October 29, 2025

listening practice: 190. What's up? [wassup] 191. What's on your agenda? [watson•yer•agenda 192. What do you mean? [waddaya•mean] 193. What did you mean? [wadijya•mean] 194. What did you do about it? [wadijoo•doowa•bowdit] 195. What took you so long? [wa•tookya•sollong] 196. What do you think of this? [waddaya•thinka•this] [wacha•thinka•this] 197. What did you do then? [wadja•do•then] 198. I don't know what he wants. [I•dunno•wuddee•wants]

🍕 Dialogue: Talking About Pizza Napoletana A: What's up? [wassup] B: Not much. Just got back from this new pizza place downtown. A: Oh yeah? What's on your agenda for today? [watson•yer•agenda] B: Honestly, that was it — eat pizza and chill. [tha•wuzzit] [pizza•n•chill] A: (laughs) What do you mean? [waddaya•mean] B: I mean, it wasn’t just pizza. It was Pizza Napoletana. Totally different. A: What did you mean by that? [wadijya•mean] B: You know, the real Italian kind — soft crust, San Marzano tomatoes, wood-fired. A: Oh, fancy! What did you do about it? [wadijoo•doowa•bowdit] B: I took pictures, obviously. Then I ordered a second one to go. A: (grinning) What took you so long? [wa•tookya•suh•long] B: The line was crazy! Everyone wanted to try it. [wanna•duh•tryit] A: What do you think of this new pizza craze? [waddaya•thinka•this] / [wacha•thinka•this] B: Honestly? I think it’s worth the hype. A: Yeah? What did you do then — after the pizza? [wadja•do•then] B: Walked around, had gelato. Perfect day. A: Sounds awesome. I don't know what he wants, but my brother [I•dunno•wuddee•wants] keeps saying “real pizza’s from Chicago.” B: (laughs) Tell him to try Napoletana — then we’ll talk. [tellim•duh•try]

Pizza with a pedigree There is pizza - and there is Pizza Napoletana. The two, experts say, have as much in common as virgin olive oil has with ordinary cooking oil. Now, authentic Pizza Napoletana is one of the elite group of European Union-certified food and drink products - like Scottish Farmed Salmon, Spanish Melon from La Mancha and English Blue Stilton cheese. In order to qualify for this list, these food products had to pass strict tests.

Once a product achieves Guaranteed Traditional Speciality status, other similar products are not allowed to use the same name. For example, if your sparkling wine doesn't come from the Champagne region of France, you can't call it 'Champagne. But be warned: the EU specifications for 'real' Pizza Napoletana are very complicated - it takes almost as long to read them as it does to make the pizza. To be labelled 'Guaranteed Traditional Speciality, the pizza mustn't be over 35 centimetres in diameter and the crust mustn't be more than two centimetres thick. The ingredients must include type 00 flour and up to 100 grams of San Marzano tomatoes applied in a spiral. And the cheese has to be fresh 'Mozzarella di Bufala.

Of course, pizza has a long history in Italy. The word 'pizza' first appeared in an AD 997 manuscript from Gaeta, a southern Italian town. A millennium later, in 1997, political groups in northern Italy tried to ban pizza because it was a symbol of their rivals in the south. You don't have to know anything about pizza's history to enjoy eating it, of course. But you should try an authentic Pizza Napoletana at least once, and see if you can taste the difference!

Vocabulary: authentic real or genuine; not fake or copied You can taste the difference in an authentic Pizza Napoletana. elite the best or most select group Only a few foods belong to the elite EU-certified list. certified officially recognized or approved Parmesan cheese is a certified Italian product. Guaranteed Traditional Speciality EU label for foods made in a traditional way Only pizzas that follow strict rules can get Guaranteed Traditional Speciality status. strict demanding or exact; following rules closely The EU has very strict food standards. specifications detailed descriptions or requirements The specifications for real Pizza Napoletana are quite complex. diameter the distance across a circle The pizza must not be more than 35 cm in diameter.

Vocabulary- continued crust the outer edge of a pizza or bread The crust should be soft but not more than two centimeters thick. ingredient one of the foods used to make a dish Mozzarella and tomatoes are key ingredients in Pizza Napoletana. manuscript a handwritten document The word “pizza” first appeared in an old manuscript. ban to officially say something cannot be done Some politicians once tried to ban pizza in northern Italy. symbol something that represents an idea or group Pizza became a symbol of southern Italy. taste the difference to notice how something tastes compared to something else You should try real Neapolitan pizza to see if you can taste the difference.

