Read the text and answer the questions

On 16th December 1773, three British ships sat anchored in Boston harbour, America. Their cargo: 42,000 kg of black tea. Unfortunately, this colossal shipment would never set foot on American soil. Instead, it would find itself at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. And here's why …

By the late 18th century, Britain had conquered a significant portion of North America, including the eastern coast. This gave the British a monopoly over international trade. Among the many British imports, one of the most popular was tea, a product which was consumed in the colonies at a rate of 540,000 kg per year! However, as the British government ruled over this region, they decided to implement a tax on tea. This meant that for every ten kilograms of tea which landed on American soil, a tax of 66 pence would have to be paid to the British. The colonists were not impressed.

Although the tax imposed on tea was relatively small, the colonists were unhappy about paying any tax at all. They felt unfairly governed by the British, who were at liberty to tax them in any way they wished. As such, they refused to allow the shipment to be unloaded and instead insisted that the tea be returned to England. However, the Royal British Governor, Thomas Hutchinson, would not let the ships leave without first unloading the cargo.

For the protestors, this was the last straw. They descended upon the harbour and stormed the ships. Then, with few options remaining, they began opening the crates and dumping the tea into the ocean. In the end, every last crate was destroyed, amounting to 18 million cups of tea! The sheer quantity turned the water in the harbour brown for several days, and the event forever became known as the Boston Tea Party. The importers of the tea, the British-owned East India Tea Company, reported losses of £ 9,700, which is equivalent to millions in today's economy! This angered the British to such an extent that they dispatched an army of soldiers to teach the rebels a lesson. However, fuelled by the events in Boston, the colonists fought back in what later became known as the American Revolutionary War. And after eight years of rebellion, they finally gained their independence, giving birth to a brand new nation: the United States of America.

What is the purpose of this article?

• to explain the motive behind an act of rebellion
• to criticise the British government
• to discourage people from paying taxes
• to raise awareness about a political campaign

In the fourth sentence of the first paragraph, what does it refer to?

• a British ship
• American soil
• an anchor
• the ships' cargo

How did colonising the eastern coast of America benefit the British government?

• It provided a base from which to conquer other regions.
• It allowed them to control trade.
• It boosted British exports.
• They could manipulate the price of goods.

Why did the colonists refuse to accept the tea?

• They could not afford the tax.
• They discovered that it was from England.
• They felt the British were abusing their power.
• They disliked the Royal British Governor.

What effect did the Boston Tea Party have on America?

• It made their water unsafe to drink.
• It led to harsher rule by the British.
• It damaged their economy.
• It drove colonists to seek independence.