Choose an audio speed, then start shadowing.

Coffee is a drink that many people love today. But where did it come from? How did it become so popular around the world?

The story begins in Africa. Long ago, people in Ethiopia saw something interesting. They saw that animals ate small red fruits from coffee trees. After eating these, the animals seemed to have more energy. They moved around more and did not seem tired.

People decided to try these fruits too. Inside each one was a small bean. People learned to make a drink from these beans. The water became dark and had a strong taste. When they drank it, they felt more energy. They could work longer and think better.

Soon, this drink moved to other places. People took it to new places. It went east first. In Arab countries, people liked it very much. They made houses where people could sit and drink coffee together. These houses became important meeting places.

Then coffee moved to Europe. At first, some people did not like it. They thought it tasted strange. But slowly, more and more people started to drink it. By a few hundred years ago, it was very popular. Coffee houses opened in big cities. People went there to drink, talk, and share ideas.

People wanted to grow more coffee. They took it to South America and other warm places. Coffee grew well in these areas. Soon, many countries were making it and selling it around the world.

Today, coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Millions of people drink it every day. Some people drink it in the morning to wake up. Others drink it to relax with friends. The drink that started in Africa is now everywhere.

Take a moment to think about what you read.

Optional: Check your understanding

You can answer these five quick questions, or skip them and choose another story.

1. Where does the story of coffee begin?

  1. Africa
  2. Europe
  3. South America
  4. North America

2. What happened after the animals ate the red fruits?

  1. They went to sleep.
  2. They seemed to have more energy.
  3. They became hungry.
  4. They moved more slowly.

3. What was inside each coffee fruit?

  1. A small bean
  2. Dark water
  3. A green leaf
  4. A small flower

4. What did people do in coffee houses?

  1. They grew coffee trees.
  2. They sold red fruits.
  3. They drank, talked, and shared ideas.
  4. They slept and relaxed.

5. What is the main idea of the reading?

  1. Coffee can grow only in Africa.
  2. Coffee moved from Africa to many parts of the world.
  3. Most people do not like the taste of coffee.
  4. Coffee houses are no longer popular.
Show answers
  1. A — Africa
  2. B — They seemed to have more energy.
  3. A — A small bean
  4. C — They drank, talked, and shared ideas.
  5. B — Coffee moved from Africa to many parts of the world.

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