Unit 8 meals

TOPICS: At a Restaurant At a Canteen At a Cafeteria

GRAMMAR: Gerund

Dialogs

Dialog 1.

At a Restaurant

Once after the talks Mr Johnson invited Kuznetsov to have dinner at the Savoy restaurant which was not far from the office. They came into the restaurant, took off their hats and coats and left them in the cloakroom and went upstairs.

The head waiter led them to the table that Mr. Johnson had reserved. A waiter came up to them to take their order. He put the menu on the table.

Mr. Johnson: Let’s study the menu and see what's on it tonight.

Kuznetsov: Mr. Johnson, I’ve been staying in London only for a couple of weeks,

and I don’t know much about English meals. It’s difficult for me to

make my choice. Could you help me and recommend what to take?

Mr.J: With pleasure. There is a large choice of dishes on the menu. Would

you like mushroom soup?

K: No, thank you. I seldom eat soup in the evening.

Mr.J: Then you can order roast beef with fried potatoes. It’s a traditional

English dish and it’s usually delicious.

K: Fine.

Mr.J: As for me, I’m pretty hungry. I’ll start with chicken soup, then I’d like

a steak with green salad. And bring us a bottle of red wine. It’ll go

well with meat.

Weiter: Would you like to order anything for dessert? There is a wide choice

of fruit or ice-cream.

K: I prefer fruit.

Mr.J: So do I. What about some cheese?

K: I think I’ll have some. And we’ll finish with black coffee, if you don’t

mind.

Mr.J: That sounds nice. And bring us the bill, please.

W: Yes, sir.

Mr.J: I’d like to propose a toast to fruitful cooperation and friendship. And I

must say I’m very pleased with the contract we’ve just signed. We

look forward to doing more business with you.

K: This is to mutually beneficial business and more contracts. After

dinner Mr.

Johnson paid the bill. They went downstairs, put on their hats and coats and left the restaurant.

Dialog 2

At a Canteen

Steve: What will we have? A complete meal, I suppose? I'm awfully hungry.

Jane: Well, you lead.

S: Let’s start with salad, then chicken soup and fish or roast beef with

chips.

J: As for me, I’ll have vegetables and some fruit, then a cup of tea or

black coffee without sugar.

S: So, you are a vegetarian, aren’t you?

J: Far from it. I'm on a slimming diet.

S: And how long have you been on such a diet?

J: For three weeks. And I’m supposed to be on a slimming diet for

another two weeks.

S: What does your diet include?

J: A little piece of boiled meat or fish, a few hard boiled eggs, some

cheese, cottage cheese, a lot of vegetables: carrots, tomatoes,

cucumbers, chili, broccoli, a lot of fruit but very few potatoes and

beetroots. No bread, no macaroni, no ice-cream, no sugar and very

little salt.

S: I see your motto is: "Don’t live to eat, but eat to live."

Dialog 3.

At a Cafeteria

Blake: What will you have?

Ann: I’d rather have a cup of tea.

B: No dessert?

A: No, thanks. I’ve had my dinner already. And now I’d like a cup of tea.

B: Strong or weak tea for you?

A: I’d rather have a cup of good Russian tea, if you don’t mind.

B: What do you call Russian tea?

A: It’s tea with lemon. They serve it in glasses, not in cups. And very

often they serve such glasses of tea in glass-holders.

B: Russian tea with lemon. English tea with milk. How very interesting.

The more we live, the less we know.

A: Don’t be so pessimistic.

B: I’m not pessimistic. I’m being realistic.

Exercise 1. Find in the dialogs synonyms to the following words and word combinations:

I guess; negotiations; to look over; two weeks; do you want...?; rarely; tasty; very hungry; it goes nicely with; soft cheese; collaboration; to be satisfied with; profitable; to go out of a restaurant; I'm starving; to begin; what does it consist of?

Exercise 2. Find in the dialogs antonyms to the following words and word combinations:

to finish; strong tea; to exclude; large; if you have objections; rarely; optimistic; near; to go out; put on; little (adv.); easy; often; to be fed up; to start; to be displeased; non-profitable; to come; upstairs.

Exercise 3. Give the English equivalents to the following words and word combinations:

После переговоров; пообедать; оставить пальто и шляпу в гардеробе; зарезервировать столик в ресторане; принять заказ; Что в меню сегодня?; мне трудно сделать выбор; в меню большой выбор блюд; традиционное английское блюдо; что касается меня; я очень голоден; бутылка красного (белого) вина; а как насчет сыра?; предолжить тост за; быть довольным; подписать контракт; взаимовыгодное сотрудничество; заплатить по счету; выйти из ресторана; кусок вареного мяса; вареное вкрутую яйцо; сидеть на диете; девиз; крепкий чай; слабый чай; если Вы не возражаете; Чем мы больше живем, тем меньше мы знаем.; пессимист; реалист.

Exercise 4. Answer the following questions:

1.Where did Mr. Johnson invite Kuznetsov after the talks?

2. What restaurant did they go to?

3. Was the restaurant far from the office?

4. Where did they leave their hats and coats?

5. Who led them to the table?

6.Had Mr. Johnson reserved the table?

7.What did the waiter come up to them for?

8.What did the waiter put on the table?

9. Why didn’t Kuznetsov know much about English meals?

10. How long had Kuznetsov been staying in London?

11. Why was it difficult for Kuznetsov to make his choice?

12. Was there a large choice of dishes on the menu?

13. Why wouldn’t Kuznetsov like mushroom soup?

14. What traditional English dish did Mr. Johnson recommend to order?

15. What did Mr. Johnson order for the first course?

16. What did he order for the second course?

17. What alcohol did they order?

18. Why did they order red wine?

19. What did they finish with?

20. What did they choose for dessert?

21. What did Mr. Johnson ask the waiter to bring them?

22. What did Mr. Johnson propose a toast to?

23. Was he pleased with the contract they had signed?

24. Who paid the restaurant bill?

25. Where did Steve and Jane have their meal?

26. What did they have as an appetizer?

27. What would Steve like to order for himself?

28. What did Jane order for herself?

29. Why did Jane have only vegetables, fruit and coffee?

30. How long had she been on a slimming diet?

31. What did her diet include?

32. What foodstuffs was she prohibited to eat?

33. What was Jane’s motto?

34. What did Ann want to have at a cafeteria?

35. Was Ann going to have dessert?

36.Why did Ann want only a cup of coffee?

37. What tea did she prefer to have?

38. What is Russian tea?

39. In what way do they serve Russian tea?

40. What does a glass-holder serve for?

41. In what way do they serve English tea?

42. Is Russian tea served with lemon?

43. Do the serve English tea with lemon?

44. What English proverb is used in Dialog 3?

Exercise 5. Read the following dialogs and learned them by heart: