English For Cool Dudes

A Taste of Britain: An Advanced English Lesson

1 Vocabulary Matching

Match the word or phrase to its correct definition.

  • Culinary Heritage
  • Fry-up
  • Caramelised
  • Shortcrust Pastry
  • A type of dough made from flour, butter, and eggs.
  • The cooking traditions of a country handed down over time.
  • A casual, slang term for a Full English Breakfast.
  • A cooking process that makes vegetables or sugars brown and sweet.

2 Reading Comprehension

Before you watch the video, read this summary of what you're about to learn.

British cuisine has a rich and varied culinary heritage that goes far beyond just fish and chips. A traditional Full English Breakfast, often called a "fry-up," is a hearty dish that includes sausages, bacon, eggs, and more. It's often celebrated for the quality of its ingredients. The sandwich, a British invention, is famous around the world and was supposedly created by a man who wanted to eat without leaving the gambling table. Another classic is the Sunday Roast, which features meat, roasted vegetables, and a delicious side dish known as Yorkshire pudding. British food also includes unique dishes like "bubble and squeak," made from leftover vegetables.

1. What is another name for a Full English Breakfast?

  • A. A Sunday Roast.
  • B. A fry-up.
  • C. Bubble and squeak.

2. What is the sandwich named after?

  • A. A man who wanted to eat while gambling.
  • B. A popular type of bread.
  • C. A small village in Britain.

3. What is considered a classic side dish for a Sunday Roast?

  • A. Chips not crisps.
  • B. Yorkshire pudding.
  • C. Custard.

3 Video: The British Food Story

This lesson is designed to improve your vocabulary, listening skills, and understanding of British culture. Watch the video above about the British love for food, and then complete the exercises below.

4 True or False (Listening)

Based on the video, decide if the following statements are true or false.

1. Black pudding is a dish enjoyed for centuries, made from pig's blood.

2. The Sunday Roast tradition started with the king providing his guards with beef.

3. Max Halley's rule for a delicious sandwich is to eat it with cutlery.

5 Gap-Fill

Click the words in the box to fill the gaps in the sentences below, or click a filled gap to change your answer.

caramelised
Beefeaters
squeaks
ingredients
fry-up

1. The name "bubble and squeak" comes from the sounds it makes while frying, as it bubbles and .

2. The Full English Breakfast is also known as a .

3. One of the main in the pie is onions.

4. The British royal guards were nicknamed "" because they were supplied with weekly rations of beef.

6 Grammar Focus: Passive Voice

Complete the sentences by clicking the correct passive voice verb option.

1. It is believed that the king's guards ... "Beefeaters".

  • A. were nicknamed
  • B. were nicknaming

2. The meat for the Sunday Roast ... with rosemary, thyme, and garlic.

  • A. is preparing
  • B. is prepared

3. Black pudding ... by hand into natural casings.

  • A. is stuffed
  • B. has stuffed

7 Food Idioms

Match the idiom with its correct meaning.

  • Spill the beans
  • Have egg on your face
  • As easy as pie
  • Bring home the bacon
  • To be embarrassed by something you've said or done.
  • Very easy to do.
  • To earn money for your family.
  • To reveal a secret.

8 Discussion

Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Use these questions to start a discussion with a partner or classmate.