Band 7+: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The diagram below shows two different processes for manufacturing black tea. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

The diagram illustrates 2 various ways, traditional and modern, of making black tea. The majority of the process is done automatically.

Overall, it is evident from the diagram that there are 6 phases, which starts with picking fresh tea leaves manually and ends with drying the ready product.

To begin with, fresh tea leaves are collected by hand. While collecting only buds and 2 top leaves are picked for good quality tea. Later, the picked tea leaves are put on a rack, where they are withered, meaning that they are dried though a fan, which takes 60% moisture out.

In the following stage, either a traditional method (loose tea) or a modern method (tea bags) is used. In the traditional method, leaves are rolled flat and broken, including releasing enzymes from leaves. However, the modern method focuses on the cutting process, where leaves are cut, torn, and curled, which is a quick process to make smaller pieces. Once the traditional method is over, the rolled leaves are spread on slabs (oxidation), while the smaller pieces created by the use of modern methods are sent for fermentation. While the leaves are oxidized and fermented, they change to copper colour as a result of the mix of enzymes and air. Finally, they are fired and dried with the help of short air dryers where flavour and aroma of the leaves are released, resulting in the release of 97% moisture.