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Meals

Comprehension check

Exercise 1. Use the context to figure out the meanings of the words. Write definitions in your notebooks.

  1. motivate (line 11)

  2. reward (line 23)

  3. accustomed to (line 29)

  1. undesirable (line 37)

  2. resemble (line 50)

  3. bent over (line 51)

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

  1. What is the nationality of the author?

  2. Which culture(s) associates chicken soup with good care during illness?

  3. Would the author eat a caterpillar?

  4. Does the author think it is a good thing for people to eat food from other countries?

  5. Who does the author think will read the article? Why does she think they will read it?

Exercise 3. Answer the questions from memory, if possible.

  1. In what parts of the world do people enjoy eating grasshoppers and termites?

  2. If an American says, ‘I could eat a horse,’ what does the person mean?

  3. Why do people find certain food comforting?

  4. How does climate and weather affect your food choices?

  5. What are some foods people think bring good luck?

  6. Why will our food choices continue to grow?

Exercise 4. Organise the information in the reading by filling in the chart. Fill in the information about the four foods. Then add three more from the reading. Work from memory, if possible.

Food

Culture

Reason Used

Roasted turkey

Millet

Tabouleh

Lobster

Exercise 5. Review the article and find related forms of the words in column 1. Write each form and its part of speech in column 2.

Word

Form(s) and part(s) of speech

  1. Roast

  1. Comfort

  1. Treat

  1. Fry

  1. Spice

  1. Candy

Exercise 6. Write the correct form of the word on the line.

  1. French (fry) __________ potatoes are sliced potatoes cooked in oil.

  2. Many North Americans find chicken soup (comfort) _________ .

  3. (Roast) __________ chicken is a traditional Sunday meal in many countries.

  4. For her birthday, Maggy had a special (treat) __________ - a chocolate cake and ice cream.

  5. This soup has no flavour. I wish that I’d ordered something (spice) _________.

Speaking

  1. What foods bring back childhood memories for you?

  2. Would you eat caterpillar? Why or why not?

  3. What are some foods from other cultures that you like? What do you associate with them?

  4. What are some foods you find comforting? Why do you think this is so?

  5. What are some foods that are important to your culture because of geography and weather?

Writing

Write sentences that describe each food and your reaction to it. Use these and other words in your sentences.

comforting

fascinated

bored

sickening

nourishing

fattening