The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, has been named as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant Osteria Francescana was crowned number one at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in New York. The ceremony is like the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldwide, but surprisingly, this is the first time an Italian eatery has won the annual prize. The Osteria Francescana came second in 2015 and third in 2013 and 2014. The chef and owner of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very emotional on stage when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has been so hard. Our job is all about art…in the kitchen."

Winning the award has been good for business. The Osteria Francescana is fully booked until November. Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six months in advance. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges gave Bottura the award for his creative and original food and traditional ingredients. In particular, Bottura makes amazing shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures most diners will never have previously experienced." One of his best-known dishes is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart". This is a pastry that the chef drops from half a metre and smashes on the plate.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.thelocal.it/20160614/italian-restaurant-crowned-the-best-in-the-world
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/osteria-francescana-first-italian-restaurant-to-be-named-worlds-best-restaurant/
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/14/foodanddrink/2016-world-best-restaurant-awards/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. RESTAURANTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about restaurant. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       restaurant / awards / ceremony / Italian food / annual / owner / emotional / art /
       winning / business / reservation / competition / ingredients / dishes / dessert / lemon

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. ART: Students A strongly believe food is art; Students B strongly believe food is not art.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. BETTER: How can restaurants be better? Talk about this with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

  • Location
  • Decor
  • Tables
  • Technology
  • Service
  • Menu
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. FOOD: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "food". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. CUISINE: Rank these cuisines with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Japanese
  • French
  • Indian
  • Chinese
  • Italian
  • Thai
  • Mexican
  • Lebanese

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. An Italian restaurant in Medina is the best restaurant of 2016.    T / F
  2. The restaurant was top of a list of 50 restaurants.     T / F
  3. It is the third time an Italian restaurant has won this award.     T / F
  4. The chef said his job is to create art in the kitchen.     T / F
  5. Winning the award has not been good for the chef's business.     T / F
  6. People need to book 24 hours ahead to get a table at the restaurant.     T / F
  7. The chef creates amazing shapes with cheese.     T / F
  8. The chef drops a lemon tart from 50 cm onto a plate.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. restaurant
  2. like
  3. surprisingly
  4. annual
  5. award
  6. fully
  7. reservation
  8. in advance
  9. forms
  10. dishes
  1. booking
  2. amazingly
  3. shapes
  4. completely
  5. eatery
  6. recipes
  7. prize
  8. similar to
  9. ahead
  10. yearly

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. crowned
  2. The ceremony is like the Oscars
  3. an Italian eatery has won the
  4. it has been so
  5. Our job is all about art
  6. Winning the award has
  7. fully
  8. make a reservation
  9. original food and traditional
  10. One of his best-known dishes
  1. of the food world
  2. hard
  3. six months in advance
  4. been good for business
  5. number one
  6. is a dessert
  7. ingredients
  8. in the kitchen
  9. booked
  10. annual prize

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
crowned
annual
emotional
ceremony
art
named
surprisingly
chef

A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, has been (1) ____________ as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant Osteria Francescana was (2) ____________ number one at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in New York. The (3) ____________ is like the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldwide, but (4) ____________, this is the first time an Italian eatery has won the (5) ____________ prize. The Osteria Francescana came second in 2015 and third in 2013 and 2014. The (6) ____________ and owner of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very (7) ____________ on stage when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has been so hard. Our job is all about (8) ____________ …in the kitchen."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
advance
drops
award
amazing
booked
dishes
diners
original

Winning the (9) ____________ has been good for business. The Osteria Francescana is fully (10) ____________ until November. Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six months in (11) ____________. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges gave Bottura the award for his creative and (12) ____________ food and traditional ingredients. In particular, Bottura makes (13) ____________ shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures most (14) ____________ will never have previously experienced." One of his best-known (15) ____________ is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart". This is a pastry that the chef (16) ____________ from half a metre and smashes on the plate.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The ceremony is like the Oscars of ______
     a.  the food worlds
     b.  the food worldly
     c.  the food world
     d.  this food world

