Goodbye to the Sit-Down Meal fem PREPARING TO LISTEN BACKGROUND If somebody asked you to think about lunch in France, and you let your imagination run wild, what would come to mind? Would lunch take place under a canopy ona pleasant summer afternoon, and would the meal include a fresh baguette and some cheese? Would there be music, candles, celebratory toasts, and fresh, tasty delicacies? If your answer is yes, you're not in the minority. Most people associate France with good food. It’s no secret that French culture includes a long tradition of slow, careful preparation of meals that use fresh, local ingredients. Meals are meant to be lingered over and enjoyed with good company and intimate conversation. Even the midday meal has been one to enjoy at leisure, usually at home with family. Its also no secret that food trends in the United States have been moving toward the complete opposite—ever faster food preparation and consumption. Lunch for many people is eaten in less than an hour, if itis eaten at all. Sitting down to a lengthy lunch or returning home to family to do so is next to impossible unless itis a special occasion. Many people think nothing of eating quickly at their desks as they answer email, and some even eat in their cars. Is France trying to adapt to the pressures of our overwhelmingly fast-paced society? Is France, like other countries with fine culinary traditions, beginning to abandon some of its precious culinary culture and follow more modern trends? Workin a small group. Compare a traditional meal in your culture to a modem version ofa meal today. What do they have in common? Whats different? Which do you prefer? Explain. VOCABULARY FOR COMPREHENSION El Read the following sentences. Try to determine the meaning of each underlined word from the context ofits sentence. Write a definition or similar expression on the line. 1. One recent phenomenon is bubble gum ice cream. Its popularity is a bit of a surprise to many people. something that: happens that is strange or hard to understand _ 2. In the early twentieth century, it was common to spend several hours every day cooking and eating, In recent years, we have witnessed a change in people’s eating habits. 23[Page3. There has been a boom in take-out food in the last decade or two. People like to eat at home, but they can’t or don’t want to prepare meals. SSS 4, Supermarkets in the United States now carry foods that used to be expensive and difficult to find. These delicacies include snails from France, lychee auts from China, noodles from Japan, and other unusual fruits and vegetables. 5. There is no doubt that a change in eating habits has occurred. This shift is of great interest to sociologists, who see it as being part of larger changes in our lives, ‘Many people think of eating as a special activity to be shared with family and close friends. Preparing and eating food are seen by many as intimate activities. : ee 7. The way people view food is basic and important to each family or culture and is considered a core cultural value. Er 8, Simply heating up frozen meals has become a popular method of preparing a meal, In the frozen food sections of supermarkets, the shelves are stacked with meals that can be prepared quickly. 9. Other recently popular items include panini, sushi, and Thai noodles. Each of these has become a hit in most cities in the United States today. 10. Some people feel that their neighborhoods are being overrun by fast-food restaurants. 11. Combining foods that don’t usually go together can result in same interesting new tastes. This has prompted some cooks and chefs to let their imaginations run wild as they create new products for the public to try. 2a|BageGoodbye to the Sit-Down Meal EA Match each word on the left with a definition or expression on the right. Write the correct letterin the blank, _—— 1 phenomenon a. be extremely creative ——— 2. witnessed b. basic, essential —— 3. boom ¢. something rare, something very unusual —— 4. delicacies d. change, modification 5. shift . private or personal —— 6. intimate £, something extremely popular _— 7.core g full of —— 8. stacked h. spread over a place quickly and in great obit numbers Wo eee rapid increase, surge 11. Jet one’s imagination J. observed ran wild kk food that is expensive and rare 2 Focus on Listenin A DERI errr You will hear the first part of a National Public Radio report by Sarah Chayes on a recent phenomenon in eating habits in France. Listen to the first part of the report, and answer the questions. 1, What is changing in France? Why might this be surprising? 2. Why do you believe these changes are taking place? ~ 25|PageLISTENING FOR MAIN IDEAS You will now hear the entire report. Write short answers to the questions below. Compare your answers with those ofa partner. 1. What is becoming very popular among French people? — 2. According to the speaker, what are some reasons for the change in French eating habits? 3, Why has the bakery become so popular recently? LISTENING FOR DETAILS. n Listen to the report again. As you listen, circle the letter of the answer to each question. 1. How long did people traditionally sit down to eat in France? a. one hour b. two hours . three hours 2. What does the report say about the reasons for the change in eating habits? a. They are contradictory. b. They are conservative. c. They are complicated. 3. In the past, what products did French bakeries offer? a. a wide variety of baked goods and dairy products b. a limited number of breads and pastries c. a variety of baked goods and general grocery items 4. How does Nicole, a worker in the bakery, feel about making all che different products she now prepares? a. She dislikes it. b. She likes it. c. She’s confused by it. 5. How has the owner of the bakery reacted to the demand? a. She is being more creative. b, She is busier than she wants to be. . She is responding unhappily. 26|PageGoodbye tothe SitDown Meal 6. In general, what do French working people now do? a. pay more for better food b. leave early at the end of the day c. eat lunch later than usual 7. How have women contributed to the changes? a. Fewer women want to cook, b. Women are having fewer children. ¢. More women are working. 8, Why have the changes in men’s professions been so important? a, They have less time. b. They are not as hungry. «. They prefer to eat out. 9. What is the key to the success of the bakery? a. The prices are low. b. The bakery uses only French products. ¢. The bakery serves customers quickly. 