I. Questions:
- Describe the sensations you get when eating your favourite (type of) chocolate!
- Which chocolate brands do you buy most?
- Who is the best specialist chocolate-maker in your town according to you?
- Are you a chocoholic?!
- Is chocolate good for you do you think?
- Would you eat less chocolate if the price rose?
II. Read about the history of cocoa in the WCF website, and then answer these questions:
- What does "theobroma" mean?
- What did the Mayans use chocolatl for?
- What is chocolate made from?
- Did the poor also enjoy drinking chocolate in France in the 17th century?
- Who founded the first "chocolate house" in London?
- What made chocolate more affordable?
- How many tons of cocoa beans are consumed annually in the world today?
III. Read about the cocoa value chain in the WCF website and then answer these questions:
- What are the different steps in the chain?
- What words are new to you (list them and define them using the glossary on the web site)?
IV. Research the problems facing cocoa producers, then answer these questions:
- How many countries produce cocoa?
- How many people are involved in cocoa production?
- In which country are many farmers involved in cocoa production?
- Which country produces nearly 35% of the world's cocoa beans?
- In which country is child slave labour widely used in cocoa production?
V. Read the Guardian article on child labour, then answer these questions:
- What is being done by the chocolate companies to stop children being exploited?
- What are producers themselves doing to improve working conditions?
- What, according to Ms Borger, "lies at the heart of the issue"?
- What could YOU do to help solve the problem?
The teacher’s answers!
I. Questions
Describe the
sensations you get when eating your favorite (type of) chocolate!
I prefer dark chocolate which has to be nice and hard.
I nibble it first, to taste how bitter it is. Then I crunch a big chunk with my
molars and munch it quickly. Sometimes, I wait for the piece to slowly melt
under my tongue, but it’s a test of my patience and the taste becomes acrid and
almost unpleasant… I normally finish the whole bar, however big! A good
chocolate bar can be described as: addictive, chocolaty, chewy, creamy, crunchy,
delicious, delightful, moreish, mouth-watering, rich, sweet, soft, smooth, tasty.
Which chocolate
brands do you buy most?
I’m a snob, I only eat luxury chocolate from the
specialist chocolate-maker, not supermarket brands like Nestlé or Lindt!
Who is the best
specialist chocolate-maker in your town according to you?
Sudre in Issoire, a dangerous place for your health
and your purse!
Are you a
chocoholic?!
I can go a whole day without eating chocolate, but not
two! It’s one of life’s little pleasures (and it’s surely less harmful than
smoking!).
Is chocolate good
for you do you think?
It is definitely good for your mind I feel (when you
are feeling low, chocolate gives you a sugar “buzz” and cheers you up a bit).
According to the video, two cups of cocoa per day helps elderly people keep
mentally fit.
Would you eat less
chocolate if the price rose?
I would probably eat more chocolate to get over
becoming poorer (because of the rise of the cost of chocolate)!
II. Read about the
history of cocoa in the WCF website, and then answer these questions:
What does "theobroma" mean?
It means “food of the Gods” in Latin (it describes how
delicious chocolate is!).
What did the Mayans
use "chocolatl" for?
It was used as a ritual drink during engagement and
marriages.
What is chocolate
made from?
Cocoa liquor (made from ground cocoa beans), mixed
with cocoa butter, sugar and sometimes milk.
Did the poor also
enjoy drinking chocolate in France in the 17th century?
No, it was popular among the rich.
Who founded the
first "chocolate house" in London?
A Frenchman, of course!
What made chocolate
more affordable?
Chocolate became cheaper because grinding cocoa beans
was done by steam-driven engines.
How many tons of
cocoa beans are consumed annually in the world today?
3 million tons.
III. Read about the
cocoa value chain in the WCF website and then answer these questions:
What are the
different steps in the chain?
Growing, harvesting, fermenting and drying, marketing,
packing and transporting, roasting and grinding, pressing, chocolate making, and,
finally: consuming (i.e. eating or drinking!).
What words are new
to you (list them and define them using the glossary on the web site)?
Crop
Pests
Disease
To yield
Pods
The growing season
Peak production
Pruning
Harvesting
Outer husk
Sturdy stick
Pulp
Harvest
To heap into piles
To lay
To bask in the sun
To dry
To pack
To truck
Warehouse
Shipment
To load onto ships
To reach a destination
The hold of a ship
A pier
To store
In bulk
Delivery
Trucks
Trailer
A manufacturer’s facility
Beans
Thoroughly inspect
To shell the beans
To roast the beans
To grind into a paste
Mild(er)
Flavor
To stir and smooth
To ship
To pour
Moulds
Confectioners
Dairies
Bakers
Cocoa beans
Blends
Candy
Agricultural commodities
Nuts
Fruits
IV. Research the
problems facing cocoa producers, then
answer these questions:
How many countries
produce cocoa?
There are twelve main cocoa producing countries.
How many people are
involved in cocoa production?
90% of cocoa is produced in smallholdings (there are
about 6 million).
In which country are
many farmers involved in cocoa production?
In Ghana, one of the world’s biggest producers, more
than 30% of farmers are involved in cocoa production (more than 6 million
people).
Which country
produces nearly 35% of the world's cocoa beans?
The Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest producer.
In which countries
is child slave labor widely used in cocoa production?
In West African countries.
V. Read the
Guardian article on child labour, then answer these questions:
What is being done
by the chocolate companies to stop children being exploited?
Not much! One Dutch company, Tony’s Chocolonely, has tried
to create a chocolate that is “On the way to 100% slavery-free”. Fairtrade
chocolate is also supposed to be produced without child labour.
What are producers
themselves doing to improve working conditions?
Not enough... One cooperative in Ghana runs
awareness-raising programmes to encourage its members not to use child labour.
What, according to
Ms Borger, "lies at the heart of the issue"?
Poverty alleviation is at the heart of the problem of
child slavery in cocoa production. In other words, if the farmers who work the
cocoa plantations were paid a just wage, they would probably use their children
less as a source of labour.
What could YOU do
to help solve the problem?
I would choose to eat Fairtrade chocolate.
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