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British Food & Meals

Read about what British people eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner — then test your vocabulary and write about your own eating habits.

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Ex A – ReadingRead about traditional British meals and answer comprehension questions
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Ex B – VocabularyFill in the gaps with the correct food words
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Ex C – WritingCompare British and German eating habits
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Exercise A

Reading: What Do British People Eat?

Read the text carefully. Then answer the questions below using the dropdown menus.

British Meals

Breakfast

Many British people start the day with a bowl of cereal or some toast with butter and jam. But at weekends, families often cook a "Full English" breakfast. This famous meal includes bacon, sausages, eggs, baked beans, toast, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. Some people also add black pudding, which is made from blood and oats. It sounds strange, but many people love it! A Full English is very filling, so you usually do not need lunch after eating one.

Lunch

During the week, most people have a quick lunch. A sandwich is the most popular choice — for example, cheese and pickle, tuna mayonnaise, or ham and salad. Many school children bring a packed lunch from home with a sandwich, some fruit, crisps and a drink. At the weekend, some families enjoy a "Sunday roast" for lunch. This is a big meal with roast meat (usually beef, chicken or lamb), roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Yorkshire pudding is a light, crispy batter that is always served with roast beef — it is not a dessert!

Dinner

The evening meal is called "dinner" or "tea" in different parts of Britain. Popular dishes include fish and chips, shepherd's pie (minced lamb with mashed potato on top), bangers and mash (sausages with mashed potato and gravy), and curry. In fact, chicken tikka masala — an Indian-style curry — is one of the most popular dishes in the whole country. Many British people also enjoy a takeaway on Friday evenings: Chinese, Indian or pizza.

Snacks & Drinks

Tea is the national drink of Britain. Most people drink it with milk and sometimes sugar. "Afternoon tea" is a tradition where people eat small sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and little cakes. Crisps (called "chips" in America) are a very popular snack, and they come in unusual flavours like prawn cocktail, cheese and onion, or salt and vinegar.

Comprehension Questions

1. A "Full English" breakfast is usually eaten .
2. Black pudding is made from .
3. The most popular lunch during the week is .
4. Yorkshire pudding is .
5. One of the most popular dishes in Britain is .
6. British people usually drink their tea with .

Exercise B

Vocabulary: Food Words

Complete each sentence with the correct word from the dropdown.

Word Bank gravy takeaway crisps scones filling batter mashed grilled
Fill in the gaps

1. Yorkshire pudding is made from a light, crispy .
2. A Full English breakfast is very , so you do not need lunch afterwards.
3. Bangers and mash is sausages with potato and gravy.
4. A brown sauce poured over meat and potatoes is called .
5. The tomatoes in a Full English breakfast are usually .
6. Many British people order a on Friday evenings instead of cooking.
7. At afternoon tea, people eat small sandwiches and with cream and jam.
8. In Britain, thin slices of fried potato in a bag are called .

Exercise C

Writing: Comparing Eating Habits

Write about the differences between British and German meals. Use the questions below to help you.

Think about these questions:

• What do you usually eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

• How is a German breakfast different from a Full English?

• Do you have a big meal at lunchtime or in the evening?

• Which British dish would you like to try? Why?

Your text (at least 5 sentences)

Try to use linking words: but, however, in contrast, also, for example

All exercises complete!

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