Unit 3Meal

A meal is an instance of eating, specifically one that takes place at a specific time and includes specific, prepared food. Meals occur primarily at homes, restaurants, and cafeterias, but may occur anywhere. Regular meals occur on a daily basis, typically several times a day. Special meals are usually held in conjunction with such occasions as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and holidays.

Customs and traditions regarding eating and meals vary from country to country, as well as within countries, based on such factors as regional differences, social class, education, and religion. In a complex, multi-cultural society there is increased risk of different customs and traditions clashing. What is correct behaviour, and what is not, and in what circumstances is the provenance of etiquette.

- Food in some cultures is eaten from individual plates or bowls, while in other cultures people eat from a common one. Even where people tend to eat from individual plates, there may be exceptions, as in the case of some small pieces of food that can be held in the hand easily, such as cookies or some snack foods, where it is common to eat from a common plate, biscuit tin, or similar container.

- Different cultures might have different rules for eating the same item. In the USA people eat sausages in a bun, or with a knife and fork, while in some countries in Europe sausages are held between the fingers while being eaten.

- In some cultures, it is considered proper to wait until everyone is seated before starting to eat, while in other cultures it is not an issue.

- In some cultures, it is considered proper to wait for the host to give the command before guests sit at the table for a meal, while in other cultures there are different rules.

- In some religions, people pray or read aloud from a religious text before and possibly also after eating. In diverse, religiously mixed company where some people might want to pray, and others might not, it may be proper etiquette to allow for a short time of silence allowing those who want to do so the chance to pray. (After Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia)

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ä Vocabulary

anniversary = aniversareanywhere = oriundebased on such factors as = în funcţie de factori cabe an issue (v.) = a constitui o problemăbe held (v.) = a fi ţinutbehaviour = comportamentbetween the fingers = între degetebirthday = zi de naşterebiscuit tin = cutie cu / de biscuiţibowl = bol, castronbun = chiflăcafeteria = bufetclashing = ciocnirecookie = fursecetiquette = etichetă, mod elegant de comportare la masăfrom country to country = de la o ţară la altaguest = musafir, oaspeteholidays = vacanţăhost = gazdăin conjunction with = în legătură cuincreased risk = risk mareinstance of eating = moment în care se ia masaknife and fork = cuţit şi furculiţămeal = masă (mic dejun, prânz, cină etc.)occur (v.) = a se întâmplaon a daily basis = zilnicplate = farfuriepray (v.) = a se ruga, a spune o rugăciuneprimarily = în primul rând, mai întâirules for eating = reguli referitoare la luatul meseisausage = cârnatsnack food = aliment de tipul snacks-urilortypically = în mod obişnuitwedding = nuntăwhile = în timp cewhile being eaten = în timp ce sunt mâncaţi (mâncate)within countries = în interiorul ţărilor

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ä Exercises

1. Answer the questions.

- What is a meal?- How do regular meals occur?- How are special meals held?- What are customs and traditions regarding eating and meals

based on?- What risk is there in a complex, multi-cultural society?- What do you understand by etiquette?- Do Romanians eat from a common plate or bowl?- How do Romanians eat sausages?- Do you pray before eating?

2. Match the following meals with their definitions.

1. afternoon tea a. a drink and light snack taken late morning after breakfast and before lunch

2. breakfastb. a late afternoon / early evening meal that replaces the evening meal referred to as dinner

3. brunchc. a late-morning meal, usually larger than a breakfast and usually replacing both breakfast and lunch

4. dinner d. a mid-afternoon meal (typically taken at 4 p.m.) consisting of light fare

5. elevensese. a midday meal (dinner outside the US); it is eaten around noon in Northern countries and around 2 p.m. further south

6. high tea

f. can be at any time of the afternoon or evening and usually denotes the main meal of the day; sometimes it is at lunchtime and sometimes at suppertime

7. lunch g. high tea8. supper h. usually an evening meal

9. tea i. usually eaten within an hour or two after a person wakes up in the morning

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3. Group the following words related to meal, as in the model.

(Please) pass (the salt). – breakfast – brunch – Dig in. – dine – dinner – Let’s eat. – Let’s say grace. – Let’s thank the Lord for the food. – light breakfast – light meal – lunch – luncheon – May I be excused. – May I have (the salt please). – meal – mealtime – mid afternoon snack – midnight snack – picnic – snack – supper – tea – Thank you.