Practice: A modal verb is a special kind of helping verb that shows the speaker’s attitude toward the main verb — like possibility, ability, permission, necessity, or certainty. Modal verbs always come before the base form of another verb (no “to” or -s ending). 💡 Common Modal Verbs can – ability / possibility / permission could – past ability / polite requests / possibility may – permission / possibility might – weaker possibility must – necessity / strong obligation should – advice / expectation will – future / willingness would – polite requests / hypothetical situations

1 A: I've never tried durian. Have you? Apparently, it tastes much better than it smells B: No, I haven't tried it. But I know that it smells so much that you aren't allowed to take it on buses in Singapore 2 C: What's fugu? F-U-G-U D: Oh, I know what it is. It's a kind of fish they eat in Japan. It's actually poisonous, so only qualified chefs are allowed to prepare it in restaurants If you eat the wrong part, it can kill you! 3 E: Can you eat shark meat? F: Yes, it's popular in lots of countries. Sometimes, you have to ferment it first because the fresh meat is bad for you. That's what they do in loeland. It's called hakarl there. 4 Ga Are you going to boil those potatoes like that, without peeling them? H: Yeah, why? You don't have to peel potatoes before you boil them. Ge Yes, you do. At least that's what we do in my house! 5 I love eating oysters, but I can never remember when it's safe to eat them. J: The rule is you mustn't eat them in the warm summer months, but I don't know why not 6 K: I feel a bit sick. I wonder if it was the mayonnaise on my salad? Li Was it fresh mayonnaise? You should avoid using raw eggs in mayonnaise, didn't you know? They can make you ill. 7 M: Are you making chilli con came? N: Yes, but the recipe says you must boil red beans for fifteen minutes or they aren't safe to eat. Do you think that's right? 8 O: What's this on the menu! Steak tartare? Is that raw steak? P Yes, you can eat steak raw. It's cut into very thin pieces. You should try it

Collocations and Expressions have in common share similarities Ordinary pizza and Pizza Napoletana have little in common. pass strict tests succeed in difficult examinations or checks Only products that pass strict tests can get certified. achieve status to earn a special level or recognition The pizza achieved special status in the EU. be allowed to have permission to You’re not allowed to call it “Champagne” if it’s made elsewhere. labelled as described or named as something officially The pizza can be labelled as “Guaranteed Traditional Speciality.” come from (a region) originate from a certain place Real Champagne must come from the Champagne region. include ingredients contain certain foods The recipe includes ingredients like fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. apply in a spiral put something on in a circular pattern The tomatoes must be applied in a spiral pattern. taste the difference notice the unique flavor Try it once and see if you can taste the difference.

🎯 1. Can vs. Could Meaning difference: can → ability or permission (now) could → polite / past / uncertain ability Examples: A: Can you help me move this box? 👉 asking directly (friendly, casual) B: Could you help me move this box? 👉 more polite or formal; sounds softer A: I can finish it tonight. 👉 confident, sure B: I could finish it tonight — if I skip dinner. 👉 possible, but not certain 🎯 2. Should vs. Must Meaning difference: should → advice, suggestion must → strong necessity or rule Examples: A: You should try Pizza Napoletana. 👉 good idea, gentle advice B: You must try Pizza Napoletana! 👉 very strong recommendation

🎯 3. May vs. Might Meaning difference: may → possible, a bit more formal might → weaker possibility Examples: A: We may go out for pizza later. 👉 quite possible B: We might go out for pizza later. 👉 maybe, not sure 🎯 4. Will vs. Would Meaning difference: will → definite future or promise would → polite, hypothetical, or conditional Examples: A: I’ll call you tomorrow. 👉 promise or plan B: I would call you tomorrow, but I’ll be out of town. 👉 conditional / polite hypothetical 🎯 5. Have to vs. Must Meaning difference: Both mean obligation, but have to is more common in speech; must sounds stronger or more formal. Examples: A: I have to go now. 👉 everyday speech B: You must go now. 👉 order, rule, or dramatic tone