Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. Today, let’s read about how sliced bread was invented.
A1 Beginner 英検3級
B1 Intermediate 英検2級
C1 Advanced 英検1級
Original
CEFR A1 (Beginner) 英検3級
**Sliced Bread: A Simple Story**
Long ago, people made bread at home. They used grain to make it. Bread was important for everyone, but bread with slices only started in 1928. This is not very long ago!
People have eaten bread for a very, very long time. Probably from 30,000 ago. First, they made flat bread on hot stones. Later, people grew plants and made bread from them. Some smart people learned how to make bread rise. This made bread soft and nice.
In the past, making bread was hard work. People used their hands or animals to grind grain. Then, a machine called a watermill helped to make flour. Rich people ate white bread. Poor people ate other kinds of bread.
People bought bread from a baker or made it at home. Every loaf of bread was different. They had to cut bread with knives. It was not easy.
In 1912, a man named Otto made a machine to slice bread, but he had some problems. The bread fell apart. In 1928, he made it work! This machine could slice and wrap bread. The first sliced bread was not perfect. After some time, Otto found a way to keep it fresh.
At first, people were surprised by sliced bread. They soon liked it because it was easy and looked good. A company called Wonder Bread started to sell it. Some people thought sliced bread was just a new thing that would go away. They were wrong. Sliced bread was very popular. It also made toasters possible.
During World War 2, the government stopped selling sliced bread to save resources, but people did not like this. They wanted their sliced bread back. So, after three months, it came back.
Bread has been here for a long time, but, sliced bread is newer. It started in 1928.
Questions
1. When did sliced bread start?
A. 1912
B. 1928
C. 3000 BC
D. 30,000 years ago
2. How did people make the first bread?
A. With machines
B. On hot stones
C. In ovens
D. With watermills
3. What did rich people eat?
A. White bread
B. Coarse bread
C. Flatbread
D. No bread
4. Who made the machine to slice bread?
A. A baker
B. Otto
C. A Roman
D. A Sumerian
5. What was a problem with the first sliced bread?
A. It was too expensive
B. It fell apart
C. It was too hard
D. It was not tasty
6. Why did people like sliced bread?
A. It was old
B. It was easy
C. It was cheap
D. It was hard to make
7. What did sliced bread help to invent?
A. The watermill
B. The oven
C. The toaster
D. The refrigerator
8. Why was sliced bread banned during World War 2?
A. To save grain
B. To save money
C. To save resources
D. People did not like it
Answers: 1B 2B 3A 4B 5B 6B 7C 8C
CEFR B1 (Intermediate) 英検2級
**The Story of Sliced Bread**
Bread has been part of human life for thousands of years. However, the concept of sliced bread is relatively recent, starting in 1928. People have always made and eaten bread. Early evidence shows that 30,000 years ago, humans made a simple form of bread.
With the start of farming, bread became more common. Different cultures contributed to bread making. For example, the Sumerians and Egyptians made bread softer and nicer to eat.
Before modern times, making bread was a lot of work. People ground grain by hand. The invention of the watermill by the Romans made flour better. This created a difference between rich and poor people’s bread.
Bread making didn’t change much for a long time. People either made it at home or bought it from bakers. They cut it themselves and it was very difficult to make every slice the same. Then, the industrial era made bread production easier. Factories could make many loaves quickly.
Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented a machine to slice bread in 1912, but it took until 1928 to perfect it. His invention changed how we eat bread. It made bread slices even and kept them fresh longer.
People were amazed by sliced bread. It became popular quickly. The Wonder Bread company helped spread sliced bread everywhere. There was some skepticism because people thought slice bread was a trend that wouldn’t last long. Despite that, sliced bread became a staple. It made eating and preparing food easier and more consistent.
Sliced bread also led to the invention of the toaster. During World War 2, there was a short period when sliced bread was banned to save resources. Due to public demand, it quickly returned.
So, while bread has been around for millennia, the convenience of sliced bread only began in 1928.
