Strange Food from Around the World
A. Match the words with their meanings.
a. ferment - ii. to go through a chemical change
b. squid- iii. a sea creature that has a long soft body, eight arms and two tentacles around its mouth
c. witchetty- i. a large whitish wood-eating larva of a beetle or moth
d. myrtle- vi. a bush with shiny leaves, pink or white flowers and blue-black berries
e. congeal- iv. to change from a fluid to a solid state
f. nutty - v. having a flavor like that of nuts
B.The idiom 'a bridge too far' in the text means 'something that is too extreme'. Match the following idioms with their meanings.
a. get out of hand- iv. to become difficult to control
b. miss the boat - v. to be too late to get what you want
c. break the ice- i. to say or do something to make people feel comfortable
d. cry over spilt milk- iii. to worry over past events which cannot be changed
e. look before you leap- ii. to think about the possible bad results of an action before doing it
C. Complete the sentences below with the correct information from the text in not more than four words.
a. Sometimes even having food can give us the feeling of winning when it is like taking a risk.
b. When we travel we have the chance to try strange dishes which we even do not think of eating.
c. The writer became disappointed while having fermented horse milk in Mongolia which was really bad.
d. The writer's impression of Japanese food is favourable (not mentioned in the text).
e. Many people think of jellyfish as scary ones which the Chinese turn into food.
f. Snails become very tasty when they are fried with plenty of garlic and butter.
D. Answer the following questions.
a. Why does food become a challenge for people when they travel?
Food becomes a challenge for people when they travel because they may encounter new types of food that they are not accustomed to or may have difficulty finding familiar foods.
b. How is haggis prepared?
Haggis is prepared by grinding up the less desirable parts of a sheep, such as the heart, liver, and lungs, and mixing it with mutton fat, oatmeal, and spices. The mixture is then packed into a sheep's stomach and boiled for several hours.
c. When do you feel that you like shiokara?
I feel that I like shiokara when the writer suggests that enjoying shiokara with good conversation can enhance the experience and make it more enjoyable.
d. Where can people enjoy the bush food?
People can enjoy the bush food in Australia.
e. Why does the writer find it difficult to eat larger insects?
The writer finds it difficult to eat larger insects because they require more than one bite to consume, which makes it challenging for him.
f. Name the country where snails are served as the main dish.
Snails are served as the main dish in France.
g. What kind of food is bun rieu?
Bun rieu is a crab-based traditional Vietnamese noodle soup.
h. If you have to choose one of the foods from the list above, which one do you choose? Why?
I choose bun rieu because it is a flavorful and savory soup that incorporates a variety of delicious ingredients, including noodles, crab, pork, and vegetables.
E. Which of the dishes mentioned in the text did you find the strangest of all? Give reasons.
I find "Shiokara" to be the strangest dish mentioned. This Japanese dish is made of raw squid mixed with fermented squid belly, which can be an acquired taste due to its strong, salty flavor and pungent aroma. It might not appeal to everyone's taste, particularly those who are not used to eating such flavours and textures.
Grammar I
A. Match the sentence halves in I and II to make a complete sentence.
a. I bought a raincoat and an umbrella- because the monsoon started.
b. I won't be able to get to school on time- as I'm stuck in traffic.
c. The Nepali cricket team is likely to perform well in this tournament- because they have got the best coach ever.
d. The construction company has deployed more workers at the site-so that they can complete the construction in time.
e. We've decided not to go on holiday this year-since the movie was a hit.
f. The metropolitan city has planted trees at the side of the road- to reduce traffic noise.
g. The flight had been delayed- because of the bad weather.
h. We've put a table and chair in the spare bedroom- so that Samip can get to study in private.
i. Nisha went to visit her sister- since she didn't have to go to her office yesterday.
j. We had to queue for two hours- in order to utilise the time for planting paddy.
B. Complete the text below choosing the correct connective from the brackets.
The people at the fair were leaving (because) the lights were going out. The last two people in dodgem cars also left (as) it was getting dark. The big wheel stopped (and) the merrygo-round had already stopped. The stalls closed down and the stall-owners went home. At 2 a.m. four nightwatchmen walked round the funfair (to) see if there was anyone to be seen. 'Tm fed up walking around," one of them said, "What can we do (so that) there is nothing we can do?" 'We can sit and talk." They were bored (because) there was nothing to do on that quiet warm night. "We can have a ride on the merry-go-round!" one of them cried. "That'll be fun!" Three of them jumped on merry-goround horses, (so) the fourth started the motor. Then he jumped on too and round they went. They were having the time of their lives. Suddenly they realized there was no one to stop the machine (because) all of them were on it. They weren't rescued till morning, (so) they felt very sick indeed! [because, as, and, to, so that, because, so, because, so]
Writing I
B. What is your favourite food? Write a recipe to prepare it. Mention the ingredients and the methods to cook it.
My favourite food is Mo:Mo.
Momo is a popular Nepalese and Tibetan dish that has gained popularity all over the world. It is a type of dumpling filled with meat, vegetables or cheese, and is usually served with a spicy dipping sauce. Here is a recipe to prepare momo at home:
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water
For the filling:
1 lb ground chicken or beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili sauce or paste
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Slowly add the warm water and mix until a smooth dough forms. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it becomes soft and pliable.
In a separate bowl, combine the ground meat, chopped onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Divide the dough into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Roll out each ball into a thin, circular shape using a rolling pin.
Place a spoonful of the meat mixture onto the center of each dough circle. Fold the edges of the dough together to create a crescent shape. Use your fingers to crimp and seal the edges of the momo.
Place the momos on a steamer basket lined with parchment paper. Steam the momos for about 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes translucent and the filling is cooked through.
While the momos are cooking, prepare the dipping sauce by mixing together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili sauce in a small bowl.
Once the momos are cooked, serve them hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Enjoy your delicious homemade momos!
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