| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Dining Out | Man – Woman | 01:06 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
Finding good restaurants usually isn’t a problem for language students; ordering at one can be if you don’t know appropriate language expressions. What kinds of questions and expressions do you hear between a customer and a server at a restaurant?
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- Eating at a restaurant is more enjoyable than eating at home.
- People should always leave a tip at a restaurant.
- It’s okay to use your phone while eating at a restaurant.
- Sharing food at the table is a good idea.
- You should dress nicely when going to a nice restaurant.
- It’s rude to complain about the food at a restaurant.
- Fast food restaurants don’t need tipping.
- It’s okay to stay and talk for a long time after eating.
- Children should learn restaurant manners at a young age.
- People should not bring outside food into a restaurant.
Idioms
“eat like a bird” = eat small portions
“Don’t worry about spending too much money because she eats like a bird.”
“be stuffed” = be full
“I’m stuffed, and I can’t eat another bite.”
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words that appear in the recording:
- meal (noun): a portion of food served and eaten at one time
– This restaurant serves delicious meals at a reasonable price. - care for (verb): informal, to want or wish for something
– Would you care for another drink? - dine (verb): to eat dinner
– How about dining at my house tonight? - injure (verb): to cause physical damage to someone
– He injured his back when he tried to lift those heavy boxes.
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
Describe one restaurant you enjoy visiting and explain three things you like about it the most. In your discussion, include information on the restaurant’s service, menu items, pricing, and the place’s decor.
Online Investigation
Search the internet for a restaurant near you, download their menu, and practice playing the roles of a customer and server. Then, discuss the positive and negative points about the restaurant including prices, location, and business hours.