Daily Reading Practice · Nonfiction passage
Any word, any time — right from this page.
Long before chocolatechocolate (noun)A sweet food made from cacao beans.≈ Synonym: cacao product🇺🇿UZ: shokolad🇷🇺RU: шоколад became a sweet treattreat (noun)Something special that gives pleasure.≈ Synonym: delight🇺🇿UZ: shirinlik; sovg'a🇷🇺RU: угощение, лакомство found in shops around the world, it began as a bitterbitter (adj)Having a sharp, unpleasant taste; not sweet.≈ Synonym: sharp-tasting🇺🇿UZ: achchiq🇷🇺RU: горький, spicedspiced (adj)With spices added.≈ Synonym: spicy🇺🇿UZ: ziravorli🇷🇺RU: пряный, со специями drink consumed by ancientancient (adj)Belonging to a period long ago in history.≈ Synonym: age-old🇺🇿UZ: qadimiy🇷🇺RU: древний civilisations in Central America. The cacaocacao (noun)The tree or bean from which chocolate is made.≈ Synonym: cocoa🇺🇿UZ: kakao🇷🇺RU: какао tree, from which chocolate is made, was first cultivatedcultivate (verb)Grown and looked after as a crop.≈ Synonym: grown🇺🇿UZ: yetishtirmoq🇷🇺RU: выращивать by the Olmec people more than 3,000 years ago, and later held great culturalcultural (adj)Relating to the arts and customs of a society.≈ Synonym: artistic🇺🇿UZ: madaniy🇷🇺RU: культурный and religiousreligious (adj)Relating to religion or belief in a god.≈ Synonym: spiritual🇺🇿UZ: diniy🇷🇺RU: религиозный significancesignificance (noun)Importance or special meaning.≈ Synonym: importance🇺🇿UZ: ahamiyat🇷🇺RU: значение for both the Maya and Aztec civilisations.
For the Aztecs in particular, cacao beansbean (noun)The seeds of certain plants, including cacao.≈ Synonym: seeds🇺🇿UZ: dukkak, don (kakao)🇷🇺RU: боб, зерно were considered so valuablevaluable (adj)Worth a great deal of money.≈ Synonym: precious🇺🇿UZ: qimmatbaho🇷🇺RU: ценный that they were sometimes used as a form of currencycurrency (noun)A system of money used for exchange.≈ Synonym: money🇺🇿UZ: valyuta🇷🇺RU: валюта. The chocolate drink itself, often mixed with chilli, vanillavanilla (noun)A flavouring made from the pods of an orchid.≈ Synonym: vanilla flavouring🇺🇿UZ: vanil🇷🇺RU: ваниль, or other spices, was reservedreserve (for) (verb)To keep something for a particular person or purpose.≈ Synonym: keep🇺🇿UZ: (...uchun) ajratib qo'ymoq🇷🇺RU: оставлять, резервировать mainly for warriorswarrior (noun)People who fight in battles, especially historically.≈ Synonym: fighters🇺🇿UZ: jangchi🇷🇺RU: воин, priestspriest (noun)Religious officials who perform ceremonies.≈ Synonym: clergy🇺🇿UZ: ruhoniy, kohin🇷🇺RU: жрец, священник, and nobilitynobility (noun)People of the highest social class.≈ Synonym: aristocracy🇺🇿UZ: zodagonlar tabaqasi🇷🇺RU: знать, дворянство, and was believed to provide energy and even spiritual powerpower (noun)The ability to control or influence.≈ Synonym: strength🇺🇿UZ: kuch, qudrat🇷🇺RU: сила, мощь. It was, notablynotably (adv)Especially; in a way worth noticing.≈ Synonym: especially🇺🇿UZ: ayniqsa, e'tiborlisi🇷🇺RU: особенно, примечательно, nothing like the sweet chocolate familiar today — early versions were unsweetened and often quite spicyspicy (adj)Having a strong, hot flavour from spices.≈ Synonym: hot-flavoured🇺🇿UZ: achchiq, ziravorli🇷🇺RU: острый, пряный.