10. What just closed around the corner from Au Pain Gourmet? a. a French salad bar b.a hamburger franchise ¢. a foreign bakery REACTING TO THE LISTENING nr El Listen to the excerpts. The reporter uses several words that have more than one meaning. This deliberate use of words with double meanings adds humor and interest to the report. ‘Answer the questions that follow with a partner. Excerpt One ‘You will hear reporter Sarah Chayes explain what happens in Au Pain Gourmet, a bakery in Paris. 1. What does tough mean here? a. The bread is difficult to chew, like tough meat. . The situation is difficult to accept, but you must. 2, What does the reporter mean? a. Nicole earns money doing this. b. The bread on the table is nat soft. Excerpt Two Now you will hear how the bakery owner has adapted to the new demand. 3, What does swallow mean here? a. to eat to accept 27|Page4, What does the reporter mean? a. The size of the sandwich was too large for most people’s mouths. b. There were too many very different ingredients in the sandwich. Excerpt Three ‘You will now hear about the customers’ reactions to the new products. 5, What does hit mean here? a. to strike or crash into. b.a success, something popular 6. What does the reporter mean? a. The lines are long and frustrating, so customers in a burry occasionally fight. . The sandwiches are enormously popular with the people who go there. Excerpt Four You will now hear about a reaction to the change in eating habits. 7. What does exploding mean here? a. increasing rapidly b. blowing up and making a loud noise 8. What does the woman mean? a. High oven temperatures have caused accidents in some bakeries. b. The trend has suddenly become extremely popular. EB Work in a small group. Discuss the following questions. 4. Why is the bakery doing better than the hamburger place? 2. What do you predict for the future of the bakery? 3. Is there an increase in fast-food products and restaurants in your area? Explain. If there is, how do you feel about it? B DEG Carr You will hear some comments from. Satellite Sisters, a radio show featuring five sisters who live in different parts of the world and share their thoughts— vvia satellite—on everyday life, In this, segment, Lian, in California, talks about a food trend. 7} sten to the report and answer the questions. Then discuss your answers in a small group.Goodbye to the Sit-Down Meal 1. Why was Lian surprised in the supermarket? a. She found unusual food items in bowls. . She thought the food-in-bowls section was too large. 2. Why does Lian think this food-in-bowls trend is happening? a. People are too hurried to be careful about eating. b, Bowls keep food warmer than plates. 3, Lian jokes that maybe the next new eating style will be a. eating while keeping one hand on the phone b. eating without using our 4, Lian exaggerates by using humor when she says, “just get yourself a nice trough, and put the lasagna in there.” (A trough is a container that holds food for animals.) Why does she mention an animal food container? a. Many people are vegetarians and don’t eat animal products. b. Lian thinks that people look like animals when they eat the wrong food in bowls. 5. Lian thinks that teaching her children to eat with a knife and fork is a. her responsibility b. extremely difficult 6. Lian’s sister, Julie, in Bangkok, also makes a comment. What is her attitude toward the subject? a, She shares Lian’s feelings about food in bowls. b. She seems to have no problem accepting food in bowls. 7. What does Liz struggle with? a. eating food on skewers b. finding new ways to cook lamb C Bee The Satellite Sisters speak to each other in a style that is very different from that of Claude Fishlere and Sarah Chayes. in the conversations on pages 164-165, identify the speakers from the style they use. Then choose words that describe each speaker's style. When you've finished, read the conversations aloud, playing the role and using the style you have identified, These are the people who may be speaking: * a bakery owner * a Satellite Sister * Claude Fishlere 29|PageEl Read the following list of words and phrases from Listenings One and Two. Each word or phrases related to a general social trend, a particular food trend, or both. Complete the chart by putting the words in the correct column. Then compare your answers with those of a partner. boom franchise shite bowl hands-free sit-down delicacies phenomenon take-out demand 8 pedis ~ utensils exploding. revolution white-collarization feminization Error mney Ronin ed Ed inEnalish, there are many idiomatic expressions related to food, Here are some examples from Listening One. # It puts bread on her table. (meaning: It helps her make a living.) © It was a bit much for people to swallow. (meaning: People couldn't accept it.) Inthe sentences that follow, match each underlined food expression with its definition from the list on page 167. Write the correct number in the blank. 1. Men used to be the main breadwinners, while women raised the children. 2. In the past, only men were responsible for the family income. Now women have to bring home the bacon, too. 3. Hey, there’s a new DVD player out that’s really great, but it's $300. That's a lot of dough. 4, We've got a lot of work to do outside today. Let’s get cooking before it gets dark, 32[PageGoodbye tothe Sit-Down Meal 5. There’s trouble brewing in my office. P've heard some people might get fired soon. 6. Thanks for your offer, but I'll finish this report on my own. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 7. He's really hard to get along with. He always stirs up trouble. 8. There was an interesting show on TV last night about problems in our city. It really gave me some food for thought. 9. She writes books for fun, but teaching is really her bread and butrer. 40. Don’t just wait by the window for your letter to arrive. Keep yourself busy. ‘You know a watched por never boils. —— a.creates _— _ bvit’s better to do some things alone ___ c. make money ____. 4. things seem to take longer if you focus on what you want to happen _——_ e-money —— £. something to think about —— &- problems are developing h, main source of income i, start working —— jz salary earners 1 Work with a partner. Take turns asking and answering the following questions. Use the underlined words in your answers. Use detailed examples. Switch roles after question 5. Example StupeNr A: In the last two weeks, how many take-out meals have you had? STUDENT B: I must admit, we often get take-out meals because we are so busy. 1. What do you think of when you imagine hands-free meals? 2. Which eating utensils are most important to you? 3. What are your favorite delicacies? 4, Have you been affected by the feminization of the workforce? 5. 1s there an exploding awareness of health issues in your community? 33|Page