Words referring to

a m

eal e

aten

at

a pa

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ular

tim

e of

day

a m

eal e

aten

ou

tsid

e

a sm

all m

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e w

hen

peop

le e

at

eatin

g a

mea

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mai

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eal o

f th

e da

y

wha

t peo

ple

say

at th

e be

ginn

ing

of a

mea

lw

hat p

eopl

e sa

y w

hen

they

are

do

ne e

atin

gw

hat p

eopl

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y w

hen

they

wan

t so

met

hing

dinner

4. Fill in with one of the articles below.

a – an – the

Many years ago nutrition professionals advised 'eat 3 square meals a day and no between meal snacking'. However, now we know there are several benefits to snacking: binge control – eating a few whole grain crackers or … piece of fruit may keep you from taking second helpings at your next meal, lowering your overall calorie intake for … day; extra energy and nutrients – … well chosen, planned snack can provide … energy boost and important nutrients to get you through … busy day; blood glucose control – eating something with nutritional value every 3 to 5 hours can keep your glucose level more stable which improves mental alertness.

5. Answer the following.

- Do you eat 3 square meals a day and nothing between them?- Do you eat a few whole grain crackers or a piece of fruit?

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- Do you eat something with nutritional value every 3 to 5 hours?

6. Provide the Past Tense of the verbs between brackets.

The Happy Meal (be) the brainchild of St. Louis, Missouri advertising manager Dick Brams, who in 1977 (contact) two advertising firms to develop a children’s meal that would promote McDonald’s as a restaurant for families, specifically those with smaller children. The original McDonald’s children’s meal (know) as McDonaldland Fun-To-Go because its mission (be) also to promote the new drive-through window service that (introduce) to the market at that time. The very first Happy Meal in 1979 (cost) one dollar and (contain) a puzzle book, an ID bracelet or McDonaldland character erasers. It (consist) of a hamburger or cheeseburger, twelve-ounce soft drink, a small order of French fries, and a “McDonaldland Cookie Sampler”, a small portion of cookies. Often the Happy Meal (aim) at promoting a current movie. The first such promotion (be) the Star Trek Meal, to promote Star Trek: The Motion Picture in December 1979. The packaging used for the Star Trek Meal (make) of various images and games related to the film, as well as a comic strip adaptation of the film. Consumers (have) to buy numerous meals in order to complete the set.

7. Identify the modal verbs in the text below and explain their use.

Can’t face the dining hall? If you are in college in Nice, you might love it – if you are in a Prague university, you might not. And sometimes, when cramming for a test, you just don’t have time to leave your dorm room to eat, so you must cook in your room. Make the best of it! You need something to cook on/in. Most universities frown (hard) on hot plates or electric coils. They tell you you mustn’t use them. Sure, they are less expensive than a mini microwave - but still the microwave is less expensive than burning down your dorm and being expelled without refund (that’s right - you may not pass go if you accidentally torch a building). So – a microwave it is. Read some advice (ignore the part about the child safety lock unless you have a very problematic roommate) – be sure to click on the review link. Then you may go buy. Oh, yeah – don’t forget to put a piece of plastic wrap or a paper towel over food you’re microwaving – keeps the splatters and

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cleaning time down. And, of course, never put anything contained in metal in a microwave or prepare for fireworks.8. Translate the following cookie recipe into English, paying attention to the translation of the impersonal “se”.

Aveţi nevoie de următoarele ingrediente: 2 ouă întregi, 400 g făină integrală de secară, 50 g caise deshidratate tăiate bucăţele mici, 70 ml ulei de măsline extravirgin, 100 ml lapte (eventual de soia), 1 linguriţă praf de copt, 1 pliculeţ zahăr vanilinat, coajă rasă de lămâie, puţină sare. Ouăle, caisele, coaja de lămâie, sarea şi opţional zahărul se amestecă, apoi se lasă 30 de minute pentru a da timp caiselor să se umfle cât de cât. Se adaugă uleiul în fir subţire (ca la maioneză) şi apoi laptele. La final se înglobează făina şi praful de copt. Se întinde foaie subţire din care se taie forme potrivite ca mărime. Se coc timp de 15-20 minute în tava neunsă, la foc mijlociu. Se păstrează într-un recipient închis, pentru că altfel se întăresc în timp.

9. Answer the following questions related to the recipe under 8.

- Do you think these cookies are cheap to make? Why (not)?

- Do you think this is a healthy recipe? Why (not)?- Would you try (to make) these biscuits? Why (not)?- Is this recipe suitable to try while living in the hostel?

10. Write the recipe of a meal you have tried to make in the hostel since you became a student. If you are still living at home, you can write the recipe of a meal you have helped your parents cook.

ä Let’s Laugh!

A young man at his first job as a waiter in a diner has a large trucker sit down at the counter and order: “Gimme three flat tires and a couple of headlights.” Bewildered the waiter goes to the kitchen and tells the cook, “I think this guy’s in the wrong store, look at what he ordered!” The cook says, “He wants three pancakes and two eggs sunny-side up.” The waiter takes a bowl of beans to the trucker. He looks at it and growls, “What’s this? I didn’t order this!” The young

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man tells him, “The cook says that while you’re waiting for your parts you might as well gas up!”

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