Chocolate arrived in Europe in the 16th century, brought back by Spanish explorersexplorer (noun)People who travel to discover unknown places.≈ Synonym: adventurers🇺🇿UZ: tadqiqotchi, sayyoh🇷🇺RU: исследователь who had encounteredencounter (verb)To meet or experience something for the first time.≈ Synonym: come across🇺🇿UZ: duch kelmoq🇷🇺RU: сталкиваться, встречать it in the Americas. Once in Europe, recipes gradually changedchange (verb)Became different.≈ Synonym: altered🇺🇿UZ: o'zgarmoq🇷🇺RU: меняться: sugar was added, and the drink became popularpopular (adj)Liked or used by many people.≈ Synonym: widespread🇺🇿UZ: ommabop🇷🇺RU: популярный among European aristocracyaristocracy (noun)The highest social class, often with inherited titles.≈ Synonym: nobility🇺🇿UZ: aristokratiya, zodagonlar🇷🇺RU: аристократия, who could afford this expensive imported ingredientingredient (noun)A component used to make something, especially food.≈ Synonym: component🇺🇿UZ: tarkibiy qism🇷🇺RU: ингредиент. For centuries, chocolate remained a luxuryluxury (noun)Something expensive that you enjoy but don't need.🇺🇿UZ: hashamat🇷🇺RU: роскошь drink enjoyed almost exclusivelyexclusively (adv)Only; for one group and nobody else.≈ Synonym: only🇺🇿UZ: faqat, mutlaqo🇷🇺RU: исключительно by the wealthy.
The chocolate most people recognise today — solid, sweet, and eaten rather than drunk — only became possible after several key inventionsinvention (noun)Things created or designed for the first time.≈ Synonym: creations🇺🇿UZ: ixtiro🇷🇺RU: изобретение in the 19th century. New techniquestechnique (noun)Particular ways of carrying out a task.≈ Synonym: methods🇺🇿UZ: usul, texnika🇷🇺RU: метод, техника allowed manufacturers to separate cacao butter from cacao solids and later combine it with sugar and milk to create smooth, solid chocolate bars. These developments, combined with new industrial productionproduction (noun)The process of manufacturing goods.≈ Synonym: manufacturing🇺🇿UZ: ishlab chiqarish🇷🇺RU: производство methods, made chocolate dramatically cheaper and more accessibleaccessible (adj)Able to be obtained or used easily.≈ Synonym: obtainable🇺🇿UZ: ommabop, hamma uchun mavjud🇷🇺RU: доступный to ordinary people for the first time.
Today, chocolate is one of the most widelywidely (adverb)Over a large range or area.≈ Synonym: extensively🇺🇿UZ: keng🇷🇺RU: широко consumedconsume (verb)Eaten, drunk, or used up.≈ Synonym: eaten🇺🇿UZ: iste'mol qilmoq🇷🇺RU: потреблять foods on the planet, supporting a massive global industryindustry (noun)A particular branch of economic activity.≈ Synonym: sector🇺🇿UZ: sanoat, soha🇷🇺RU: отрасль. However, this popularitypopularity (noun)The state of being liked by many people.≈ Synonym: widespread appeal🇺🇿UZ: mashhurlik🇷🇺RU: популярность has also created serious ethicalethical (adj)Connected with what is morally right.≈ Synonym: moral🇺🇿UZ: axloqiy🇷🇺RU: этичный, этический concerns, particularly around the working conditions of cacao farmers, many of whom earn very little despite the enormous profitsprofit (noun)Financial gain from business activity.≈ Synonym: earnings🇺🇿UZ: foyda🇷🇺RU: прибыль generated by the chocolate trade. Increasingly, consumersconsumer (noun)People who buy goods or services.≈ Synonym: buyers🇺🇿UZ: iste'molchi🇷🇺RU: потребитель are being encouraged to consider these issues when choosing which chocolate to buy.
In your own words, write a short summary of what you just read (90–120+ words). Don't copy sentences — explain the main ideas.
