| Level | Topic | Speakers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | Pizza Delivery | Man – Young Woman | 02:10 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are some of the questions you would ask or be asked when ordering a pizza by phone?
-
- Pizza is the best food for any occasion.
- Homemade pizza is always better than store-bought or restaurant pizza.
- Pizza should never be eaten for breakfast.
- Pineapple belongs on pizza.
- Pizza is healthier than most fast foods.
- Thin crust is better than thick crust.
- Pizza is more about taste than presentation.
- Ordering pizza is better than cooking dinner at home.
- Sharing pizza is better than eating it alone.
- Gourmet pizzas are better than traditional pizzas.
Idioms
“dig in” = let’s eat
“Okay. We have plenty of pizza, so dig in.”
“sing for your supper” = do some form of service in return for something in return
“I wanted my dad to pay for the movie tickets, but he said I had to sing for my supper by cleaning the garage.”
Listening Exercise
Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)
Vocabulary and Sample Sentences
Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:
- pepperoni (noun): a pork and beef sausage, sliced thinly for pizza
– My students ordered a pepperoni pizza for lunch. - be a hit (verb): be popular
– Ordering pizza for the party was a hit. - care for (verb): have a preference or liking for something
– Would you care for anything else today? - acquired taste (expression): a taste that takes time to get used to
– Some people say that learning to like sushi is an acquired taste. - beverage (noun): drink
– What kinds of beverages do you want to serve at the party? - throw in (verb): add
– That pizza shop always throws in a free drink with every order. - coupon (noun): a certificate used to receive money off on purchases
– Let’s use the pizza coupon that came in the mail. - make something out (idiom): understand or figure out
– I couldn’t make out what the customer ordered because of the poor telephone connection.
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
Are there any toppings or pizza styles unique to your country (e.g., seafood pizza with clams and squid which you can find in Japan)? Is there a charge for pizza delivery and is giving a tip customary in your country? Have you ever made your own pizza? If so, what do you put on your pizza?
Online Investigation
Pizza restaurants are not all the same. They offer different menus, services, and prices. Use the internet to look up two different pizza restaurants in your area, or better yet, pretend that you are visiting New York City in the United States for a week, and you want to find out what restaurants are available in the area. Check on prices, variety of menu items, delivery, and working hours of each place and compare.