A Revolutionary Invention: From Chewing Gum to Bubble Gum

Choose one quotation from the passage which supports the claim that chewing gum has served unexpected purposes over time.

• "Another company called Beeman's added a substance called pepsin to its recipe and sold it as being able to relieve indigestion." (paragraph 3)

• "And then came an accident in 1928 by an accounting employee at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia." (paragraph 4)

• "When he determined that his latest recipe was less sticky than previous ones and stretchy enough to form a bubble, he saw possibilities that differentiated this gum from the other chewing gums on the market." (paragraph 5)

• "Around the end of World War II, a candy company called The Topps Candy Company started its own brand of bubble gum." (paragraph 7)

Choose one quotation from the passage that illustrates marketing’s influence on the popularity of bubble gum.

• "Henry Fleer coated the chicle, which really was flavorless, with a sugary white coating and called his product, 'Chiclets.'" (paragraph 2)

• "His sales approach was simple: teach the employees at the local grocery stores how to blow bubbles with his gum, so they can teach their customers." (paragraph 6)

• In 1953, the Topps Candy Company saw another opportunity to market its bubble gum with the introduction of Bazooka Joe baseball cards with a piece of gum in each." (paragraph 7)

• "While many colors of bubble gum are currently on the market, pink remains the most popular seller." (paragraph 10)

Part A: How does the passage convey that fate played a role in creating bubble gum?

• Bubble gum owes its origin and appearance to a series of coincidences.

• Bubble gum only became popular because of its sticky texture.

• Chewing gum is historically more appealing than bubble gum.

• Chewing gum can be used in multiple ways unlike bubble gum.

Part B: Which two quotations from the passage show evidence of the answer in Part A?

• "Archaeologists also determined that almost every culture has chewed ‘gum.’” (paragraph 1)

• "The Wrigley’s brand of gum was marketed as a treat or candy.” (paragraph 3)

• “A man by the name of Frank Canning sold his gum as a ‘dental gum’ and called it Dentyne.” (paragraph 3)

• “And then came an accident in 1928 by an accounting employee at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia.” (paragraph 4)

• "The only food coloring available when Diemer created his new recipe was pink and so became the common color for bubble gum products to come.” (paragraph 5)

Why did the author write this selection?

• to tell us how much he likes gum

• to distinguish between chewing gum and bubble gum

• to tell about some famous people

• to educate the reader about the history of gum

What are some things the author does to make sure this selection informs?

• He spends lots of time explaining how gum has been marketed so that we can go out and learn more about it.

• He discusses all the different products that can be made using gum and how they can grab people's attention.

• He uses descriptions of how gum was developed and changed over time and the important people involved in that process.

• He explains, at leangth, the differences between gum in the ancient times and gum today.

In which paragraph does the author give information about what happened in the distant past?

• the 1st paragraph

• the 3rd paragraph

• the 6th paragraph

• the last paragraph

What could the author add to this selection to help you understand it better?

• pictures of the people and original products mentioned

• graphs of gum marketing success

• a list of links to learn more about gum

• a bazooka Joe comic strip

Based on the context clues in paragraph 1, what does "chicle" mean?

• tree sap

• tree bark

• tree roots

• tree leaves

Which best describes Walter Diemer?

• He was a brilliant inventor and scientist.

• He was an accountant who liked to experiment with gum recipes.

• He was a salesman who convinced people to try chewing gum.

• He was a soldier who enjoyed when he received gum in a care package.