2)  surprisingly, this is the first time an Italian eatery has won ______
     a.  the annually prize
     b.  an annual prizes
     c.  the annual prize
     d.  the annual prizes

3)  He was very emotional on stage when he ______
     a.  collective the award
     b.  corrected the award
     c.  collect it the award
     d.  collected the award

4)  He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has ______."
     a.  been so hardly
     b.  been so hard
     c.  being so hard
     d.  bean so hard

5)  Our job is all about art…______
     a.  in the kitchen
     b.  in a kitchen
     c.  on the kitchen
     d.  in then kitchen

6)  Winning the award has been ______
     a.  good for businesses
     b.  good four businesses
     c.  good for busyness
     d.  good for business

7)  Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six ______
     a.  months in advance
     b.  months on advance
     c.  months in advantage
     d.  months on advantage

8)  judges gave Bottura the award for his creative and original food and ______
     a.  traditionally ingredients
     b.  traditional ingredients
     c.  traditional ingredient
     d.  traditionally ingredient

9)  Bottura makes amazing shapes with cheese and creates ______
     a.  forms and textures
     b.  farms and textures
     c.  firms and texture
     d.  forms and text yours

10)  This is a pastry that the chef drops from half a metre and ______ plate
     a.  smash is on the
     b.  smash its on the
     c.  smashes on the
     d.  smash on the

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, (1) ___________________ as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant Osteria Francescana was (2) ___________________ at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in New York. The ceremony is like the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldwide, (3) ___________________, this is the first time an Italian eatery has won the annual prize. The Osteria Francescana came second in 2015 and third in 2013 and 2014. The (4) ___________________ of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very (5) ___________________ when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has been so hard. Our job is all about (6) ___________________."

Winning the award has been (7) ___________________. The Osteria Francescana is fully booked until November. Anyone who wants to eat there must (8) ___________________ six months in advance. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges gave Bottura the award (9) ___________________ and original food and traditional ingredients. In particular, Bottura makes amazing shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures (10) ___________________ never have previously experienced." One of his best-known dishes is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart". This (11) ___________________ the chef drops from half a metre (12) ___________________ the plate.

Comprehension questions

  1. In which Italian city is the award-winning restaurant?
  2. How many restaurants are on the awards list?
  3. How many Italian restaurants have won this prize before?
  4. Who is Massimo Bottura?
  5. Who did the chef want to thank?
  6. Until when is the restaurant fully booked?
  7. How long in advance should you book a table?
  8. What kind of ingredients does the chef use?
  9. What does the chef make amazing shapes with?
  10. What is "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart"?

Multiple choice quiz

1) In which Italian city is the award-winning restaurant?
a) Modena
b) Milan
c) Moncalieri
d) Modica

2) How many restaurants are on the awards list?
a) 30
b) 40
c) 50
d) 60

3) How many Italian restaurants have won this prize before?
a) 3
b) 0
c) 27
d) 7

4) Who is Massimo Bottura?
a) a speed-eating champion
b) a customer
c) a judge
d) the chef

5) Who did the chef want to thank?
a) everyone
b) the cheese makers
c) his staff
d) Italians

6) Until when is the restaurant fully booked?
a) early August
b) late July
c) the middle of next month
d) November

7) How long in advance should you book a table?
a) a week or so
b) 6 months
c) 24 hours
d) 48 hours

8) What kind of ingredients does the chef use?
a) ingredients from his garden
b) Italian ingredients
c) organic ingredients
d) traditional ingredients

9) What does the chef make amazing shapes with?
a) spaghetti
b) lemons
c) cheese
d) textures

10) What is "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart"?
a) a famous Italian movie
b) a dessert
c) a book
d) an Internet site

Role play

Role A — Italian food

You think Italian food is the world's best cuisine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their food. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): Mexican food, Lebanese food or Japanese food.

Role B — Mexican food

You think Mexican food is the world's best cuisine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their food. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): Italian food, Lebanese food or Japanese food.

