THURSDAY LESSON GROCERIES AND FOOD

Adjectives With FOOD If the food is good, you can say the food is delicious, tasty, scrumptious, or wonderful. Children often say that food is yummy. Some other adjectives used for specific types of food are… luscious – usually used for fruits that are fresh and juicy mouth-watering – often describes foods with a pleasant aroma or that are visually attractive, and which make your mouth produce saliva in anticipation of eating it tempting – describes a food that makes you want to eat it (often an indulgent food like a high-calorie dish or sweet dessert) If the food was merely OK, you can describe it as decent (has a positive connotation) or mediocre (has a more negative connotation). If the food didn’t seem good, you can describe it as unappetizing – something about the food’s appearance or smell made you not want to eat it. If the food was bad, you can say it was disgusting, horrible, or even inedible (meaning it was so bad it couldn’t be eaten). If the food is unusual and includes elements from other countries, it is exotic. High-quality food can be described as gourmet or fine. Food that provides the elements your body needs is nutritious. Food that isn’t good for you is unhealthy. Another term for unhealthy food is junk food. If a particular food fills your stomach and satisfies you, you can say the food is filling. When you don’t eat your entire portion of food (regular amount of food for one person), you have leftover food (or simply leftovers) which you can eat later, or on the next day. If food is fresh, it means it’s new and good to eat. Many supermarkets have a section for frozen food, which is stored in the freezer at very low temperatures so that it stays good for a longer time. If a food is past its expiration date and is no longer safe to eat (it smells or tastes strange), then the food has gone bad. You can also say it’s spoiled. When food is very old and starts decomposing, it is rotten. Food that stays good for a long time is non-perishable (such as rice, beans, sugar, etc.) and food that has the potential to go bad quickly is perishable (such as fruit, meat, etc.) Organic food is grown in a natural way without using dangerous chemicals. There’s also processed food which has gone through a lot of changes in factories. Perhaps the best kind of food is homemade – food that is prepared at home, in a traditional way, by a real person.

Situation: Laura’s mother had asked her to go grocery shopping before she went to work this morning. Since Laura is still busy with her homework, she asks her sister Martha to go to the market for her. Laura: Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping before she left for work this morning, but I need to finish my school project. Can you go for me, Martha? Martha: I guess I can. I am done with my homework. What did mom want you to buy? Laura: Well, she wanted me to buy enough groceries for the whole week. Besides meat, some fish and vegetables, we can buy whatever else we want for snacks and breakfast. Martha: What do you want for breakfast? Laura: I guess some cereal as usual. Martha: I do not want cereal everyday. I will buy some pancakes and syrup then. Laura: Get the new FineFood pancakes in the frozen food section please. I want to see how it tastes. Martha: Do we still have enough coffee and cream for mom and dad? Laura: Yes, we do. Talking about coffee and cream, you better buy some milk also. We almost ran out of it. Martha: Next, what do you want for snacks? Laura: Some chips would be fine with me. You probably want your chocolate cookies. Martha: I better write down all these things; otherwise, I will forget them by the time I get to the market. I would hate to make two trips to take care of things. Laura: Right! As far as meat, mom wants some pork and some chicken. Martha: Just any kind of pork? Laura: I forgot to ask mom about that. Anyways, you can ask the butcher for his opinion. He knows what is best. Martha: How about fish? Laura: Mom wants some salmon and some catfish. Make sure that they are fresh. 45 Martha: How much salmon and catfish should I buy? Laura: Oh, buy four pieces of salmon filet and four pieces of catfish filet. Mom does not like to get the whole fish. Martha: Are these fish filets sold by weight or by the piece? Laura: I am not very sure. Just buy four decent sized pieces. Not too big and not too small. Martha: Do I need to buy some spices so mom can marinate the fish? Laura: Yes, get some ground pepper and some garlic. Martha: Now, how about vegetables? Mom probably wants carrots, potatoes, cabbages and some lettuce. Laura: That would be fine. We need some fruits also. What do you want? Martha: Dad always packs an apple for lunch everyday. I want the same thing. Laura: We have already run out of eggs. So, get a carton of eggs also. Martha: How about some soft drinks? Laura: No, buy some bottled water instead. It is healthier for us. We need to cut down on our intake of sugar, as too much sugar is not good for our bodies. Martha: I need to put bread on the list before I forget. Should I get one loaf or two? Laura: One loaf will be enough. Put down a bag of rice also. Martha: Do we need anything for dessert? Laura: Get a box of ice cream. Martha: Ice cream? Isn’t ice cream packed with sugar? Laura: Yes, but since I already drink water instead of soft drinks, one or perhaps two scoops of ice cream after dinner is not too bad. Besides, mom loves ice cream, especially cherry vanilla. Martha: OK, I will put down one box of ice cream if you say so. Do you want me to buy some pastries for you? Laura: I know the pastries at the market are delicious; however, no is my answer. Do not tempt me, Martha. 46 Martha: Just asking, Laura. Laura: You have quite a few items to take care of. You need to get going. Martha: Yes, the list is quite long. By the time I get to the cashier to pay, I will probably have a full shopping cart. OK, I am all set to go. I will be back soon. Laura: Drive carefully

Where are you going? A: I am going to the supermarket. Q: Do they sell only meat at the supermarket? A: No, they sell a lot of things. There is a section for meat, a section for frozen food, a section for vegetables.... Q: Do supermarkets carry wine? A: Yes, they have a whole section for liquor. Q: What can you buy at the supermarket? A I can buy groceries, over-the-counter medicines or daily hygiene stuffs like toothpaste, detergent, and soap. Q: What else do you find at the supermarket? A: Nowadays, there is a pharmacy inside most supermarkets. Q: Do you have to bargain at the supermarket? A: No, because the prices are fixed. Q: How do they sell things at the supermarket? A: You can buy things by the package or by weight. Q: When is the best time to go to the supermarket? A: It is best for you to go when you are not hungry. Otherwise, you will want to buy everything that you see. Q: What are the hours of supermarkets? A: Supermarkets are usually open from 5AM to midnight. Q: Were they ever closed? A: I don’t think they were ever closed. They are open even on major holidays. Q: Do you go to the supermarket everyday? A: No. Like everybody, I always buy groceries for the whole week. Q: What happens if you suddenly run out of things? A: I will have to make an extra trip to the supermarket then.