The Food Festival
Two friends, Anna and Ben, were walking through the city one evening. They were very hungry and wanted to eat something tasty and different. Anna suggested that they should try some local food from Italy. She mentioned delicious dishes like lasagna, a layered pasta meal, and risotto, a creamy rice dish. Ben’s mouth watered as he thought about the warm, cheesy layers of lasagna.
However, Ben had another idea. He wanted to try some local Japanese food. He told Anna about the wonderful dishes like miso soup, a warm, flavorful broth, and onigiri, a rice ball with a tasty filling. His favorite was ramen, a noodle soup with various toppings. Anna imagined the steam rising from a hot bowl of ramen and the scent of miso soup. Both options sounded so inviting, and choosing one was difficult.
They decided to make a game of it. They would each list the reasons they wanted to eat Italian or Japanese food. Anna spoke of the rich sauces and the sweet taste of tomato in pizza. Ben countered with the freshness of sushi and the satisfying simplicity of onigiri. As they talked, they realized they were standing right in front of a food festival.
To their surprise and joy, the festival had both Italian and Japanese food stalls. Their eyes lit up at the sight. They didn’t have to choose one anymore! They could taste both lasagna and ramen, try a slice of pizza, and enjoy a bowl of miso soup. This unexpected turn of events made them both very happy. They spent the rest of the evening trying different dishes, smiling, and laughing at their good luck.
In the end, Anna and Ben agreed that all the food was delicious. They learned that it’s not just the food that matters, but also the joy of sharing a meal with a good friend. This food festival was something they would remember for a long time.
Text Analysis
General Level: B1.6 (Local food names excluded.)
Vocabulary: A2.4
Verb Form: A1.9
Clause: B1.1
Wordlist
broth NOUN C2 x1
Definition (En):
n. liquid in which meat and vegetables are simmered; used as a basis for e.g. soups or sauces
n. a thin soup of meat or fish or vegetable stock
cheesy ADJ B2 x1
Definition (En):
s of very poor quality; flimsy
counter VERB C1 x1
Definition (En):
n. table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
n. game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or board games
n. a calculator that keeps a record of the number of times something happens
n. a person who counts things
creamy ADJ C1 x1
Definition (En):
s. of the color of cream
s. thick like cream
flavorful ADJ +∞ x1
Definition (En):
s. full of flavor
inviting ADJ B2 x1
Definition (En):
a. attractive and tempting
layered ADJ +∞ x1
Definition (En):
s. with one layer on top of another
noodle NOUN B2 x1
Definition (En):
n. a ribbonlike strip of pasta
scent NOUN B2 x1
Definition (En):
n. an odor left in passing by which a person or animal can be traced
v. catch the scent of; get wind of
steam NOUN B2 x1
Definition (En):
n. water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere
v. emit steam
v. rise as vapor
v. get very angry
topping NOUN B2 x1
Definition (En):
n. a flavorful addition on top of a dish
Phrases and Idioms
PHRASE | COUNT | SENTENCES |
(one’s) eyes light up | 1 |
|
counter with (something) | 1 |
|
good luck | 1 |
|
in front of (someone or something) | 1 |
|
in the end | 1 |
|
rise from (something) | 1 |
|
turn of events | 1 |
|
Reading Comprehension Exercises
True / False / Not Given
1. Anna was the one who initially brought up the idea of eating Italian cuisine.
2. Ben did not find the idea of eating lasagna appealing.
3. The friends used a coin toss to decide whether they would eat Italian or Japanese food.
4. Ben preferred onigiri over miso soup.
5. Anna had never had ramen before.
6. Ben convinced Anna to try Japanese food by describing it as fresh.
7. The food festival provided a solution to Anna and Ben’s problem of choosing a cuisine.
8. The food festival offered a variety of dishes, including pizza.
9. Anna and Ben only ate Italian food at the festival.
10. Anna and Ben concluded the evening with a mutual appreciation for the shared dining
experience over the food itself.