Role C —Lebanese food

You think Lebanese food is the world's best cuisine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their food. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): Mexican food, Italian food or Japanese food.

Role D — Japanese food

You think Japanese food is the world's best cuisine. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their food. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): Mexican food, Lebanese food or Italian food.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'award'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'ceremony'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • business
    • six
    • fly
    • traditional
    • shapes
    • half
    • city
    • 50
    • loved
    • 2013
    • stage
    • art

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Italian restaurant named as best in the world

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'restaurant'?
    3. What is your favourite restaurant and why?
    4. What is the world's best food?
    5. What is the best restaurant in your town?
    6. What do you think of restaurants?
    7. What's the worst restaurant you've been to?
    8. Which country do you think has the worst cuisine?
    9. Have you ever won an award?
    10. What is it about cooking that makes it an art?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of Italian food?
    3. What is your cooking like?
    4. What things are important in a good restaurant?
    5. What do you like most about eating in restaurants?
    6. Would you like to go to the award-winning restaurant?
    7. What do you think it is like to be a chef?
    8. How important is the presentation of food?
    9. What do you think of the dessert mentioned in the article?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Massimo Bottura?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, has been (1) ____ as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant Osteria Francescana was (2) ____ number one at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in New York. The ceremony is (3) ____ the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldwide, but (4) ____, this is the first time an Italian eatery has won the annual prize. The Osteria Francescana came second in 2015 and third in 2013 and 2014. The chef and owner of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very emotional (5) ____ stage when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has been so hard. Our job is (6) ____ about art…in the kitchen."

    Winning the award has been good (7) ____ business. The Osteria Francescana is fully booked until November. Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six months (8) ____ advance. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges gave Bottura the award for his creative and original food and traditional ingredients. In (9) ____, Bottura makes amazing shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures most (10) ____ will never have previously experienced." One of his best-(11) ____ dishes is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart". This is a pastry (12) ____ the chef drops from half a metre and smashes on the plate.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     naming     (b)     names     (c)     named     (d)     name    
    2. (a)     crowned     (b)     crowed     (c)     clowned     (d)     crawled    
    3. (a)     like     (b)     liking     (c)     similar     (d)     similarly    
    4. (a)     surprisingly     (b)     surprised     (c)     surpasses     (d)     surprise    
    5. (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     in     (d)     on    
    6. (a)     total     (b)     every     (c)     whole     (d)     all    
    7. (a)     for     (b)     from     (c)     to     (d)     of    
    8. (a)     of     (b)     to     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    9. (a)     particular     (b)     practical     (c)     peculiar     (d)     partially    
    10. (a)     dinners     (b)     diners     (c)     dines     (d)     din-dins    
    11. (a)     knowledge     (b)     known     (c)     knowing     (d)     knew    
    12. (a)     that     (b)     what     (c)     for     (d)     so

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. cenowdr number one
    2. awards mcneroye
    3. Italian food is loved iorlwwded
    4. rsisyugiplnr, this is the first time
    5. won the unaanl prize
    6. He was very lmeatinoo

    Paragraph 2

    1. fluyl booked until November
    2. make a eensrirtoav
    3. for his creative and ngiroila food
    4. oiinatadrlt ingredients
    5. creates forms and xuterest
    6. One of his best-known dishes is a erssdte

    Put the text back together

    (    )     amazing shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures most diners will never have previously

    (    )     because it has been so hard. Our job is all about art…in the kitchen."

    (    )     experienced." One of his best-known dishes is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon

    (    )     Winning the award has been good for business. The Osteria Francescana is fully booked until

    (    )     this is the first time an Italian eatery has won the annual prize. The Osteria Francescana came second in 2015 and

    (    )     gave Bottura the award for his creative and original food and traditional ingredients. In particular, Bottura makes

    (    )     November. Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six months in

    (    )     advance. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges

    (    )     ceremony in New York. The ceremony is like the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldwide, but surprisingly,

    (  1  )     A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, has been named as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant

    (    )     third in 2013 and 2014. The chef and owner of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very

    (    )     Tart". This is a pastry that the chef drops from half a metre and smashes on the plate.

