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Layla
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Todd
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Food in America
Layla from France talks about food in America now that she is living there for a year.
Todd: So Layla, you're from France and now you live in America. I thought we would talk about food in the two countries. What do you think about food in America?
Layla: Personally, I don't like food here in America. I prefer food in my country because here it's very different. Like for lunch people can eat just like it's a snack and it's not a consistent plate with a vegetable or meat. For the kids sometimes they eat peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and we never do that in France. And, yeah, the bread is very different. The bread is harder than in France. Not soft like there. There is a lot of fast food here, and in France we don't have a lot like here.
Todd: Yeah, actually, one thing that bothers me about America is all the chain restaurants, so we have lots of fast food and chain restaurants everywhere and we don't really have small, independent restaurants which I think is really sad, so in France do you have lots of small, independent restaurants?
Layla: Yes, we have a lot of small and independent restaurants and these restaurants are the best place to go eat because it's just people who cook like they cook in house and it's typicallyFrench, so yeah.
Todd: One thing that people say, or foreigners say about American food is the our portions are really, really big. Do you think the portions are big?
Layla: Yeah, like when I go to McDonalds or another, we can just buy cup and we can go in the fountain and drink, drink, drink. Drink like five cups and we pay the same price, and in France we cannot do that. Like we have a small cup and we can have it just once and we pay for it.
Todd: What about the portions of food on the plate? Like are the portions about the same? Bigger or smaller?
Layla: Bigger. When I just came two day after in the U.S. I ordered a pizza and the size was very, very big, like for two people.
Todd: So is there anything about American food that you like? Is there anything that's good about American food?
Layla: Yeah, I like one thing. It's the ice-cream. There is one place called Yougurt Land. And I think it's the best thing to go to eat ice-cream here in the U.S.
Todd: So what kind of flavor do you like?
Layla: I like vanilla and strawberry and we can add some caramel or chocolate. You can do your own ice-cream.
Personally
Personally, I don't like food here in America.
The word personally expresses that the view of the speaker might be different from others, but it also expresses that the speaker expects others to have a different opinion. Notice the following:
- Personally, I thought is was a good film.
- Personally, I like to sit in the back of the room where it is quiet.
consistent
It's not a consistent plate with a vegetable and meat.
When something is consistent that means it is the same over time. It does not change much. Notice the following:
- Golfers need to be consistent with their swing.
- People who consistently get eight hours sleep tend to be healthier than those who don't.
bothers
One thing that bothers me is the chain restaurants.
When something bothers someone it makes them unhappy or uncomfortable. Notice the following:
- The sound of the TV bothered me so I moved to another room.
- It bothers me when people talk on the phone on the train.
typically
They cook the meals in house and it's typically French.
When something is typical that means it is common or usual. Typically is the adverb of typical. Notice the following:
- I typically eat three meals a day.
- Students are typically late on days with bad weather.
portions
Our portions are really, really big.
A portion is the amount of food given on a plate. Portions are usually categorized by small, medium and large portions.
- We were given a large portion of rice.
- That restaurant has really small portions considering the price.
Vocabulary Quiz
typically • portions
