Interviews

Intermediate

What are some common foods that people each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in your area?

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the video:

season (verb): add salt, pepper, and spices to add flavor to food
– How are you going to season the food on the grill?

side dish (noun): a food served along with the main course
– Everyone should bring a side dish to the family barbecue on Sunday.

occasionally (adverb): now and then
– I occasionally have a snack between meals.

Now, watch the interview and answer the comprehension questions. You can also turn on the automatically-generated captions for the video once you start it.

Randall: Hi. In today’s lesson, I’m talking with Emily, and we’re talking about our favorite meals and how to prepare them. And of course, you probably each one of us have a favorite meal, whether it’s fish, whether it’s meat, salad, and hamburgers. And right now, Emily’s going to share about her favorite meal and how to prepare it. Tell us some of the details.

Emily: Yeah, so one of my favorite meals would be steak. Um, I like to get a steak and then season it and grill it medium rare, and then I’ll usually have it with some vegetables.

Randall: Great. And what kind of vegetables will you include with that?

Emily: Cucumbers and tomatoes.

Randall: Okay. Now, your son, does he enjoy those cucumbers and tomatoes or does he prefer something else?

Emily: He really likes cucumbers as long as the skin is taken off, and he does not like tomatoes at all.

Randall: Does he have any other favorite vegetables? If cucumbers are on the menu and you said that if you remove the skin, he might eat some of those. But what other possibilities are there for vegetables or other side dishes? You mentioned pork chops, but if you had some side dishes in addition to the vegetables, what might they be?

Emily: Um, mashed potatoes are some that my husband really likes,

Randall: Great

Emily: . . . and occasionally, uh, my son will eat as well.

Randall: Okay. And what about to drink?

Emily: Uh, milk.

Randall: Milk. And any desserts? I mean, on that menu coming at the end?

Emily: Not usually. Um, my husband and I don’t eat a lot of dessert. My son, of course, he’s four. So sweets all day, um, is his thing. But if he’s been really good, sometimes he’ll get a piece of candy.

Randall: All right. Well, thank you very much for sharing about your favorite meal and how to prepare it.

Easy:

1. What is the topic of the conversation between Randall and Emily?
2. What is Emily’s favorite meal?
3. What vegetables does Emily like to have with her steak?

Intermediate:

1. How does Emily prefer to cook her steak?
2. What vegetables does Emily’s son enjoy, and are there any specific preferences or requirements?
3. Besides vegetables, what other side dishes does Emily mention, and who in her family enjoys them?

Advanced:

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of grilling a steak to a medium-rare level of doneness.
2. Analyze the dietary preferences and habits of Emily’s family, considering their preferences for vegetables, side dishes, and desserts. How do their choices reflect their individual tastes and nutritional needs?
3. Explore the cultural significance of including or excluding desserts in meals. How do cultural norms and personal preferences influence the inclusion or omission of desserts in different cuisines?

The following activities deal with related topics to give you additional language practice.

• Barbecue Party
• Breakfast Recipes
• Dinner Recipes
• Gourmet Cooking
• Holiday Traditions