ACADEMIC LISTENING TEST PRACTICE
COCA-COLA
COCA-COLA
For Students Preparing for Academic Tests / IELTS and TOEFL
Listen as you read the script.
Playing Time: 2 minutes 27 seconds
The Coca-Cola Company was founded in 1886 by a pharmacist named John Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. Pemberton created the syrup for Coca-Cola - now also known simply as "coke" - which was then mixed with carbonated water to create the popular soft drink. The name "Coca-Cola" was coined by Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, who also designed the iconic script that is still used for the Coca-Cola logo today.
Coca-Cola was initially marketed as a patent medicine, claiming to cure a variety of ailments such as headaches and fatigue. However, it was the drink's delicious flavor that helped it to gain widespread popularity. As the drink's popularity grew, so did the Coca-Cola Company. In 1894, a businessman named Asa Candler purchased the company for $2,300 and began to aggressively market Coca-Cola. Candler's marketing tactics were wildly successful and by the turn of the century Coca-Cola was being sold in every state in the United States.
Over the next several decades, the Coca-Cola Company continued to grow and expand its reach. In the 1920s, the company began to franchise bottling operations, which allowed it to reach even more people around the world. By the 1930s, Coca-Cola was being sold in over 100 countries.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Coca-Cola Company faced intense competition from other beverage companies and it responded by launching a number of new products such as Fanta and Sprite. The company also began to heavily advertise on television which helped to boost its brand even further.
Today the Coca-Cola Company is a global brand with products being sold in over 200 countries around the world. Although there has been significant criticism of the product for being too unhealthy due to its high sugar content, Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. In 2021 alone, the company earned more than 38 billion dollars in total annual revenue, making it the number one selling soda in the world.
Coca-Cola was initially marketed as a patent medicine, claiming to cure a variety of ailments such as headaches and fatigue. However, it was the drink's delicious flavor that helped it to gain widespread popularity. As the drink's popularity grew, so did the Coca-Cola Company. In 1894, a businessman named Asa Candler purchased the company for $2,300 and began to aggressively market Coca-Cola. Candler's marketing tactics were wildly successful and by the turn of the century Coca-Cola was being sold in every state in the United States.
Over the next several decades, the Coca-Cola Company continued to grow and expand its reach. In the 1920s, the company began to franchise bottling operations, which allowed it to reach even more people around the world. By the 1930s, Coca-Cola was being sold in over 100 countries.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Coca-Cola Company faced intense competition from other beverage companies and it responded by launching a number of new products such as Fanta and Sprite. The company also began to heavily advertise on television which helped to boost its brand even further.
Today the Coca-Cola Company is a global brand with products being sold in over 200 countries around the world. Although there has been significant criticism of the product for being too unhealthy due to its high sugar content, Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. In 2021 alone, the company earned more than 38 billion dollars in total annual revenue, making it the number one selling soda in the world.
Note: For more cool ESL resources about food and drinks, visit my All Things Topics site.
