Exercise 3: Read the text. Comment on the quotation before the text. Answer the questions that come after the text

Text 2 Food and Drink

On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good

table manners.

(George Mikes, humourist)

Life and habits in Britain are simply not oriented to food very much. The country has neither a widespread 'restaurant culture' nor 'cafe society'. In the middle of the day, people just want to eat up quickly (the lunch break is an hour at most). The coffee is often horrible not because British people prefer it that way but because they just don't care very much. When they go to a cafe, they go there for relaxation, conversation, and caffeine; the quality of the coffee itself is of comparatively minor importance. Expectations are low.

Even at home, food and drink are given relatively little attention. The coffee is often just as bad as it is in the cafes. British supermarkets sell far more instant coffee than (what the few people who drink it often call) 'real' coffee. Instant coffee is less trouble. Meals tend to be eaten quickly and the table cleared. Parties and celebtations are not normally centred around the food.

When the British do pay attention to food, it is most frequently nor to appreciate it but to consider its health implications. There are quite large numbers of vegetarians in Britain and an even larger number who are aware of food from the point of view of health. Health food shops are as abundant in the country's high streets as delicatessens.

British people are also showing increasing interest in the pure enjoyment aspect of food. There are numerous cookery and food programmes on TV, all of them watched with close enthusiasm. It is possible, then, that the negative reputation of British food will eventually become a historical hangover. Attitudes have changed, but the quality of food in everyday life is still poor because these changes have not had enough time to change habits and expectations.

Not so long ago, going to a restaurant was a rare event for most British people. Regular eating out was confined to the richest section of society. By now, a far larger number of people do it. But because of this history, there remains an element of snobbery attached to it. Merely being in an expensive restaurant sometimes seems to be more important to people than the food eaten in it. And in such restaurants, and even some less expensive ones, in a country where few public notices appear in any language other than English, you find a unique phenomenon - many of the dishes have non-English names, most commonly French (reflecting the general high regard for French cuisine). The only exception to this rule is the puddings, which is the one course of a meal that the British have always been confident about.

There is another reason for this lack of English nomenclature. Very few restaurants in Britain could be described as British; that is, they do not serve distinctively British food, so the names of the dishes are not in English. History may help to explain this fact. Since they did it so rarely, people wanted something different when they went out to eat. By now, people have got used to several kinds of 'ethnic' cuisine and Britain's towns and cities are almost totally dominated by restaurants offering them. Even the smallest towns have at least one Indian restaurant, one Italian, and probably a Chinese one as well. Thai restaurants have also become numerous in recent decades. Larger towns and cities have restaurants representing cuisine from all over the world.

The British pub is unique. This is not just because it is different in character from bars or cafes in other countries. It is also because it is different from any other public place in Britain itself. Without pubs, Britain would be a less sociable country. The pub is the only indoor place where the average person can comfortably meet others, even strangers, and get into prolonged conversation with them. In cafes and fast food places, people are expected to eat, drink, and get out. The atmosphere in other eating places makes some people feel uncomfortable. But pubs are classless. A pub with forty customers in it is nearly always much noisier than a cafe or restaurant with the same number of people in it.

The local pub plays an important role in almost every neighbourhood -and pubs, it should be noted, are predominantly for the drinking of beer and spirits. Indicative of this role is the fact that it is commonly referred to as 'the local' and people who go there are often known as 'regulars'. The action in all of the country's most popular soaps revolves around a pub.

As with other aspects of British life, pubs have become a bit less distinctive in the last thirty years. They used to serve almost nothing but beer and spirits and only things to eat you could get were 'bar snacks' such peanuts and crisps. These days, you can get wine, coffee, and hot food at most of them as well. This has helped to widen their appeal.

