Reading Comprehension

Coca-Cola

In 1886 John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, made a brown syrup by mixing coca leaves and cola nuts. Pemberton sold the syrup in his pharmacy as a medicine to cure all kinds of problems. Pemberton called his all-purpose medicine “Coca-Cola”. Few people bought Coca-Cola, so Pemberton sold the recipe to another pharmacist, Asa Candler.

Candler decided to sell Coca-Cola as a soda- fountain drink instead of a medicine. At soda fountains in pharmacies, the syrup was mixed with soda water to make the drink Coca-Cola. Candler advertised a lot and sold his syrup to many drugstores. Soon everyone was going to soda fountains and asking for Coca-Cola. Candler saw no reason for putting Coca-Cola into bottles. But the two businessmen thought this would be a good idea. They got permission from Candler, and before long they became millionaires.

In 1903, cola leaves were no longer used in Coca-Cola. The exact ingredients used and their quantities are not known—the Coca-Cola company keeps its recipe a secret.

World War I helped make Coca-Cola popular outside the United States. The Coca-Cola Company sent free bottles of the drink to U.S. soldiers—fighting in Europe. Coca-Cola became very popular with the soldiers—so popular that the U.S. Army asked the company to start ten factories in Europe. After the war, these factories continued to make Coca-Cola. Today there are Coca-Cola factories around the world.

Coca-Cola syrup was mixed with milk in pharmacies.

Coca-Cola

In 1886 John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, made a brown syrup by mixing coca leaves and cola nuts. Pemberton sold the syrup in his pharmacy as a medicine to cure all kinds of problems. Pemberton called his all-purpose medicine “Coca-Cola”. Few people bought Coca-Cola, so Pemberton sold the recipe to another pharmacist, Asa Candler.

Candler decided to sell Coca-Cola as a soda- fountain drink instead of a medicine. At soda fountains in pharmacies, the syrup was mixed with soda water to make the drink Coca-Cola. Candler advertised a lot and sold his syrup to many drugstores. Soon everyone was going to soda fountains and asking for Coca-Cola. Candler saw no reason for putting Coca-Cola into bottles. But the two businessmen thought this would be a good idea. They got permission from Candler, and before long they became millionaires.

In 1903, cola leaves were no longer used in Coca-Cola. The exact ingredients used and their quantities are not known—the Coca-Cola company keeps its recipe a secret.

World War I helped make Coca-Cola popular outside the United States. The Coca-Cola Company sent free bottles of the drink to U.S. soldiers—fighting in Europe. Coca-Cola became very popular with the soldiers—so popular that the U.S. Army asked the company to start ten factories in Europe. After the war, these factories continued to make Coca-Cola. Today there are Coca-Cola factories around the world.

World War II made Coca-Cola popular outside the United States.

In 1886 John Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, made a brown syrup by mixing coca leaves and cola nuts. Pemberton sold the syrup in his pharmacy as a medicine to cure all kinds of problems. Pemberton called his all-purpose medicine “Coca-Cola”. Few people bought Coca-Cola, so Pemberton sold the recipe to another pharmacist, Asa Candler.

Candler decided to sell Coca-Cola as a soda- fountain drink instead of a medicine. At soda fountains in pharmacies, the syrup was mixed with soda water to make the drink Coca-Cola. Candler advertised a lot and sold his syrup to many drugstores. Soon everyone was going to soda fountains and asking for Coca-Cola. Candler saw no reason for putting Coca-Cola into bottles. But the two businessmen thought this would be a good idea. They got permission from Candler, and before long they became millionaires.

In 1903, cola leaves were no longer used in Coca-Cola. The exact ingredients used and their quantities are not known—the Coca-Cola company keeps its recipe a secret.

World War I helped make Coca-Cola popular outside the United States. The Coca-Cola Company sent free bottles of the drink to U.S. soldiers—fighting in Europe. Coca-Cola became very popular with the soldiers—so popular that the U.S. Army asked the company to start ten factories in Europe. After the war, these factories continued to make Coca-Cola. Today there are Coca-Cola factories around the world.

Coca leaves are still used to make Coca-Cola.