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Short Answer Questions
- What made choosing between Italian and Japanese food difficult for Anna and Ben?
- How did Anna and Ben resolve their indecision about what food to eat?
- What was the unexpected turn of events that made Anna and Ben happy?
- Why didn’t Anna and Ben have to choose between Italian and Japanese food in the end?
- What did Anna and Ben agree on at the end of the evening?
- What lesson did Anna and Ben learn from their experience at the food festival?
- What did Ben think about as he considered eating lasagna?
- What Italian dish did Anna mention first?
- What is Ben’s favorite Japanese dish mentioned in the text?
- What did Anna and Ben enjoy doing at the food festival aside from eating?
Multiple Choice Cloze
Two friends, Anna and Ben, were walking through the city one evening. They were very ___1___ and wanted to eat something tasty and different. Anna suggested that they should try some local food from Italy. She mentioned delicious dishes like ___2___, a layered pasta meal, and risotto, a creamy rice dish. Ben’s mouth ___3___ as he thought about the warm, cheesy layers of lasagna.
However, Ben had another idea. He wanted to try some local Japanese food. He told Anna about the wonderful dishes like ___4___ soup, a warm, flavorful broth, and onigiri, a rice ball with a tasty filling. His favorite was ___5___, a noodle soup with various toppings. Anna imagined the steam rising from a hot bowl of ramen and the scent of miso soup. Both options sounded so ___6___, and choosing one was difficult.
They decided to make a ___7___ of it. They would each list the reasons they wanted to eat Italian or Japanese food. Anna spoke of the rich ___8___ and the sweet taste of tomato in pizza. Ben countered with the freshness of sushi and the satisfying simplicity of onigiri. As they talked, they realized they were standing right in front of a food ___9___.
To their surprise and joy, the festival had both Italian and Japanese food stalls. Their eyes ___10___ up at the sight. They didn’t have to choose one anymore! They could taste both lasagna and ramen, try a slice of pizza, and enjoy a bowl of miso soup. This unexpected turn of events made them both very happy. They spent the rest of the evening trying different dishes, smiling, and laughing at their good luck.
In the end, Anna and Ben agreed that all the food was delicious. They learned that it’s not just the food that matters, but also the joy of sharing a meal with a good friend. This food festival was something they would remember for a long time.
1) A. hungry B. excited C. curious D. tired
2) A. lasagna B. spaghetti C. bread D. burger
3) A. watered B. danced C. sang D. shook
4) A. tomato B. chicken C. miso D. beef
5) A. sushi B. ramen C. tempura D. udon
6) A. inviting B. repulsive C. confusing D. boring
7) A. meal B. decision C. game D. dance
8) A. sauces B. salads C. cookies D. fruits
9) A. festival B. party C. meeting D. concert
10) A. burned B. lit C. brightened D. shone
Answer Key
True / False / Not Given Answers
- True
Explanation: The text indicates that Anna is the one who initiates the idea of trying Italian local food.
(“Anna suggested that they should try some local food from Italy.”)
- False
Explanation: The text explicitly says that Ben’s mouth watered when thinking about lasagna, which implies he did find it appealing.
(“Ben’s mouth watered as he thought about the warm, cheesy layers of lasagna.”)
- False
Explanation: The text mentions that they played a game to list reasons for their choices but does not mention a coin toss.
(“They decided to make a game of it. They would each list the reasons they wanted to eat Italian or Japanese food.”)
- Not Given
Explanation: The text does not state which Japanese dish Ben prefers over the other.
(“N/A”)
- Not Given
Explanation: The text does not indicate whether Anna has had ramen in the past or not.
(“N/A”)
- False
Explanation: The text does not state that Ben’s description convinced Anna, only that he countered her points with descriptions of Japanese food.
(“Ben countered with the freshness of sushi and the satisfying simplicity of onigiri.”)