Nevertheless, pubs have retained their special character. One of their notable aspects is that there is no waiter service. If you want something, you have to go and ask for it at the bar. This may not seem very welcoming and a strange way of making people feel comfortable and relaxed. But to British people it is precisely this. To be served at a table is discomforting for many people. It makes them feel they have to be on their best behaviour. But because in pubs you have to go and fetch your drinks yourself, it is more informal. You can get up and walk around whenever you want - like being in your own house. This 'home from home' aspect of the pub is encouraged by the relationship between customers and those who work there. The latter are expected to know the regulars personally, to know what their usual drink is and to chat with them when they are not serving someone. It is also encouraged by the availability of pub games (most typically darts) and, frequently, a television.

A notable aspect of British pubs is their frequent appeal to the idea of tradition. For example, each has its own name, proclaimed on a sign hanging outside, always with old-fashioned associations. Many are called by the name of some aristocrat (e.g. 'The Duke of Cambridge') or after a monarch; others take their names from some traditional occupation (e.g. 'The Bricklayer's Arms'); they often have rural associations (e.g. 'The Sheep Shearers', 'The Bull'). To call a pub 'The Computer Programmers' or 'The Ford Focus' or something like that would be to make a very definite statement! For the same reason, the person who runs a pub is referred to as the 'landlord' - even though he or she is, in reality, a tenant. Nearly all pubs are owned by commercial companies. The 'landlord' is simply employed by the company as its manager. But the word is used because it evokes earlier times when all pubs were privately owned 'inns' where travellers could find a bed for the night.

Apart from pubs, only three types of distinctively British eating places exist. One offers mostly fried food of the 'English breakfast' type and for this reason it is sometimes known as a 'greasy spoon'. Traditionally, it is used principally by manual workers, and is therefore also sometimes called a 'workman's cafe' (pronounced 'caff). But these days (when there are fewer manual workers) it is also used by anybody who wants a filling meal and likes the informal atmosphere. Many of them are 'transport cafes' at the sides of main roads. Second, there is the fish and chip shop, used mainly for takeaway meals. Again, the fish is fried. Finally, there are establishments in the centre of towns which are commonly referred to as 'tea rooms'. They are open only during the day and cater for a different kind of clientele with waitress service. They serve scones and other light snacks (and, of course, tea).

Fast food outlets are probably more common in Britain than they are in most other countries. Cynics might claim this is because the British have no taste. However, their popularity is probably better explained sociologically. Except for greasy spoons, other types of restaurant still retain echoes of social pretension, so that some people feel uncomfortable in them. A fast food place does not have these associations. And they are cheap!

/Britain for Learners of English/

1. What is the general opinion about the British cuisine? Why did it appear? How do the British treat their cuisine?

2. What is the attitude of the British to food? How is it changing now?

3. Why are there so many restaurants with ‘ethnic cuisine’?

4. What is a pub? What are distinctive features of a pub? How does it differ from a bar or a café? What is served in a pub?

5. What is the cultural meaning of a pub? What role do pubs play in the life of the British?

6. What other types of British eating places can you name? Do we have the same in Russia?

7. What is our attitude to the food? What are distinctive features of Russian cuisine?

8. What cuisine do you prefer? Why? Provide the group with the distinctive features.

Exercise 4. Find Russian equivalents for the words or word combinations from the text given below.

a widespread ‘restaurant culture’ to eat up to care much instant coffee to be centered around to appreciate something health implication abundant delicatessen the pure enjoyment aspect of food numerous cookery programmes with close enthusiasm historical hangover to be confined to high regard gfor French cuisine to serve food ‘ethnic’ cuisine to represent cuisine unique to be different in character form bars and cafes

to get into prolonged conversation with ‘the local’ ‘regulars’ to widen their appeal no waiter service to serve at a table to fetch drinks yourself to be encouraged by relationship to chat with smb the availability of pub games frequent appeal to run a pub a tenant to evoke earlier times apart from pubs a filling meal the fish and chip shop takeaway meals fast food outlets

STRUCTURAL PATTERNS

Exercise 9. Insert the article where necessary.

