1. The idiom "not for all the tea in China" means not even for a great reward. ______
2. Tea was used as currency because the state controlled its production. _____
3. Only the tea of highest quality could be used as currency. ______
4. The extras would help make a very appetising cup of tea. ______
5. The mobile phone airtime is commonly used as a form of currency. _______
6. Pre-paid mobile phone minutes allow people to get round legal restrictions. ______
7. The pre-paid mobile phone minutes can be exchanged for goods and services. _____
KEY
1. T
2. T
3. F (The bricks were of various sizes and qualities)
4. F (I don’t think they would have made a very appetising cuppa!)
5. F (In fact, it would be interesting to see how widespread this actually is.)
6. T (It occurs because regulations affecting banks mean that account holders are not permitted to transfer money via their phones.)
7. T (can also be even bartered for goods and services.)
Script
Track 021
Speaker 1: I’ve heard the expression ‘not for all the tea in China’ used to say there is no price high enough, but I didn’t realise it related to the time when tea was actually a form of currency.
From the 9th century onwards, the Chinese Emperor had a monopoly on tea, making it hard for ordinary people to get hold of and easier for his empire to oversee.
Tea bricks were produced in the Chinese province of Sichuan and transported in caravans of yaks and camels.
The bricks were of various sizes and qualities, the poorest quality ones containing extras like twigs, soot and wood shavings.
It’s not clear if these went on to be drunk but I don’t think they would have made a very appetising cuppa!
Speaker 2: This form of currency actually relates to the present day rather than to a period of history.
In many parts of Africa, pre-paid mobile phone minutes have been serving as de facto currency. In fact, it would be interesting to see how widespread this actually is.
It occurs because regulations affecting banks mean that account holders are not permitted to transfer money via their phones.
As up to 99.5% of connections are pre-paid in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, users’ credit can be used for digital purchases such as games and song downloads.
The airtime can also be exchanged for cash with phone dealers or even bartered for goods and services.
get hold of: obtain.
E.g.
Can you tell me where I can get hold of a watch like yours?
You need to get hold of a copy of his birth certificate.
oversee: supervise.
E.g.
United Nations observers oversaw the elections.
yak: an animal of the cow family, with long horns and long hair, that lives in central Asia.
twig: small branch.
soot: black powder that is produced when wood, coal, etc. is burnt. Sp. hollín.
E.g.
The fireplace was blackened with soot.
wood shavings: thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing.
de facto: /ˌdeɪ ˈfæktəʊ/
existing in fact, although perhaps not intended, legal, or accepted. Sp. de hecho.
E.g.
The city is rapidly becoming the de facto centre of the financial world.
He's her de facto husband though they're not actually married.
English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
The general took de facto control of the country.
airtime:
1) the amount of broadcasting time that a person, a subject, or an advertisement has on television or radio:
E.g.
advertising/radio/television airtime
2) the amount of time that is paid for when you are using a mobile phone.
E.g.
This deal gives you 180 minutes free airtime a month.
barter: the system of exchanging goods, property, services, etc. for other goods, etc. without using money
E.g.
The islanders use a system of barter instead of money.
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