Episode 70 B

EPISODE  70
LEVEL B2

 

READING COMPREHENSION

 

Cooking …                                                                                                                                               

 

Have you ever prepared the most delicious spaghetti Bolognese? Not yet? Here is the recipe:

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely (=into small pieces) chopped (=cut)

1 celery stalk, carrot

50g mushrooms, diced (=cut into small cubes)

225g minced (=cut into small pieces using the machine) beef

75g unsmoked bacon

2 tbsp tomato puree

125ml dry white wine

1/2tsp freshly grated (=to rub against a grater) nutmeg

300ml chicken stock

125ml double cream

450g dried spaghetti

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish (=to decorate)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese , to serve

                                                                                                                            

 

Method:

 

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the pan, then cook until soft. Add the beef and the bacon and cook until the beef is evenly browned.
2. Stir in the chicken and tomato puree and cook for 2 min. pour in (=add the liquid) the wine and season it (=sprinkle) with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the stock. Bring it to the boil (=make it boil), then cover and simmer (=cook slowly) gently. Stir in the cream.
3. Bring a large saucepan of slightly salted water to the boil and cook until tender (=soft) but still firm to the bite. Drain (=let water go away) and transfer to the warmed serving dish.
4. Spoon (=serve food with a spoon) the sauce over the pasta, garnish with parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

EXERCISE 1

1. Say what type of food you can :
2. a) squeeze
3. b) grate
4. c) sieve
5. d) braise
6. e) whisk

 

2. Say what equipment you would need to:
3. Drain vegetables cooked in water
4. Serve soup
5. Beat eggs
6. Remove lumps in flour
7. Open a bottle of wine
8. Stew meat

 

ENGLISH IN USE 

 

The text says:

 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the pan, then cook until soft. Add the beef and the bacon and cook until the beef is evenly browned.

 

Today I’d like to concentrate on using PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE to present habitual actions, laws of science and nature, permanents situation, timetables, programmed events, instructions and RECEPES.

 

EXERCISE 2

Practice:

 

1. Mrs Brown ……………………….. (receive) a letter from her son every month. He ……………………. (study) abroad and ……………………… (never/ forget) to write to his mother.
2. When I …………………… (go) to the dentist, I……………………… (feel) tense.
3. She ………………………….. (not/ remember) new words after studying them. She ………………………. (not / seem) to be able to learn them.
4. I ……………………………….. (think) Mr Owen is a decent man.
5. What time ………………………….. (the plane / take off) ?
6. She …………………………….. (not / agree) with me.
7. It ………………………………….(not / matter) whether you come or not.
8. The bread ………………………….(smell) delicious.
9. I …………………………… (see) that you have got a new job.
10. First, ……………………(bring) a frying pan, ……………………… (grease) it with butter, ………………… (mix) the ingredients, ………………..and (stir-fry) over low heat.

 

 

EXERCISE 3

Divide the words into positive, negative and neutral tastes.

 

TENDER      SLIMMING    SOUR    SWEET    BITTER    MOULDY    GREASY    FATTENING

 MILKY    RANCID    FATTY    STALE   RAW   SALTY   CRISPY   CRUNCHY   SUCCULENT

 ROTTEN    SPICY   BLAND    APPETIZING    INSIPID   

 

 

 

Speaking focus:

Describe the foods you had the last time for breakfast and dinner at home and the last time you ate out.

 

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

 

 

 I said the plan would work, but it all went pear-shaped, so I had to eat my words.

The whole thing sounded a bit fishy to me.

He was very angry when he didn’t get the job, but it was just sour grapes.

 

 

To go pear-shaped = go badly and be very unsuccessful

To eat sb’s words = admit that something you said was wrong

Fishy = suspicious and probably involving dishonesty

Sour grapes = a negative response to something because you are angry you can’t have it

 

 

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

 

 

Go on                            adjective = ongoing                          = one which continuous

Wear out                      adjective = worn out                        = weak / damaged

Break down                  adjective = broken-down                 = one that has stopped working

 

 

 

EXERCISE 4

Use an idiom or a phrasal verb in the following sentences:

 

1. He was only rude about the party because he wasn’t invited. It was just ………………………….
2. I wanted to study abroad but all my plans ……………………………
3. In our garage we’ve got an old ………………………… fridge.
4. It was a really ……………………………… business. All the investments seemed suspicious.
5. They have an ……………………. problem with their weight.
6. I am completely ……………………… after the whole day of gardening.

 

 

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