All around the world, people drink tea. But tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have very different ideas about drinking tea.
In China, for example, tea is always served when people are getting together. The Chinese drink it at any time of the day, at homes or in teahouses. They prefer their tea plain with nothing else in it.
Tea is also important in Japan. The Japanese have a special way of serving tea called the tea ceremony. It is very old and full of meaning. Everything must be done in a special way in the ceremony. There is even a special room for it in the Japanese' homes.
Another tea-drinking country is England. In England, the late afternoon is "tea-time". Almost everyone has a cup of tea then. The English usually make tea in a tea-pot and drink it with milk and sugar. They also eat cakes, cookies and little sandwiches at teatime. This is so-called "Afternoon Tea" in Britain.