    (    )     emotional on stage when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone

    (    )     Osteria Francescana was crowned number one at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards

    Put the words in the right order

    1. of   world   is   Oscars   food   ceremony   the   the   The   like   .
    2. an   has   is   time   eatery   This   first   Italian   won   the   .
    3. collected  when  very   the  emotional  award  on  He   stage  was   he  .
    4. because   it   has   been   so   hard   I   want   to   thank   everyone   .
    5. all   kitchen   about   Our   art   job   in   is   the   .
    6. has   award   the   Winning   business   for   good   been   .
    7. reservation   wants   there   a   who   eat   make   Anyone   to   must   .
    8. will   diners   most   Textures   experienced  previously   have   never   .
    9. is   One   best   dishes   dessert   his   known   a   -   of   .
    10. a   half   from   drops   chef   the   that   pastry   a   is   This   metre   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A restaurant in the city of Modena, Italy, has been naming / named as the best restaurant in the world. The restaurant Osteria Francescana was crowned / crowed number one at the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremonial / ceremony in New York. The ceremony is like / similar the Oscars of the food world. Italian food is loved worldly / worldwide, but surprisingly, this is the first time an Italian eatery has win / won the annual prize. The Osteria Francescana came / went second in 2015 and thirdly / third in 2013 and 2014. The chef and owner of the Osteria Francescana is Mr Massimo Bottura. He was very emotional on / in stage when he collected the award. He said: "I want to thank everyone because it has been so hard. Our job is all about art / artist…in the kitchen."

    Winning the award has been well / good for business. The Osteria Francescana is fully booked / booking until November. Anyone who wants to eat there must make a reserve / reservation six months in advance / forward. Customers will now fly to Italy just to eat at Mr Bottura's restaurant. The competition judges gave Bottura the award for his creative and originally / original food and traditional ingredients. In peculiar / particular, Bottura makes amazing / amazed shapes with cheese and creates, "forms and textures most dinners / diners will never have previously experienced." One of his best-known dishes / bowls is a dessert called, "Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart". This is a pastry that the chef drops to / from half a metre and smashes on the plate.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _ r_st__r_nt _n th_ c_ty _f M_d_n_, _t_ly, h_s b__n n_m_d _s th_ b_st r_st__r_nt _n th_ w_rld. Th_ r_st__r_nt _st_r__ Fr_nc_sc_n_ w_s cr_wn_d n_mb_r _n_ _t th_ W_rld's 50 B_st R_st__r_nts _w_rds c_r_m_ny _n N_w Y_rk. Th_ c_r_m_ny _s l_k_ th_ _sc_rs _f th_ f__d w_rld. _t_l__n f__d _s l_v_d w_rldw_d_, b_t s_rpr_s_ngly, th_s _s th_ f_rst t_m_ _n _t_l__n __t_ry h_s w_n th_ _nn__l pr_z_. Th_ _st_r__ Fr_nc_sc_n_ c_m_ s_c_nd _n 2015 _nd th_rd _n 2013 _nd 2014. Th_ ch_f _nd _wn_r _f th_ _st_r__ Fr_nc_sc_n_ _s Mr M_ss_m_ B_tt_r_. H_ w_s v_ry _m_t__n_l _n st_g_ wh_n h_ c_ll_ct_d th_ _w_rd. H_ s__d: "_ w_nt t_ th_nk _v_ry_n_ b_c__s_ _t h_s b__n s_ h_rd. __r j_b _s _ll _b__t _rt…_n th_ k_tch_n."