Questions
1. What is the significance of the year 1928 in the context of bread?
A. Invention of the watermill
B. Start of industrial bread production
C. Introduction of sliced bread
D. Discovery of ancient bread remains
2. Who contributed to making bread softer?
A. The Romans
B. The Egyptians
C. The Sumerians
D. Both B and C
3. What marked a pivotal moment in bread production?
A. The use of animals in grinding grains
B. The invention of the watermill
C. The start of farming
D. Industrialization
4. What was a major challenge before sliced bread?
A. Preserving bread
B. Even slicing of loaves
C. Making bread rise
D. Grinding grains
5. What year did Otto Frederick Rohwedder perfect his bread slicing machine?
A. 1912
B. 1928
C. 1930
D. 1945
6. Why was sliced bread initially criticized?
A. It tasted different
B. People thought it was a fad
C. It was too expensive
D. It was unhealthy
7. What did the Wonder Bread company do?
A. Invented the first bread slicing machine
B. Started farming wheat
C. Helped spread sliced bread
D. Banned sliced bread during World War 2
8. What was the reason for the temporary ban on sliced bread during World War 2?
A. To improve bread quality
B. To conserve wheat
C. To save on resources
D. Because it was unpopular
Answers: 1C 2D 3B 4B 5B 6B 7C 8C
CEFR C1 (Advanced)英検1級
**An Exploration of Sliced Bread’s History**
Bread, a staple of human nutrition for millennia, underwent a significant transformation with the advent of sliced bread in 1928. This innovation, though relatively recent, revolutionized the way we consume bread.
Archaeological findings suggest that bread’s history dates back 30,000 years, with evidence of flatbreads made from pounded starches. The advent of agriculture further diversified bread-making, with various grains being cultivated for this purpose. Civilizations like the Sumerians and Egyptians introduced techniques such as leavening, enhancing bread’s texture and flavor.
The Roman innovation of the watermill around 450 BC marked a pivotal moment in bread production, facilitating the creation of finer flour and indirectly establishing a social distinction based on bread types. This era cemented the divide between the rich, who preferred white bread, and the poor, who consumed coarser varieties.
Despite technological advancements, bread production remained largely unchanged until the 20th century. The emergence of industrialization allowed for uniform loaves, setting the stage for Otto Frederick Rohwedder’s sliced bread invention. Despite initial setbacks, including a destructive fire and technical challenges, Rohwedder’s perseverance culminated in the successful commercialization of sliced bread in 1928. Still, there were early stumbling blocks because the bread went stale very quickly in the bags. Rohwedder was able to overcome this with the addition of a metal U-shaped pin that held the sliced bread together.
This innovation was met with skepticism, yet it profoundly impacted consumer behavior. Sliced bread’s convenience and uniformity appealed to the masses, debunking initial criticisms of it being a mere fad. Wonder Bread’s distribution efforts in the early 1930s further cemented sliced bread’s place in American households.
Sliced bread’s influence extended beyond convenience; it facilitated the widespread adoption of the toaster and became synonymous with innovation. Its temporary ban during World War 2, intended to conserve the resources used in the packaging, highlighted its significance to the American public, who vehemently demanded its return.
In summary, while bread has nourished humanity for centuries, the introduction of sliced bread in 1928 represents a landmark in culinary convenience and consumer preference, illustrating the profound impact of technological innovation on everyday life.
Questions
1. What does the advent of sliced bread in 1928 exemplify in culinary history?
A. A return to traditional bread-making techniques
B. A minor change in bread consumption
C. A landmark innovation in convenience
D. A temporary fad in food technology
2. The introduction of which ingredient made bread softer and nicer to eat?
A. Grains
B. Yeast
C. Water
D. Salt
3. How did the Roman innovation of the watermill impact societal classes?
A. It reduced the cost of bread production
B. It eliminated the distinction between rich and poor
C. It created a divide based on the type of bread consumed
D. It made bread accessible to everyone
4. What was a significant challenge Otto Frederick Rohwedder faced in developing his bread slicing machine?
A. Lack of interest from the public
B. Technological limitations of the era
C. A fire that destroyed his prototypes
D. Difficulty in sourcing quality bread
5. What critical problem did the first sliced bread encounter?
A. It was too flavorful
B. It did not fit in toasters
C. It went stale more quickly
D. It was too costly to produce
6. How did Rohwedder address the issue of sliced bread going stale?
A. By adding preservatives
B. Using a U-shaped pin to hold the loaf together
C. Refrigerating the loaves
D. Coating the bread with wax
7. What was a societal reaction to the invention of sliced bread?
A. Immediate acceptance
B. Widespread skepticism
C. Surprise and eventual popularity
D. Indifference
8. The temporary ban on sliced bread during World War 2 was primarily aimed at conserving what?
A. Wheat
B. Baking equipment
C. Paper and plastic for packaging
D. Electricity for ovens
Answers: 1C 2B 3C 4C 5C 6B 7C 8C
Original article
We say, “the best thing since sliced bread”, but sliced bread has only been around since 1928, a lot less time than you might think.