Every highlighted word from this story with its meaning in Uzbek 🇺🇿 and Russian 🇷🇺, and an example. Tap 🇬🇧 or 🇺🇸 to hear the word or the sentence in a British or American accent.
| # | 🇬🇧 | 🇺🇿 | 🇷🇺 | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | chocolatenoun | shokolad | шоколад | Dark chocolate is my favourite. |
| 2 | treatnoun | shirinlik; sovg'a | угощение, лакомство | Ice cream is a summer treat. |
| 3 | bitteradjective | achchiq | горький | This coffee is too bitter without sugar. |
| 4 | spicedadjective | ziravorli | пряный, со специями | We drank hot spiced tea in winter. |
| 5 | ancientadjective | qadimiy | древний | The Maya were an ancient civilisation. |
| 6 | cacaonoun | kakao | какао | Cacao trees grow in hot, wet countries. |
| 7 | cultivateverb | yetishtirmoq | выращивать | Rice is cultivated in Khorezm. |
| 8 | culturaladjective | madaniy | культурный | Bukhara is an important cultural centre. |
| 9 | religiousadjective | diniy | религиозный | The festival has religious roots. |
| 10 | significancenoun | ahamiyat | значение | The date has special significance for our family. |
| 11 | beannoun | dukkak, don (kakao) | боб, зерно | Coffee is made from roasted beans. |
| 12 | valuableadjective | qimmatbaho | ценный | Salt was once very valuable. |
| 13 | currencynoun | valyuta | валюта | The currency of Uzbekistan is the sum. |
| 14 | vanillanoun | vanil | ваниль | I'd like vanilla ice cream, please. |
| 15 | reserve (for)verb | (...uchun) ajratib qo'ymoq | оставлять, резервировать | These seats are reserved for older people. |
| 16 | warriornoun | jangchi | воин | The warriors rode into battle on horses. |
| 17 | priestnoun | ruhoniy, kohin | жрец, священник | In ancient Egypt, priests were very powerful. |
| 18 | nobilitynoun | zodagonlar tabaqasi | знать, дворянство | The palace was built for the nobility. |
| 19 | powernoun | kuch, qudrat | сила, мощь | People believed the drink gave them special power. |
| 20 | notablyadverb | ayniqsa, e'tiborlisi | особенно, примечательно | Many countries, notably Japan, have ageing populations. |
| 21 | spicyadjective | achchiq, ziravorli | острый, пряный | Korean food is often very spicy. |
| 22 | explorernoun | tadqiqotchi, sayyoh | исследователь | Spanish explorers brought tomatoes to Europe. |
| 23 | encounterverb | duch kelmoq | сталкиваться, встречать | We encountered many problems on the trip. |
| 24 | changeverb | o'zgarmoq | меняться | The recipe has changed over the years. |
| 25 | popularadjective | ommabop | популярный | Green tea is very popular in Uzbekistan. |
| 26 | aristocracynoun | aristokratiya, zodagonlar | аристократия | Only the aristocracy could afford such luxury. |
| 27 | ingredientnoun | tarkibiy qism | ингредиент | Rice is the main ingredient of plov. |
| 28 | luxurynoun | hashamat | роскошь | A holiday abroad is a luxury for many families. |
| 29 | exclusivelyadverb | faqat, mutlaqo | исключительно | This offer is exclusively for students. |
| 30 | inventionnoun | ixtiro | изобретение | The fridge was one of the most useful inventions. |
| 31 | techniquenoun | usul, texnika | метод, техника | Chefs use special techniques to make chocolate. |
| 32 | productionnoun | ishlab chiqarish | производство | Production of cars increased last year. |
| 33 | accessibleadjective | ommabop, hamma uchun mavjud | доступный | The internet made education more accessible. |
| 34 | widelyadverb | keng | широко | Russian is still widely spoken in Tashkent. |
| 35 | consumeverb | iste'mol qilmoq | потреблять | Americans consume a lot of sugar. |
| 36 | industrynoun | sanoat, soha | отрасль | The chocolate industry is worth billions. |
| 37 | popularitynoun | mashhurlik | популярность | The popularity of K-pop has grown fast. |
| 38 | ethicaladjective | axloqiy | этичный, этический | Is it ethical to test products on animals? |
| 39 | profitnoun | foyda | прибыль | The company's profits rose by 20%. |
| 40 | consumernoun | iste'molchi | потребитель | Consumers want cheaper prices. |