1. She went into the kitchen to fix ... cold lunch. 2. She had no appe­tite for ... delicious dinner which Cora had cooked. 3. The guests began arriving for ... wedding dinner. 4. I won't eat ... breakfast, it's burnt again. 5.... free brunch is offered to children in Disneyland. 6. We took ... set-dinner which cost ten pounds. 7. This is a serious matter, let's discuss it after ... dinner. 8. What would you like to have for ... lunch, my dear? 9. Many celebrities were present at ... dinner in the White House. 10. Weil, children, sit to table,... dinner is ready. 11. What about ... lunch? I'm dying for a cup of tea. 12. What... mouthwatering supper! 13. They organized ... charity dinner for the homeless. 14. Do you have ... lunch at the office or at the bistro nearby? 15. The University gave ... farewell dinner to the graduates. 16.... supper which she cooked was uneatable. 17. Now I must rush to the kitchen and have a look at... din­ner. 18. Stephen cooked ... delicious meal for us last night. 19. In many countries... main meal is eaten in the middle of the day. 20. On the first day of the vacation we all slept late and then had ... huge brunch. 21. They had ... intimate little breakfast for two.

Exercise 10. Insert the article where necessary.

Good food takes a lot of preparation, and that takes time. And food always tastes better if served on warmed plates. 2. One of our favourite snack foods is popcorn — a treat discovered by the Ameri­can Indians. 3. "It's not a very big breakfast, Philip," Anne said. "I stopped off at Harrods and picked up a few cold meats, and I made a salad." 4. Ideally, wine should be kept in a cool, dark place. Sweet white wines can be slightly chilled. 5. This is a cult wine with a centuries long reputation. 6. Riesling, Semilion and sparkling wines have a fan­tastic reputation. 7. Good wines are the best buys before Christmas. 8.1 am used to eating salads. Vegetable salads are my favourites. 9. A fruit salad goes well with ice cream. 10. This jug is ideal for serving fruit juices. 11. Two teas and a coffee, please. No sugar. 12. Out of the delicious selection of starters I'll take a chicken filet, fresh fruit and vegetable toast. 13. Spain has an excellent range of cheeses. There's a mild goat's cheese and a creamy blue cheese, which are the best. 14.1 am surprised at the variety of cheeses that have appeared in our shops. 15. John Lanchester often enjoys simple Chinese food in a Cantonese cafe or in a tea house. He knows a Chinese family which runs a take­away restaurant in London. Foodies rate their cuisine highly. The tea house is a popular kind of eatery in China. It serves snacks and cakes and one-plate meals. A set-menu which is short and simple consists of four soups. John prefers a Singaporean seafood soup — prawns, mus­sels and squids in a thick spicy broth. It tastes terrific, and it also smells terrific. At teatime they serve Chinese cakes and herbal teas. Every time John thinks he'll be back soon.

Exercise 11. Translate from Russian into English

1.Я покажу вам дом и сад после ланча. 2. Разве нам не пора обе­дать? Я умираю от голода. 3. На мой день рождения мама готовит особый ужин. 4. Давай пообедаем в китайском ресторане. 5. Я всегда пользуюсь кулинарной книгой, когда готовлю обед. 6. Садись за стол, а то обед остынет. 7. Ужин в индийском ресторане был очень ост­рым. 8. Сколько стоит комплексный обед в этом ресторане? 9. Не забудь помыть руки перед обедом! 10. Время ланча. Что ты обычно ешь за ланчем? 11. Французы, как правило, едят морепродукты на обед или на ужин. 12. На Рождество мы готовим необычайно вкус­ный ужин. 13. На десерт я обычно беру мороженое, которое я очень люблю. 14. Ужин состоял из рыбы и жареного картофеля. 15. — Обед готов. — А что у нас на обед? — Нечто особенное! 16. Не ешь конфе­ты перед обедом.