- True
Explanation: The presence of both food stalls at the festival resolved their issue by no longer requiring them to choose one over the other.
(“To their surprise and joy, the festival had both Italian and Japanese food stalls.”)
- True
Explanation: The text specifically lists pizza among the variety of dishes available at the food festival.
(“They could taste both lasagna and ramen, try a slice of pizza, and enjoy a bowl of miso soup.”)
- False
Explanation: The text clearly states that they ate both Italian and Japanese dishes, not just Italian.
(“They could taste both lasagna and ramen, try a slice of pizza, and enjoy a bowl of miso soup.”)
- True
Explanation: The text concludes with the lesson they learned about the importance of sharing the meal, which supports the given statement.
(“In the end, Anna and Ben agreed that all the food was delicious. They learned that it’s not just the food that matters, but also the joy of sharing a meal with a good friend.”)
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Short Answer Answers
- Both options sounded so inviting.
Explanation: The text indicates that the inviting nature of both food options made it hard to choose between them.
(“Both options sounded so inviting, and choosing one was difficult.”)
- They made a game of listing reasons for eating Italian or Japanese food.
Explanation: The text describes that they turned their decision-making into a game to list reasons for their preferred choice.
(“They decided to make a game of it. They would each list the reasons they wanted to eat Italian or Japanese food.”)
- The festival had both Italian and Japanese food stalls.
Explanation: The text mentions that finding both types of food stalls at the festival was unexpected and made them happy.
(“To their surprise and joy, the festival had both Italian and Japanese food stalls.”)
- They could taste both at the food festival.
Explanation: The presence of both Italian and Japanese food stalls at the festival meant they could try foods from both cuisines.
(“They didn’t have to choose one anymore! They could taste both lasagna and ramen, try a slice of pizza, and enjoy a bowl of miso soup.”)
- All the food was delicious.
Explanation: The conclusion they reached was that they enjoyed all the food they tried.
(“In the end, Anna and Ben agreed that all the food was delicious.”)
- It’s not just the food that matters, but also the joy of sharing a meal with a friend.
Explanation: The text explicitly states the lesson they learned about the importance of companionship during a meal.
(“They learned that it’s not just the food that matters, but also the joy of sharing a meal with a good friend.”)
- The warm, cheesy layers of lasagna.
Explanation: The text describes Ben’s thoughts about lasagna that made his mouth water.
(“Ben’s mouth watered as he thought about the warm, cheesy layers of lasagna.”)
- Lasagna.
Explanation: Lasagna is the first Italian dish mentioned by Anna in the list.
(“She mentioned delicious dishes like lasagna, a layered pasta meal, and risotto, a creamy rice dish.”)
- Ramen.
Explanation: The text indicates that ramen is Ben’s favorite Japanese dish.
(“His favorite was ramen, a noodle soup with various toppings.”)
- Smiling and laughing.
Explanation: Apart from trying different dishes, the text states they spent time smiling and laughing.
(“They spent the rest of the evening trying different dishes, smiling, and laughing at their good luck.”)
Multiple Choice Cloze Answers
- A
Explanation: ‘Hungry’ fits the context as it describes their need for food.
- A
Explanation: The correct answer is ‘lasagna’ as mentioned in the text.
- A
Explanation: ‘Watered’ is used to describe the reaction of someone’s mouth when they think about tasty food.
- C
Explanation: ‘Miso’ is the correct type of soup mentioned in the context of Japanese food.
- B
Explanation: ‘Ramen’ is the correct Japanese noodle soup that Ben favored.
- A
Explanation: ‘Inviting’ suggest both options were appealing, fitting the context.
- C
Explanation: They made a ‘game’ out of deciding which food to eat.
- A
Explanation: The context talks about Italian food, thus ‘sauces’ is the correct answer.
- A
Explanation: They were at a ‘festival’ featuring food stalls.
- B
Explanation: ‘Lit’ is the phrase used in the text, meaning their eyes showed happiness.
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