    W_nn_ng th_ _w_rd h_s b__n g__d f_r b_s_n_ss. Th_ _st_r__ Fr_nc_sc_n_ _s f_lly b__k_d _nt_l N_v_mb_r. _ny_n_ wh_ w_nts t_ __t th_r_ m_st m_k_ _ r_s_rv_t__n s_x m_nths _n _dv_nc_. C_st_m_rs w_ll n_w fly t_ _t_ly j_st t_ __t _t Mr B_tt_r_'s r_st__r_nt. Th_ c_mp_t_t__n j_dg_s g_v_ B_tt_r_ th_ _w_rd f_r h_s cr__t_v_ _nd _r_g_n_l f__d _nd tr_d_t__n_l _ngr_d__nts. _n p_rt_c_l_r, B_tt_r_ m_k_s _m_z_ng sh_p_s w_th ch__s_ _nd cr__t_s, "f_rms _nd t_xt_r_s m_st d_n_rs w_ll n_v_r h_v_ pr_v___sly _xp_r__nc_d." _n_ _f h_s b_st-kn_wn d_sh_s _s _ d_ss_rt c_ll_d, "__ps, _ Dr_pp_d th_ L_m_n T_rt". Th_s _s _ p_stry th_t th_ ch_f dr_ps fr_m h_lf _ m_tr_ _nd sm_sh_s _n th_ pl_t_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a restaurant in the city of modena italy has been named as the best restaurant in the world the restaurant osteria francescana was crowned number one at the world's 50 best restaurants awards ceremony in new york the ceremony is like the oscars of the food world italian food is loved worldwide but surprisingly this is the first time an italian eatery has won the annual prize the osteria francescana came second in 2015 and third in 2013 and 2014 the chef and owner of the osteria francescana is mr massimo bottura he was very emotional on stage when he collected the award he said "i want to thank everyone because it has been so hard our job is all about art…in the kitchen"

    winning the award has been good for business the osteria francescana is fully booked until november anyone who wants to eat there must make a reservation six months in advance customers will now fly to italy just to eat at mr bottura's restaurant the competition judges gave bottura the award for his creative and original food and traditional ingredients in particular bottura makes amazing shapes with cheese and creates "forms and textures most diners will never have previously experienced" one of his best-known dishes is a dessert called "oops i dropped the lemon tart" this is a pastry that the chef drops from half a metre and smashes on the plate

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ArestaurantinthecityofModena,Italy,hasbeennamedasthebestresta
    urantintheworld.TherestaurantOsteriaFrancescanawascrownednu
    mberoneattheWorld's50BestRestaurantsawardsceremonyinNewYo
    rk.TheceremonyisliketheOscarsofthefoodworld.Italianfoodislovedw
    orldwide,butsurprisingly,thisisthefirsttimeanItalianeateryhaswonth
    eannualprize.TheOsteriaFrancescanacamesecondin2015andthirdin
    2013and2014.ThechefandowneroftheOsteriaFrancescanaisMrMassi
    moBottura.Hewasveryemotionalonstagewhenhecollectedtheaward
    .Hesaid:"Iwanttothankeveryonebecauseithasbeensohard.Ourjobis
    allaboutart…inthekitchen."Winningtheawardhasbeengoodforbusine
    ss.TheOsteriaFrancescanaisfullybookeduntilNovember.Anyonewho
    wantstoeattheremustmakeareservationsixmonthsinadvance.Custo
    merswillnowflytoItalyjusttoeatatMrBottura'srestaurant.Thecompeti
    tionjudgesgaveBotturatheawardforhiscreativeandoriginalfoodandtr
    aditionalingredients.Inparticular,Botturamakesamazingshapeswith
    cheeseandcreates,"formsandtexturesmostdinerswillneverhaveprev
    iouslyexperienced."Oneofhisbest-knowndishesisadessertcal
    led,"Oops,IDroppedtheLemonTart".Thisisapastrythatthechefdropsf
    romhalfametreandsmashesontheplate.

    Free writing

    Write about Italian restaurant for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Cooking is the greatest and most difficult art there is. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about restaurants from around the world. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. RESTAURANT: Make a poster about your favourite restaurant. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. ART AND FOOD: Write a magazine article about art and food. Include imaginary interviews with people who think food is art, and with people who think it isn't.

    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on restaurants. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make restaurants better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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