Exercise 12. Explain the use of articles in the following sentences

In this doctor's opinion, it is essential to eat a big breakfast. 2. We had a quick meal at the Union Oyster House. 3. And in parting, he added, "Have a good breakfast." 4. She had the cook prepare a cold supper of salad, smoked salmon, cold meats and chicken, cheeses and fresh fruit — the things he enjoyed the most. 5. He had a hasty lunch in a cafe near Fiftieth Street. 6. She was too lazy to make lunch. 7. Din­ner was served from the buffet and people were wandering around with plates of food. 8. On the evening after Danny's last appearance in Berlin, von Karajan arranged a midnight supper at the Kempinski with the director-general of Deutsche Grammophone Records. The next morning Danny had a five-album contract. 9. Suddenly making a decision, taking control of the situation, he said in a firm voice, "Let's go. Г-И- take you to lunch. I know a good place for a hamburger or a salad, whichever you prefer." — "Good idea," she responded. "I'm starving." 10. It was a most extraordinary meal, but then we always had a most elaborate dinner. 11. As soon as I am free, we'll have a quiet meal and a good heart-to-heart talk.

Exercise 13. Explain the use of articles in the following sentences

Russian Food

Contrary to rumors, Russian food is delicious.

Breakfast is a big meal. It can include cottage cheese, pancakes (blinchiki or syrniki which are made with cottage cheese), jam, sliced cheese, cold ham, fried eggs, omelet or kasha (hot porridge with a boiled egg on the side), sweet buns and ordinary bread, coffee, tea and juice. There is a great variety of Russian soured milk products, such as kefir (drinking consistency) and smetana (sour cream).

Lunch tends to be at about 2 o'clock, if at all. The concept of fast food, cafes and restaurants is catching on, but not fast enough to find somewhere to eat at midday on every street corner as in Paris or New York, so it is vital to stoke up at breakfast time.

Dinner can begin at around- 6. 30 p.m. At either lunch or dinner a traveller should beware of overdosing on the first course (zakuski), with its tempting array of smoked fish, caviar, meat, salad, pickled mushrooms, cucumbers and so on — all washed down with vodka. Next comes the soup, usually clear, made with vegetables, and maybe a piece of meat floating in it or dumplings. Then comes the main course, meat or fish, with potatoes or rice.

Dessert is perfunctory, either ice cream or compote (stewed fruit). Tea, rather than coffee, follows the meal.

The Russians have a very sweet tooth and serve delicious choco­lates and biscuits with tea mid-morning and in the afternoon. From one small Scottish firm alone they import four million chocolate bars a month.

(from "Xenophobe's guide to the Russians"

bу Е. Roberts)

Exercise 14. Explain the following statements. Make up the situations to use them appropriately.

1. You'd better not spill the beans. 2. She seems full of beans. 3. It was a piece of cake. 4. They're selling like hot cakes. 5. He's such a butter-fingers. 6. She knows which side her bread is buttered. 7. It's about as useful as a chocolate teapot. 8. Oh, hard cheese! 9. He seems a bit cheesed off. 10.1 don't want to play gooseberry. 11. I've been left with egg on my face. 12. It was easy as pie. 13. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 14. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 15. As you bake, so shall you brew.

Exercise 15. Explain the use of articles in the following sentences

Tea

Tea is ... extremely popular tipple.

Who made ... first cup of ... tea? Give up? Okay, it was ... Chinese Emperor called Shen Nung. He made it by mistake. While ... emperor was sitting under ... tree, ... leaf fell into his boiling pot of water and, hey presto,... quick drink.

We have been drinking ... tea for hundreds of years, but... tea bags were invented only in 1953. ... Tea was first sold as ... health-giving drink to cure ... headaches, to improve ... sight, and help ... kidneys.

Today... tea is still... very natural thing which contains tiny amounts of... vitamins and... minerals. It does contain... caffeine, which acts as ... stimulant to ... nervous system.

… hierbal teas are by no means new. As they don't come from ... tea bush they're not strictly "tea" at all, but... tisanes, which are made in ... same way as... everyday tea. You can make... herbal teas from... dried or ... fresh leaves, ... flowers, ... roots or ... seeds and, unlike ... normal tea, they are caffeine-free. You can take them for sore throats, headaches and indigestion. They are also used as... nature beauty lotions for use on ... skin and... hair and... cold tea bags are... great relievers for... tired eyes.

All tea comes from... bush called Camellia Sinensis. It originates from ... China and parts of... India, but depending on where ...bush is grown, also on ... soil and ...climate,... flavour of ... tea can vary enormously.