Humans have been eating bread for thousands of years. 30,000-year-old starch residue has been found on rocks used for pounding plants and early humans probably spread the starch on a flat rock and cooked it, making a flatbread. Charred remains of a plant starch bread were found in a Natufian fireplace dated from 14,500 years ago. Once humans started to farm, bread was usually made from different types of grain. The Sumerians appear to have invented leavened bread in 6000 BC. The Egyptians started adding yeast in 3000 BC.
All of the grain was ground by hand or using animals, until the Roman’s invented the watermill in about 450 BC. This allowed them to make much finer flour. The association of white bread with the wealthy and rye, bran, or coarse bread with the poor probably started here. It cost more to pick out all the bits, so white bread cost more.
As time went on, bread was either made at home or bought from a baker. There was no other way of making bread. Poor people would make their own from whatever grains they had, and the middle and upper classes would buy theirs from bakers. The bread was cooked in an oven and every loaf was slightly different in size, shape, and texture. The loaf would have to be sliced at home with a knife.
Various bread-cutting knives were invented towards the end of the 1800s, but bread loaves were a very inconsistent shape, and they were difficult to cut. This changed with the industrialization of bread production at the start of the twentieth century. Identically sized loaves of bread could be rapidly produced by machine. Once they started to have a consistent shape and consistency, they were easier to cut.
In 1912, Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented a bread slicing machine. He could put the machine-made bread loaves into his machine, and they would come out sliced. Unfortunately, his device didn’t work perfectly, and a fire destroyed his prototypes and blueprints.
It took him another 16 years, but on July 6th, 1928, Otto Frederick Rohwedder sold the first sliced loaves. His machine sliced and then wrapped the loaves.
The first loaves weren’t great. The slices fell apart in the bag and sliced bread went stale much more quickly than uncut loaves. Rohwedder found a way to solve this by using a U-shaped pin to hold the loaf together. This kept the slices close together and stopped air from getting to them, keeping the bread fresh.
People were very surprised by sliced bread. There were newspaper articles about it and an ad in a newspaper had instructions on how to get the slices of bread out of the paper they were wrapped in.
As sliced bread improved, it became more popular. The Wonder Bread company was one of the first companies to distribute it from 1930. A lot of bakers said that sliced bread was just a fad, but it turned out not to be. Sliced bread wasn’t just about saving time. It gave the consumer something that a baker couldn’t do. When you slice a loaf from the baker, it is very difficult not to squash the bread, and it was almost impossible to cut uniform slices. Sliced bread could do that. Sliced bread made every sandwich look the same. And when something is easy and looks good, it is going to be popular.
The invention of sliced bread also allowed for the invention of the toaster because bread slices were a uniform size.
By the time World War 2 started, sliced bread had become the norm. During the war it was banned to save resources. They weren’t trying to save on wheat, they were trying to save on the resources that went into the wax paper and the plastic that the sliced bread had to be wrapped in. The ban only lasted for three months because people loudly complained, and they were forced to reinstate sliced bread.
So, bread has been around for three millennia, but sliced bread only appeared in 1928.
Questions
1. When was sliced bread first sold to the public?
A. 1930
B. 1928
C. 1945
D. 1912
2. What did early humans use to make a form of flatbread?
A. Ovens
B. Watermills
C. Knives
D. Flat rocks
3. Who is credited with inventing the bread slicing machine?
A. Otto Frederick Rohwedder
B. An Egyptian baker
C. A Roman inventor
D. A Sumerian chef
4. Why did sliced bread initially go stale more quickly than uncut loaves?
A. Air got to the slices
B. The slices were too thin
C. It was made with different grains
D. The packaging was poor
5. What was a key advantage of sliced bread according to the article?
A. It was cheaper
B. It lasted longer than unsliced bread
C. Uniform slices made sandwiches look the same
D. It was easier to bake
6. Why was sliced bread banned during World War 2?
A. To conserve wheat
B. It was considered a luxury
C. Because it was unpopular
D. To save on resources for packaging
7. What did Otto Rohwedder use to keep the slices of bread fresh?
A. A special oven
B. Chemical preservatives
C. A U-shaped pin
D. Refrigeration
8. Which company was one of the first to distribute sliced bread?
A. Kraft Foods
B. Wonder Bread
C. General Mills
D. Panera Bread
Answers: 1B, 2D, 3A, 4A, 5 C, 6D, 7C, 8B
Image credit: Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/3-sliced-loafs-beside-white-ceramic-coffee-cup-161430/
Article from here: https://ilearnedthistoday.com/index.php/2021/10/04/who-invented-sliced-bread/
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