Topic. Food and meals.

Exercise 143. Check the pronunciation of the words consulting the dictionary. Learn the words.

Fruit and berries

Berries: strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, bilberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, grapes, loganberries

Citrus fruit: oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, limes, lemon

Melons: cantaloupe, watermelon, honey dew melon

Tropical fruits: pineapple, mango, coconuts, bananas, papaya, lychee, passion fruit, starfruit, persimmons, quinces, figs, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, kiwi fruit, cherries, apricots, apples

Vegetable

Onion family: garlic, leeks, spring onions Br.E./green onions A.E., chives, onions

Tubers: yam, sweet potato, potatoes

Squashes: cucumber, marrow Br.E/squash A.E., courgettes Br.E/zucchini A.E., pumpkin

Root vegetables: swede Br.E/rutabaga A.E., beetroot Br.E/beet A.E., white radish, ginger, radishes, carrots, parsnips, turnips

Peas and beans: butter beans, green beans, broad beans, peas, kidney beans, beansprouts

Other vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, corn cobs, chinese leaves Br.E/bok choy A.E., celery, artichoke, okra, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, red pepper/green paper, cayenne, aubergine Br.E/egg plant A.E., mushrooms, tomatoes

Grains

Wheat, rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, barley

Meat

Pork, beef, veal, mutton, lamb

Fish

Pike perch, pike, perch/bass, cod, flounder, salmon, plaice, sturgeon

Ways to cook food:

boil, steam, stew, bake, fry, roast, microwave, grill, casserole, barbecue, grill Br.E/broil A.E., stir-fry, flambé, toast

Exercise 144. Make up sentences (5 total) using the words given below. Learn the words.

Bake, barbecue, boil, broil, grill, fry , heat, roast, sauté, simmer

Blender, cutting board, microwave oven, pan, pot, stove, utensils, gadgets, spatula, colander, tray, tin opener, corkscrew

Chop, cut, dice, mix, slice, stir

Exercise 145. Answer the questions.

1. How many meals a day do you have?

2. Who cooks the meals in your family?

3. What British customs in taking meals do you know?

4. Do you keep to any kind of a diet?

5. What is your least favourite dish? Why?

6. What do you usually have for dessert? If it’s ice-cream – how many scoops can you eat?

7. What national cuisine are you fond of?

8. What is the most peculiar dish you’ve ever tasted?

Exercise 146. Make up a dialogue “Going out to eat” using the words and sentences below.

Cafeteria, coffee shop, deli, fast food restaurant, pizzeria, fancy restaurant

Atmosphere, decor, service, reservation, cheap, reasonable, expensive, chef, customer, delicious, meal, menu, special of the day, receipt, bill/check, tip

Are you ready to order? – Yes, I w ill have… / No, not yet.

Would you care for anything else? – Yes, I’d like … / No, that’s all.

What do you recommend? – I recommend … .

Could I get the bill, please? – Sure, I’ll be right back.

Exercise 147. Look through some of the tips to eat less fat. Can you try to follow them? What eating habit of yours would be difficult to give up?

Tips to Eat less Fat.

• Choose a low fat spread rather than butter, hard margarine or ordinary soft margarine. Or use a margarine labelled ‘high in polyunsaturates’ – but remember, this type of margarine contains the same amount of fat and calories as

• butter, it is the type of fat which is different. If you do use butter or ordinary margarine, make sure you spread it more thinly.

• Buy skimmed or semi-skimmed milk rather than whole milk. Both have just as much calcium and protein as ordinary milk but much less fat.

• Use low fat yogurt instead of cream, evaporated or condensed milk. If you do use cream, choose single rather than double. Remember, some artificial creams have as much fat as real cream.

• Try half-fat hard cheese or cottage cheese instead of ordinary cheese.

• Make salad dressings with yogurt, herbs, spices, vinegar and lemon juice rather than mayonnaise or salad cream.

• Cut down on crisps, chocolate, cakes and biscuits.

• Eat fish more often. Grill, microwave, steam or bake rather than deep frying in batter.

• Chicken and turkey are low in fat if the skin is removed as most fat is just under the skin.

• Buy the leanest cuts of meat you can afford and trim off any remaining fat. Or use smaller quantities of lean meat and fill up on vegetables, potatoes or pulses (beans, peas, etc.)

Exercise 148. Read the text about restaurants in the USA. What kinds of restaurants can be found in Moscow? Which do you prefer and why?

Restaurants in the USA

In the U.S. there’s something for every taste and budget. You can dine in the luxurious surroundings of a fashionable restaurant or eat on the run at an informal lunch counter. 

Most restaurants charge more for dinner than for lunch. You can order as little or as much as you want, but sometimes there’s a minimum charge. In simple places, you often pay the cashier on your way out, after leaving the tip on the table.

Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch between 11 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. and dinner from 5 or 6 to 10.30 p.m. or so. Brunch is featured on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Reserve a table in advance if you plan to eat in a well-known restaurant. 

If you feel hungry at an unusual hour, you’ll be able to find a fast-food establishment, diner or coffee shop serving hot food, or snacks at almost any time of day or night.

Coffee shops and cafeterias offer sandwiches, hamburgers, salads, simple hot dishes and pastries. They do not serve alcoholic drinks. 

Delicatessens (deli), a cross between grocery stores and restaurants (some are just restaurants), are known for their gargantuan sandwiches. Other specialities include salads and hearty soups. Some delicatessens are kosher. 

Diners. Originally a sort of coffee shop on the road built in the shape of a railway dining car, some have now become quite elaborate and serve alcohol. But they’re still open long (often 24) hours. 

“Ethnic” restaurants, a term covering all foreign restaurants – Greek, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Spanish, Mexican, Middle Eastern, German, Russian, Scandinavian, and so on. There’s something for every taste. 

Fast-food outlets. You’ll see plenty of reminders that you’re in the land of McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. 

French restaurants. Approach these with caution, for each excellent one there are another hundred that are mediocre and expensive. 

Health-food restaurants and juice bars. Every imaginable kind of fruit and vegetable juice is served, plus delicious salads, wholefood and vegetarian specialities. The ingredients are often organic. 

Open-air or sidewalk cafes have become very popular in recent years. They serve hamburgers, quiches, crépes and sandwiches, and will usually let you linger over your coffee. 

Pizzerias serve a wide variety of pizzas, usually big enough for three people. You can also buy pizza by the slice. 

Take-outs are small shops where you can order sandwiches, salads, assorted groceries and drinks to take out and consume elsewhere.